With the NHS contributing just 25 per cent of the hospice's running costs, St John's must raise more than £5 million every year to continue providing care across North Lancashire and South Lakes. As costs increased, NHS funding reduced and demand for services continued to grow, the hospice recognised it was time to make a greater investment in legacy fundraising.
The result was I'll Always Remember, a campaign that challenged expectations of hospice fundraising. Instead of focusing on loss, it celebrated the moments of love, connection and compassion that hospice care makes possible, using the voices of local families to tell stories that felt authentic, hopeful and deeply personal.
The campaign was the winner of the Legacy Campaign of the Year at the Legacy Giving Awards 2026.
Rather than beginning with creative ideas, the team started by asking questions. Working with external researchers and colleagues from across the hospice, St John's explored how people think about wills and legacy giving, what motivates charitable gifts, the barriers people face and how audiences perceive both the hospice and legacy campaigns more generally. Those insights became the foundation for every stage of the campaign.
The research also revealed an opportunity to do something different. While many legacy campaigns lean heavily on sadness, audiences responded more positively to messages that felt genuine, balanced and rooted in real experience.
As Liz Edmondson, Head of Supporter Engagement at St John's Hospice, explains:
"We wanted to create something that was positive, clear and memorable. We were keen to strike a balance between what people sometimes describe as 'sadvertising' and overly optimistic messaging. Most importantly, we wanted to show that St John's Hospice doesn't simply provide end of life care, it helps create final, meaningful moments between loved ones."
Liz Edmondson, Head of Supporter Engagement at St John's Hospice
At the heart of the campaign was a single question: "What's the one thing you'll always remember?"
Families who had experienced the care of St John's Hospice answered in their own words, reflecting on the moments that remained with them long after saying goodbye to someone they loved. There were no actors, scripts or staged scenes. Participants shared their memories in places where they felt comfortable, using personal photographs and home videos to tell their stories. Every contributor received emotional support before, during and after filming, and had the opportunity to review their film before it was published.
The result was a campaign that trusted real people to tell authentic stories, allowing audiences to connect with the experiences behind the message rather than the organisation delivering it.
One of the campaign's greatest strengths was the way it brought together expertise from across the local community. Market research specialists, Flex MR, provided the audience insight that shaped the strategy and creative direction, while Lancaster-based production company, McGill Productions, produced a series of high-quality films that reflected the warmth and authenticity of the stories being shared. Supported by colleagues across the hospice, participating families and volunteers, the campaign demonstrated what can be achieved when organisations work collaboratively around a shared purpose.
The campaign also reflected the different ways supporters engage with the hospice. Alongside YouTube, Facebook, Google advertising and targeted email communications, St John's used posters, postcards, supporter newsletters, charity shops and regional media to reach audiences across both rural and urban communities.
The campaign exceeded its target of generating 40 live legacy enquiries, receiving 48 during the campaign period alone. As with all legacy fundraising, the team knows this is only part of the picture, with many gifts only becoming known years after a will has been written.
Digital performance was equally encouraging. Google advertising generated around 240,000 views during the first six weeks, while Facebook activity delivered more than 32,000 impressions. The campaign films attracted thousands of views, with the compilation film becoming the hospice's seventh highest performing YouTube video at the time. Audience data also showed particularly strong engagement among people aged 35 to 44 and a higher-than-expected proportion of male viewers, demonstrating the campaign's ability to reach beyond traditional legacy audiences.
The impact was felt internally too. Staff and volunteers recognised many of the families featured in the films and spoke proudly about seeing the care they had provided reflected so honestly. The campaign became a powerful reminder of the lasting impression hospice care leaves on the people it supports.
For the hospice, one of the campaign's biggest achievements was showing that meaningful legacy fundraising does not depend on large budgets or highly produced campaigns, as Liz Edmondson explains: "Our advice to other charities is to be positive, clear and memorable. Use an alliance of emotional intelligence and technical skill to illustrate, respectfully, the care your organisation makes possible. Start with insight, trust real stories and never underestimate the power of authenticity."
I'll Always Remember demonstrates how thoughtful research, genuine storytelling and strong local partnerships can transform the way charities talk about gifts in wills. By focusing on memories rather than loss, St John's Hospice created a campaign that not only inspired more conversations about legacy giving but also offered a compelling model for others looking to engage supporters in a more human and hopeful way.
Remember A Charity Week returns for 2026, bringing charities, professional advisers and partners together to raise awareness of the difference gifts in wills.
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