The vagaries of the British summer have set me thinking about what impact the weather has on the public’s propensity to give. Obviously weather affects any outdoor fundraising events where ‘on the day’ participation is key to raising money. But more broadly I wonder if supporters respond more positively to asks when the sun is shining and they are feeling full of joie de vivre? Or whether when it’s cold and grey and supporters are perhaps feeling sorry for themselves that an ask makes them feel that they can do something with a positive outcome which in turn makes them feel better?

Many years ago when I worked in the buying office of a major high street retailer, somebody had the job of keeping a weather card. The weather impacted positively and negatively on retail activity in a whole host of ways, some predicable and some not. So the keeping of historic records about weather provided a point of reference when looking back at historic trends and trying to support branches in being reactive to different market conditions.

I don’t know if there is a correlation between the weather and how we give. And you may well argue that even if there was, could fundraisers apply that intelligence quickly enough to their programmes? Well charity retail and trading teams could certainly respond and the expansion of digital applications in fundraising makes it theoretically possible to react to the weather. So let me know if you have any experience that supports my theory one way or the other.

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