---
title: Care4Calais
date: 2023-04-20T13:04:35Z
modified: 2025-04-22T15:29:19Z
permalink: "https://forwardaction.uk/casestory/care4calais/"
type: casestudy
status: publish
excerpt: ""
wpid: 1619
tags:
  - Creative
  - Email + SMS
  - Fundraising
featured_image: /wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Image-3-e1744306326687.jpeg
timestamp: 2025-04-22T15:29:19Z
---

#### The 30 second read:

Care4Calais needed to raise money via email to support refugees through the winter, but their list was relatively small. By building a focused campaign with urgent, clear, tangible asks we inspired 4.34% of their supporters to donate – more than three times our benchmark.

#### The longer read:

##### The challenge

During a turbulent year for refugee rights, and against the backdrop of the cost of living crisis, Care4Calais needed to urgently raise funds to support refugees through a harsh winter.

We’d already helped them grow their small but passionate email list [using handraisers](http://forwardaction.uk/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/forward-action-masterclass-how-to-grow-your-email-list.md). Now, our challenge was to **create a highly engaging email fundraising campaign that would motivate people to give generously.**

##### What we did and why

Starting with an outline plan for 11 emails, **we held a workshop with the Care4Calais team to refine the content and tone of voice.** This drew on our best practice, plus their audience insights.

To make the email series super engaging, we did a few key things:

- **streamlined the format** so that each email focused on a single narrative and call to action.
- **made the cash asks tangible** by directing people to Care4Calais’ online shop, where boots and coats for refugees were the most popular buys.
- **offered a range of actions** (not just giving money), including sending a message of support to a refugee, answering a survey, buying a t-shirt and volunteering.
- **kept the tone personal and relatable**, using a strong first person voice, emotive language and vivid descriptions to help people picture the conditions refugees were facing.
- **appealed to people’s values** with messaging that reinforced their sense of being part of a compassionate community standing up for refugees.

We were also ready to react fast: when snow hit the UK, **we turned around an extra email in 24 hours** asking people to urgently donate to help refugees facing sub-zero temperatures in Calais.

##### The impact

Care4Calais’ winter fundraising appeal was one of the most successful we saw in 2022.

Across 12 emails, **4.34%** of their modest but mighty list donated, giving a total of **£39,163**, or **£1.44 per subscriber**. Our reactive snowy weather appeal performed the best of all, demonstrating the power of a timely rapid response fundraising email.

The project proved just **how much a well-planned, relevant, focused email campaign can achieve,** giving Care4Calais a strong foundation for future appeals.

## Topics

**Tags:** [Creative](http://forwardaction.uk/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/taxonomy/post_tag/creative.md), [Email + SMS](http://forwardaction.uk/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/taxonomy/post_tag/email-sms.md), [Fundraising](http://forwardaction.uk/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/taxonomy/post_tag/fundraising.md)