Annual Fund
Alongside our long-term strategic fundraising, the College also looks to its Alumni to raise money that can be used to fulfil immediate and pressing needs. These gifts form our Annual Fund, and allow a large number of relatively small donations to have a major collective impact and reduce the strain on our endowment, which currently subsidises the cost of the education of each undergraduate.
Over the past four years, Alumni of Christ’s have donated around £800,000 to the College through its Annual Fund. The purpose of the Annual Fund is to generate donations which provide a predictable and planned income, by encouraging regular giving over renewable three-year cycles. This enables College to plan more effectively for the future based on what we know has been pledged, and it means that our Alumni are able to make a real and significant financial contribution over the course of manageable monthly or annual donations, rather than in a single lump sum.
The Annual Fund centres around the College Telephone Campaigns, which we have now held each year since 2008. Our Telephone Campaigns have successfully engaged hundreds of new donors from the Alumni body, and we are pleased to be able to report that over 25% of our Alumni have now made a financial contribution to the College. Telephone Campaigns are an effective way of reaching large numbers of people in a relatively short space of time, and are very useful for getting feedback on our events and publications and information on what our Alumni do once they leave Christ’s, as well as securing financial support.
Jobs on the Telephone Campaign have become increasingly popular as the first few campaigns have passed and more and more students have been involved. Competition for places on the Call Team is now fierce, with students realising that the work experience is extremely valuable, particular in the ever-increasing competition of the graduate job market. It is also very useful for the student callers to be able to stay in College and use the libraries and other University facilities out of term time.
What the Callers think
Students' Experiences of the Telephone Campaign
"At Christ's I feel a part of a strong community and this is something I particularly value. I feel that strong links with Alumni is vital to the maintenance of this community feeling. Indeed, one or two of my good friends, with whom I play cricket during the summer, had actually left Christ's before I began and we only met as a result of the regular Old Boys matches that the various sports clubs organise. I see the telephone campaign as an excellent way to ensure the establishment and maintenance of these strong links with old members, both on behalf of the College but perhaps also on a personal level... I think I would find it interesting, stimulating, and enjoyable."
Stephen Harrison m. 2006
"I chatted to some great people, some of whom wrote to me afterwards, and some of whom I’ve since had the chance to meet."
Charlotte Cornish m. 2007
"It was good to have a job in a place which was be useful for my academic studies (easy access to the English Faculty library and the UL). I also liked the chance to give something back to College and try to improve the facilities further for future students."
Ruth Dewhirst m. 2008
Student Websites
Christ's College has two student run websites, one run by the JCR for undergraduates and the other run by the MCR for the graduate students of the college.