Macmillan Cancer Support · Mighty Hikes

Growing charity hike fundraising by 57%.

I led Mighty Hikes’ £1m marketing programme, expanded channels and strengthened the participant journey—helping raise £9.1m for Macmillan with a 5:1 fundraising return on investment.

My role: Events Marketing Team Manager
Skills: Brand · Integrated marketing · Lifecycle · Partnerships · Team leadership

Opportunity

We identified an opportunity to grow Mighty Hikes’ fundraising and improve its fundraised ROI. New distances, corporate groups and a broader channel mix could expand participation, while sharper creative and lifecycle marketing could increase fundraising per participant and make the budget work harder.

Work

Expanded the event offer and partnerships

Introduced new distances and corporate partnerships to attract new audiences and larger registration groups.

Led 360-degree campaign execution

Connected creative, media and lifecycle activity across digital, podcast, radio and outdoor, optimising for registrations and fundraising ROI.

Tested and refined creative

Used research and social testing to lead acquisition with spectacular locations, bringing people into retargeting and the participant journey.

Strengthened lifecycle marketing

Connected event preparation and fundraising communications to help participants meet and exceed their targets.

Led teams, agencies and budgets

Managed a 15-person team across the hiking and cycling portfolio, external marketing and events agencies, and the £2m Mighty Hikes budget.

Outcome

Mighty Hikes raised £9.1m in 2019, up 57% year on year. The programme delivered a 5:1 fundraising ROI, with participants raising £750 on average—three times the £250 target.

Highlights