Why moments of joy matter more than ever for charities

As charities in Scotland and across the UK continue to face mounting financial and operational pressures it is more important than ever to be visible, relevant and connected to people.

Rising costs, increasing demands for services and changing public spending habits are all contributing to the strain facing the sector. Research shows that charitable giving is falling in the UK, both in terms of the amount being donated and the number of people providing support.

Yet there is a ray of light for charities as the next two decades are certain to witness the greatest ever transfer of generational wealth, with legacy giving expected to reach £10 billion by 2050, more than double its current value. This is of course due to the enormous rise in estate values over the past sixty years.

Ben Supple, Deputy CEO at The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS)

For charities like the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), gifts in wills can help ensure species can be saved from extinction. A recent legacy left to our wildlife conservation charity is supporting the Saving Wildcats partnership we lead at Highland Wildlife Park.

A legacy is just that. It is a gift which will live on. The likelihood of a self-sustaining wildcat population once again roaming and thriving in the Scottish Highlands is now greater thanks to this generosity.

As fundraising competition intensifies, potential supporters increasingly expect charities to demonstrate their impact, balancing facts and figures with high-impact emotional storytelling.

Animals have an incredible power to connect people. Visitors to Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park create incredible memories, not just by seeing some of the world’s most amazing animals but also by spending meaningful time together.

At Edinburgh Zoo, we saw this firsthand with the return of our Giant Lanterns trail last winter for the first time in six years. A total audience of more than 96,000 people was beyond our expectations, with visitors taken on an illuminated trail weaving conservation storytelling into magical family moments.

This momentum continued into May following the birth of Atty at Edinburgh Zoo, Scotland’s first sloth baby, named after the extraordinary Sir David Attenborough.

Membership of RZSS has grown from 27,000 to 55,000 since the pandemic, an extraordinary increase which shows the value people place in visiting Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park, supporting conservation and connecting with nature.

These connections extend to our ever-growing community programme, which is breaking down barriers to make our natural world more inclusive and accessible. An example is our new partnership with Down’s Syndrome Scotland which is creating employment opportunities at Edinburgh Zoo. Another is our plan to build a meerkat home at Edinburgh Children’s Hospital.

With one in nine species in Scotland at risk of becoming extinct and a million more across the globe, it is vital that we act now to protect nature for future generations. The very survival of our planet depends on our collective response.

There is good reason for optimism. Working with the University of Edinburgh, we have digitised our archives, which include everything from letters written to Thomas Gillespie, the founder of RZSS more than a century ago, to fascinating photos showing Edinburgh Zoo’s long history.

This month we are celebrating this work by hosting a memories week at the zoo. As we look back with fondness and nostalgia, it is imperative that we think of the future too.

The saying goes that we should plant trees we will never see grow. Here in Scotland, we have an opportunity to save species such as the wildcat, the pine hoverfly and the dark bordered beauty moth.

RZSS is working with partners to help ensure these species survive, harnessing the unique conservation, science and animal care skills of zoos to leave a lasting legacy.

For many charities like ours, the task ahead is not simply weathering the storm. More so than ever, we need a clear sense of purpose and to take people on a journey with us. It will always be the case that we will achieve nothing on our own and everything together.

Ben Supple, Deputy CEO at The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS)