Life changing lectures
Reflections on the Clayton Burnett Annual Lectures
If you’re going to hold an event at the Royal Institution, you’d better make sure it’s something special. After all, this is the home of the famous Christmas Lectures, founded by Michael Faraday.
So when I arrived at Clayton Burnett’s First Annual Lectures on 5th December, I was excited — and my expectations were high.
I wasn’t disappointed.
Here are my three highlights of the day:
1. “Laura was the most important person in the workshop”
Lucy Gower shared a story about a workshop she facilitated for Cystic Fibrosis, where the team was discussing how to mark the charity’s 50th anniversary.
She asked everyone in the room how they felt about reaching that milestone. That’s when Laura — who has Cystic Fibrosis — spoke up. She said she felt jealous, because she knew she was unlikely to reach her own 50th birthday.
Laura’s words instantly changed the atmosphere in the room. They sparked a deep shift in how the charity viewed its anniversary.
Instead of planning a 50th anniversary celebration, they created a powerful new campaign:
“Cystic Fibrosis is No Party – we won’t celebrate being 50 until everybody can.”
2. “My life changed when I met my son”
The second highlight came from Salla Saarinen from Finland. She began by explaining that Finland is a cold country — not just in climate, but often emotionally, too.
Salla said she had always been logical and reserved, until her world changed in 2005 when she met her son Valtteri in an orphanage in Johannesburg.
The adoption experience was intensely emotional. She shared that Valtteri’s biggest fear is being abandoned again — as he was when he was just four days old.
Salla drew a powerful parallel:
“Charities are just like my son. They just want to be loved — and they don’t want to be abandoned.”
She challenged us to rethink how we treat donors. Instead of measuring them, we should love and care for them.
3. “I committed the day I met Joe”
The third highlight came from Jayne George of Guide Dogs. She told us about the day she met Joe, a young blind boy.
Joe was being shown around his school to help him “orientate” himself. But Joe’s goal wasn’t orientation — it was freedom. He wanted to learn the layout quickly so he could run around and play with his friends at break time.
Jayne described how she saw Joe running around a corner. His mum, who had been invited in for the day, saw him too and called his name. Hearing her voice, Joe threw away his cane and ran straight into her arms — for the first time in his life.
In that moment, Jayne said she transformed from being a fundraising director to a provider of special moments. She also committed to changing the culture at Guide Dogs to one that celebrates and enables fundraising success.
So what now?
The Clayton Burnett Lectures had a profound impact on me. They reminded me that fundraising is about stories, people, emotions, innovation, leadership, and culture — the elements that make our work truly transformative.
Most importantly, they reinforced that fundraising is about changing lives, not just raising money.
And they inspired me to identify and voice my own ambitious mission — though that’s a story for another day.
For now, I’ll be booking my seat for the Second Annual Clayton Burnett Lectures on 4th December 2014 — and I highly recommend you do the same.
Email dave@claytonburnett.com to reserve your place.
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