Diabetes UK is the UK’s leading diabetes charity, with a clear vision: a world where diabetes can do no harm. We campaign for better care, provide support in times of need, and fund ground-breaking research into new treatments and a cure. Diabetes doesn’t stop, so neither do we.
We’re constantly rethinking how we recognise and thank our supporters, because their impact is vital to everything we do. This project was driven by a need to better understand whether these moments were truly meaningful, personal and reflective of that impact. We knew we were investing a lot of time and effort into stewardship, but without meaningful feedback, we couldn’t be confident we were getting it right. We needed clear evidence from supporters about what worked, what didn’t, and what genuinely mattered to them.
Something had to change
While feedback from a focus group showed that supporters appreciated what they’d received — and didn’t feel anything was “wrong” — there was a deeper theme that kept resurfacing: everyone who fundraises should feel recognised.
This correlated with our results from The Chase Index, which showed that Diabetes UK ranked almost at the bottom for supporters who agreed with the statement: “I am always thanked appropriately for any gift to Diabetes UK”. Something had to change!
Across the focus group, we heard two big concepts again and again: value and longevity. Supporters felt it was important to celebrate those who raise exceptional amounts, but focusing only on those individuals risked unintentionally discouraging long‑term fundraisers — people who might “only” hit their target each year, but still contribute an enormous cumulative impact over time.
One participant summed this up perfectly:
“If you are coming back year after year and making a commitment you want that commitment to be recognised. You might not have access to mechanisms as your pool gets smaller after making multiple asks, to be a top fundraiser that year, but if you are committed to ensuring you meet the minimum every time this should be valued.”
The word that kept coming up was commitment — which is one of the core pillars of About Loyalty’s research. It became clear that longevity of support mattered just as much to people as the size of a single donation year.
A plan of action: surprising socks!
We shifted our focus to a new proposal: to send each qualifying supporter one pair of socks and a personalised thank‑you postcard.
This allowed us to celebrate commitment, reinforce loyalty, and acknowledge the cumulative impact of our returning supporters — not just the standout moments, but the ongoing relationship.
The socks were simple, practical, low‑cost, and loved by supporters — exactly the kind of thoughtful thank‑you that felt personal without being extravagant. Supporters had already told us that they loved the socks, and they made sense operationally:
Low cost: We could buy them at cost price—just over £1 per pair—making them an extremely budget‑friendly option.
Easy to source: They were already stocked in our internal shop, so we didn’t need to place a minimum order or face long lead times.
Still a surprise: We didn’t need individual shoe sizes which would give the game away. Our records already indicated whether supporters were best matched to a male or female pair.
We sent these with a postcard, which was also an affordable option to print. Focus group participants said the thank-you postcards they received post-event were something they kept. And, by using existing in‑house assets, the design process was fast, simple, and stakeholder‑friendly.
The entire project — including socks, printing, and postage — cost just £178.
The biggest challenge: wrestling with the data
The biggest challenge of the whole project — and probably no surprise to anyone — was the data. I started by looking for supporters who met three clear criteria:
They had taken part in at least one event in the last year.
They had completed three or more fundraising events for us in the past five years.
They had fundraised each time, either by hitting their target or raising money through their own place.
These criteria helped us focus on our most consistently active and committed supporters — the people who show up year after year.
Our CRM wasn’t fully functional at the time, so I turned to our event registration system and pulled a report showing how many times each person had signed up for an event. I had to narrow this list down manually, from hundreds of potential names to the final shortlist of 25 supporters.
It was a slow and hands‑on process, but it meant we were confident that the people receiving the gift were our most loyal and engaged supporters.
The results:
We've had some wonderful feedback from supporters. Here's just a few examples:
Another supporter told us that she had "wrapped them up and gave them to myself for Christmas"!
Alongside those stories, our feedback survey revealed clear themes:
Supporters felt “pleasantly surprised” and “delighted” when they received the gift.
The postcard felt personal, thoughtful, and worth keeping.
The gesture made them feel more connected to Diabetes UK.
Many said it made them more likely to continue supporting the charity.
A pair of socks and a handwritten‑style postcard created exactly the magic moment in our supporter experience that we were aiming for — sparking joy, strengthening loyalty, and even inspiring future fundraising.
Looking back, this project proved that magic moments don’t have to be complicated or expensive — they just need to be meaningful. For just £178, we created a supporter experience that:
Strengthened loyalty and deepened emotional connection
Re‑engaged supporters who had paused their fundraising
Motivated supporters to take on new challenges for us
Sparked genuine joy
Gave us valuable insight to shape future thanking strategies
Most importantly, it showed that when we listen to supporters and act on what matters to them, we can create moments that genuinely inspire people to come back year after year.
What was the impact?
This project proved that magic moments don’t have to be complicated or expensive — they just need to be meaningful. It showed that when we listen to supporters and act on what matters to them, we can create moments that genuinely inspire people to come back year after year.
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