Using a Major Anniversary to Build a Culture of Giving: A Notting Hill and Ealing High School Case Study

Where does your story begin?

Notting Hill & Ealing High School is an all-girls London day school from Reception through to Year 13, and part of the GDST family of 25 schools. During the academic year 2023-2024, the school celebrated its 150th anniversary.

October 2022 marked the first time in the school’s history that parents were asked to donate. With no substantial endowments from alumnae and no established history of supporting bursaries, fundraising began from scratch. The school launched its campaign with the goal of establishing three transformational bursaries:

• The OGA Alumnae 150th Anniversary Bursary: from alumnae, their parents, staff and governors
• The Parents’ 150th Anniversary Bursary: from current parents
• A sixth form bursary: from leaving parents

The response was strong, though the school fell slightly short on the first two bursaries. These became the focus for their inaugural Giving Day as the 150th Anniversary year concluded.

What were your fundraising goals?

Three main objectives guided the campaign:

1. Increase engagement across all communities (alumnae, staff, former staff, former parents) and grow the donor base to a target of 250 donors
2. Secure the remaining financial targets to complete the two new bursaries
3. Establish a lasting culture of giving beyond this single campaign, embedding philanthropy as part of the school’s identity

Why did you decide to run a Giving Day and work with Hubbub?

The school was introduced to the Giving Day concept through IDPE, which aligned perfectly with its objectives. The marketing team appreciated the modern, attractive website design. For the Development Manager, the decision hinged on trust: “I felt I had a good connection with the Hubbub team, I felt I could trust them and talk to them, whilst expecting they would be honest with me.” This relationship was essential given that the Development Manager was the sole staff member tasked with delivering the Giving Day alongside teaching responsibilities on a two-days-per-week schedule.

Did you achieve your goals?

The campaign exceeded expectations across all metrics. The school attracted 271 donors, surpassing the target of 250. This dramatic increase in the donor pool fundamentally shifted the Development Manager’s approach to future fundraising, enabling a shift from reliance on a small donor base to a broader, more sustainable model.

Financially, the campaign raised nearly £50,000 against an official target of £30,000. The Development Manager reflected: “If I hadn’t been able to do the Giving Day to get more people into the pool I would remain reliant on a small number of people ongoing. This now enables me to spread the load and give my donors a sense of shared success that they really enjoy.”

Beyond the numbers, the campaign achieved its cultural objective. Donors became more open, confident and proud of their philanthropic involvement, creating positive effects for individual families and the institution.

What was your experience of a Giving Day with Hubbub?

The Development Manager worked closely with the Hubbub Account Manager and Delivery Lead throughout the campaign. The partnership was characterized by responsive support, creative problem-solving and data-informed decision-making. The team provided updates promptly, supported new ideas with flexibility, and adapted plans as the campaign evolved.

A particular highlight was the donor wall, which became “a really open and honest celebration of collective support” as participants shared their motivations and alumnae connected with one another during the Giving Day.

What advice would you give others considering running a Giving Day?

• Start early. Begin planning a year in advance to allow momentum to build gradually throughout the campaign.
• Maintain faith in the process. Expect that matched donations and other commitments may arrive later than anticipated, but persist.
• Secure marketing and social media support. These teams are essential to campaign visibility and success.
• Establish leadership backing. Find an ally within your leadership team who can manage complementary events, freeing the development staff to focus on communications.
• Leverage existing events. Building the Giving Day around an already-scheduled community event (such as Hillfest) allowed the school to concentrate resources on fundraising rather than event logistics.

“So many times Hubbub were just fabulous, updating when I asked, often within minutes.”

Molly Tollit, Development Manager