Protecting those who protected us
Challenge
The Gurkha Welfare Trust needed to reinvigorate a long-standing annual appeal for a loyal but ageing supporter file. We knew there were far fewer donors with direct experience of working alongside the Gurkhas, but their children had also started giving out of respect.
Solution
We created Operation Shield, an appeal that reframed giving as an act of protection. By focusing on winter flu vaccinations, the appeal gave donors a clear, practical solution with a real deadline. It transformed the ask into a focused mission: help shield vulnerable Gurkha veterans and their families through winter.
10,000
+
SUPPORTERS
MOBILISED
MOBILISED
33
%
UPLIFT IN
RESPONSE RATE
RESPONSE RATE
Mailed 22% less people and gained 3% more donors
Result
Operation Shield mobilised more than 10,000 supporters. Compared with the previous appeal, we mailed 22% fewer people but recruited 3% more donors, lifting the response rate by 33%. It shows what happens when emotional reciprocity meets a tangible, urgent fundraising ask: a multi-generation expression of gratitude.
