On the power of stories and simple acts

I have an abiding passion for museums, art galleries, and libraries and have been visiting them for as long as I can remember. I have always noticed the names on the walls of the individuals who helped fund them and been in awe of what many individuals can build together. Now, for almost 20 years philanthropy has been both my passion and profession. Every day I’m reminded that anyone can create positive change through acts of generosity, at any level and that together, those singular acts of giving can have exponential impact.

I believe deeply in the power of the individual to make a difference.  And then collectively, for the impact to be exponential. I have great appreciation for how much I have in my life and how many others are not as lucky. With all the opportunities available to me and my family, I believe it is our responsibility to contribute to help those who haven't had the same opportunities or experiences. It’s also being aware that the power to give and create change isn't just the domain of the ultra-wealthy. It's a power we all have. There's a great sense of strength, agency and common humanity that comes when you give. It’s a reminder of how we are all connected and have a role to play in this complex world.

As a family, we give to organisations and leaders who we believe in, and trust. We have given to the same organisations for some time, particularly those that support children and education, which reflects the stage of life we're in and the opportunities we’ve had. While we give at a modest scale compared to others, we give to people and causes that share our values.

One example is the Stella Prize.  It was important to give both as a Board Director, and to be a part of the Stella Forever campaign to endow the prize in perpetuity. I decided to make a gift on behalf of myself and my two daughters. When I shared that with my mum, she decided to not only make a gift in her name, but also in her mother’s memory. Celebrating women's stories is so important, and it was an honour to be a part of that campaign. 

Firstly, I’ve learned how deeply humbling the act of giving is for the individual. Just the act of stopping for a moment to buy a Big Issue, having a conversation with a vendor, it reminds us that there are people all around us who need help and we can do something about it.

Secondly, I think talking to women and hearing their stories as part of this campaign has made me realise how deeply unifying that feeling is. That desire to help and acknowledge how lucky we are, no matter where we are in the spectrum of things, is universal. It’s what underpins the intellectual work: the strategy, the workshops, the data and evidence. We need all those things to build critical foundations but, fundamentally, what moves people is that personal connection. To do both is the tenant of this campaign. By sharing stories, we are showing others the myriads of ways you can develop a personal connection. And we are building the body of evidence we need to really challenge the thinking and galvanise support for why we need to grow the sector.

Thirdly, I have so much more to learn and contribute as part of this amazing world we live in. And I will not give up helping in any way I can, both on an individual basis and collectively, to accelerate positive social change. It’s so incredibly satisfying to feel like you're a part of a bigger something.

Take a deep breath and just act. Take that very first, or next, step to find an organisation that you really believe in and just make a gift that is at a scale meaningful to you. Talk to someone about your giving and encourage others to think about doing it. We can be fearful about so many things that rarely ever happen. I've got a whole list of them. But to overcome that, when you just start by getting on with it, that feels good. And then what follows is the joy that is involved in giving that can be so unexpected and heartwarming. Giving can teach you so much about yourself, your family, your community. You just need to take that first, or next, step.

One might say the simplest way to have big ambitions in philanthropy and to accelerate positive social change is to earn a huge amount of money and give it all away. But that's not my trajectory in life. I've been lucky to find a path that leads to impact in a different way that speaks to my ability to connect and galvanise people. My personal ambition is to use my skills and networks to make as great an impact as I can. I will continue to do what I can to help create opportunities for people to realise their capacity to create positive change and bridge those gaps in whatever way they can. And I have the same ambition for the sector and for others. Use that unique combination of skills, experience, networks and confidence that makes you, you; and use it to make an extraordinary contribution that will be uniquely yours. It is my hope that people lean into that fearlessly and realise they have the capacity to make a huge difference in this world. Whether that is through starting to give, giving more or giving more impactfully.  And just as the stories, the people, the staggering acts of generosity that I have been privileged to witness is my fuel in all of this, so too I hope that She Gives provides a way for everyone to hear these compelling stories and be inspired to do more.  
And then, together, we can broaden our ambitions for giving and continue to set our expectations higher around what else we can do, what deeper impact we can have and how many more people’s lives we can contribute to in a positive way.   

Apart from coffee and exercise, it’s the energy I get from the people I collaborate with. Every time I interview another woman, and the story is so precious and inspiring, that’s what fuels the next thing and the next thing. And the belief that if I feel this way, someone else will too. If we can get that out there and influence a few more people to give or to give a little bit more or give more impactfully, it is all worth it.

The other great opportunity we have with this campaign is the research report. It will be so important to have that point of reflection and to be able to bring the data and analysis together so everyone who has been part of the campaign will see their contribution and have it inform our future ambitions.