RAF Museum Has Seen a Boost of Over 150% in Individual Giving Since The First Lockdown

The Royal Air Force Museum has adopted cutting edge contactless technology to boost its fundraising efforts to help combat restrictions caused by the COVID19 pandemic. With the public increasingly favouring contactless payments rather than cash, a trend which has been amplified by the pandemic, charities are feeling the pinch now more than ever.

It has been all-hands-on-deck at the museum since they reopened after the first lockdown in July 2020. Three times the usual number of staff were needed to make the experience safe but fun for visitors with online ticketing, one-way systems and additional contactless giving devices being rolled out across the museums sites.

Although many channels of the museums fundraising saw a decline due to the impact of COVID19, visitors have been more than willing to show their support with individual giving increasing by over 150% after reopening.

The public’s generosity and support ensure that the RAF Museum can continue to share the story of the Royal Air Force, inspiring learning through their collections and the stories of its people.

GoodBox Co-Founder & Managing Director Francesca Hodgson says, “It is incredible to see the generosity of the UK public even during this difficult period and we are delighted to be able to support the RAF Museum and to help strengthen their fundraising. As an increasing number of donors don’t carry cash, a contactless donation point is fast becoming an essential part of any modern fundraising campaign.”

Individual Giving Manager at Royal Air Force Museum, Abi Betteridge says, “We have worked with GoodBox for a number of years and have a range of their products across our two museums. Their continued support during these challenging times has been invaluable to us. As a registered charity, we rely heavily on visitor donations, fundraising and our commercial activities to generate income.

Our visitor numbers have been severely impacted due to the pandemic, resulting in a 50% decrease compared to our pre-COVID-19 targets but, despite this, we have welcomed over 200,000 people across our two sites and have seen an increase in our contactless visitor giving.”