Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice (also known simply as Community Hospice) is a leading UK charity providing free, compassionate end-of-life care and support to the people of the Royal Boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley.

Founded in the late 1980s by local community members, the hospice opened its doors in 1994 and has steadily expanded its services ever since.

Operating from its base in Abbey Wood, London, the hospice reaches patients in multiple settings — inpatients, outpatient clinics, hospice-at-home care, care homes, and hospital-based support.

Each year, the hospice provides care and support to approximately 3,000 people across the two boroughs.

To deliver this, the organisation employs around 200 staff, and is supported by over 450 volunteers.

Although it receives funding from the NHS (about one third of its budget), the majority of its operating costs are met through community donations, fundraising, and grants.

This London based charity was facing a significant decline in public awareness and a stagnant donor base, struggling to communicate its vital role as a place of life and dignity. They sought our services to shift this negative perception, increase their visibility, and build a sustainable fundraising model for their 25th anniversary year.

While exciting and full of opportunities, this situation came with some major challenges:

• Low Brand Awareness – The hospice’s existence and purpose were not well-known to the broader London community.
• Fragmented Donor Journey – Inconsistent and sporadic fundraising efforts led to a low retention rate for first-time donors.
• Turning a Dated Website into a Donor Hub – The hospice’s digital presence was a major contributor to its stagnation.
• Revitalizing Email Marketing for Donor Connection – The hospice’s email marketing was a series of missed opportunities.

“For 25 years, our team has poured their hearts into providing a place of dignity and peace, but it felt like we were shouting into the void. The public saw a place of sadness, not a home filled with life and love. We knew our mission was more important than ever, yet we were struggling to connect with the very community we serve. We were at a critical point; we needed to find our voice again to ensure we could continue our work for the next 25 years and beyond.”

Every project we take on follows the same three-stage framework: Diagnosis. Strategy. Tactics.

First, we diagnose the problem. That means digging beneath the surface to understand what’s really happening — the customer, the market, and the business reality.

Next, we define the strategy. This is where we make the tough but essential choices: where to focus and how to win.

Only then do we move to tactics. Creative, media, digital, and everything in between — executed with precision and purpose.

This disciplined approach ensures that every campaign isn’t just loud, but effective. It’s how we give our clients an unfair competitive advantage.

Our starting point was to understand why a respected, long-established hospice was struggling to stay visible in its own community.

Through stakeholder interviews, donor data analysis, digital audits, and audience research, a clear pattern emerged: the problem wasn’t the mission — it was the message.

Despite 25 years of service, the hospice’s profile in London was weak. Many residents in Greenwich and Bexley had either never heard of the hospice or misunderstood its purpose, associating it solely with end-of-life care rather than the broader support it provides to patients and families.

Donor engagement was inconsistent and reactive, relying heavily on sporadic campaigns rather than a clear, structured journey. As a result, retention of first-time donors was low, and opportunities to build long-term support were being missed.

The existing website was dated and difficult to navigate, designed more for information than for action. There was no clear user journey for donors, volunteers, or referrers — making it harder to convert interest into support.

Email was treated as a broadcast tool rather than a relationship-building channel. No structured nurture flows existed, and messaging lacked clarity and emotional resonance, leaving supporters disengaged after initial contact.

With clear insights from the diagnosis phase, we defined a focused strategy designed to connect with the most valuable audience segments and position the hospice with clarity and strength.

The strategy gave us a clear map — the tactics were not random acts of fundraising, but deliberate moves designed to build awareness, deepen emotional connection, and drive donations.

We used a blended online–offline approach to reach local audiences where they live, work, and spend their time — and to make it easy for them to act.

"Working with Your Marketing Rules felt like we finally had a partner who understood our mission. They didn't just see a charity needing a marketing plan; they saw the patients, the families, and the staff who make our hospice a place of life and dignity. Their expertise turned our 25th anniversary from a simple milestone into a powerful, community-wide movement that has forever changed how we connect with our supporters."

– Kate, Chief Executive

Since activating this campaign here are a few of the biggest wins to date:

• Donations up: +40% in first-time donations and +25% in repeat donations year-on-year.
• Retention boost: Donor retention rate increased by 30% through improved journeys, personalised thank-yous, and regular impact reporting.
• Awareness growth: Extensive media coverage plus 150% increase in social engagement; campaign hashtag used 5,000+ times.
• Community connection: ‘25 Acts of Kindness’ and business partnerships repositioned the hospice as a trusted, central community pillar.
• 2.4M PR and OOH impressions

"The results speak for themselves. Before this campaign, our fundraising was a guessing game and our message was lost. We were doing amazing work, but no one seemed to know about it. The team at Your Marketing Rules didn’t just give us a campaign; they gave us a voice and a plan. They helped us celebrate 25 years in a way that truly resonated with the community. We've gone from surviving to thriving, and we now have a sustainable path forward thanks to their strategic approach and creative vision."

– Kate, Chief Executive