Your career started on the street.
Where it goes next is everything.
I've spent 28 years in face-to-face fundraising. I know your value — and I know how to make sure you get a job that helps you grow in the direction you want to go.
Start a conversationMy pedigree
Someone who's been where you are
I didn't come to F2F recruitment from the outside. I've watched this market evolve for nearly three decades — from the early days of street fundraising to today's complex multi-channel world. That means I understand your experience in a way most recruiters simply don't.
Founded Flow Caritas
Built the UK's leading fundraising recruitment agency from the ground up over 15 years.
Co-founded One Sixty Fundraising
One of the founding partners helping shape a new generation of F2F operations.
Good People Collective
Co-founder, continuing to connect great people with organisations that deserve them.
28 years of real network
I've watched people join the field at 18 and grow into directors. I know them all.
Major charities I've helped build F2F operations for:
It started on the street — podcast
I've spent the last year interviewing 50+ people who began their careers in face-to-face fundraising. They're now directors, entrepreneurs, consultants and sector leaders across the UK and beyond. This podcast is proof of what a F2F career can launch.
Listen to all episodes →
Why F2F is a launchpad
What the street actually teaches you
My research — speaking to over 50 people who started in F2F — reveals a consistent pattern. The skills, resilience and leadership instincts forged on the street are ones other fundraisers spend years trying to develop.
"Face-to-face offers a way to gain real insight and hands-on experience into how charities operate, outside of the traditional university route — while developing transferable skills that go far beyond sales or customer service."
Michael Sanders, Fundraising Training & Compliance Manager, British Heart FoundationEntrepreneurial instinct
Every person I've interviewed displays this. The ability to spot opportunity, adapt fast and take initiative is baked into the F2F experience.
Resilience and grit
Being told no a hundred times before yes. Showing up in the rain. This forges a mental toughness that transfers to every leadership challenge.
Finance and operations
Running teams, managing targets, budgeting — these are leadership skills picked up early on the street and valued across the entire sector.
Transferable everywhere
My podcast guests now work across major donor, corporate, individual giving, trusts and consultancy. The skills travel far.
Motivating and managing
Leading a street team is genuine people management. These are the people who end up running operations worth hundreds of thousands a year.
A route into the sector
The CIOF Benchmark Report 2025 is clear: F2F is an incredible entry point — and charities are not recognising or nurturing this talent pool enough.
Voices from the podcast
Hear it from people who lived it
Real people who started on the street and went on to lead teams, organisations and careers they never expected. From my It Started on the Street series.
It's like the special forces of fundraising — drop us anywhere and we'll make it work.
Street fundraisers aren't an annoyance — they're one of the only people who will actually stop, look you in the eye, and have a real conversation with you.
I was managing a region at just 21. Those early leadership experiences shaped how I show up today — presenting to a boardroom now doesn't faze me at all.
From managing 350 door-to-door fundraisers to leading school campaigns — it all comes down to the same things: trust, relationships and human connection.
Why employer choice matters
The right employer changes everything
Not all F2F employers are the same. Some will help you build a career. Others will grind you down and offer nothing beyond a short-term pay cheque. After 28 years in this market, I know the difference — and I'll be honest with you about it.
- ✓ Invests in your training and development
- ✓ Has a clear career pathway above team leader
- ✓ Values quality of fundraising over volume
- ✓ Partners closely with the charities they represent
- ✓ Has experienced, hands-on senior management
- ✓ Treats field experience as a badge of honour
- ✗ No structured training beyond basic induction
- ✗ High turnover — people leave constantly
- ✗ Management too removed from the field
- ✗ No interest in your long-term ambitions
- ✗ Promises that don't match reality
"I have seen many operations falter by recruiting someone with insufficient experience. The continued success of any F2F operation depends entirely on its people — and the people those leaders become."
My view, after 28 years in this market.Ready to take your F2F career seriously?
I work with candidates who know they have more to give — and want to find the employer who sees that too. Let's talk about where you are and where you want to go.
Get in touch Hear the podcast