In September 2023, Cherish Women’s Cancer Foundation partnered with Inspired Adventures for the first time, taking a team of 10 inspiring individuals to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest freestanding mountain at 5,895m.
The team trekked for 9 days, pushing themselves mentally and physically through various different climatic zones. They experienced ever changing scenery from farmlands and rainforests, to alpine meadows and lunar-like landscapes until they triumphantly reached the summit together.
This fundraising adventure was a huge success, raising over $150,000 in funds for gynaecological cancer research. Furthermore, Cherish gained media attention from 7 News, Brisbane Courier Mail, and the Cairns Post. The experience deeply fostered the relationship with their supporters, and built lifelong advocates for their cause. After the success of their first fundraising adventure, they have now signed on for three more Inspired Adventures in 2024, with the goal of raising $1 million through these adventures by 2027.
Thinking about taking the leap into adventure fundraising with your organisation? Here’s what you can expect to achieve from a partnership with Inspired Adventures.
10 Participants
$151,420 raised
Avg raised per person $15,142
Unique PR opportunities and media attention
Strategic Activity
So, how did they do it? When engaging on a new fundraising pathway for the first time, it’s invaluable to bring in the support of professionals who can use their years of experience to offer support and guidance. This is why Cherish decided to engage Inspired Adventures to work together on a strategy that would work best for Cherish supporters.
Team Engagement
Before the team embarked on their trek, the Inspired Adventures team hosted a series of pre-departure Zoom calls, fostering a sense of camaraderie among participants. Frequent catch ups allowed participants to discuss their fundraising ideas, fitness training, and support one another on this journey. This ultimately led to an average of $15,142 being raised per person, a tremendous achievement. The departure briefings also allowed participants to meet their local guide before arriving in Tanzania, ensuring participants felt well prepared for their huge challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
Building Advocacy
The group of fundraisers were joined by Cherish founder Andreas Obermair and an Inspired Adventures team doctor was on hand to manage any medical concerns on the challenging trek. Having the opportunity to trek side-by-side and delve into the mission of Cherish, deepened the relationship between the supporters and their connection to Cherish, which is proven to lead to long-term advocacy. The Cherish team were featured on Channel 7 news among other publications, generating further brand awareness for Cherish and their mission.
Long Term Strategy
After the spectacular success of their first fundraising adventure, Cherish has now integrated this form of community fundraising into their long-term strategy. Over the next 3 years, Cherish is aiming to raise over $1 million for women’s cancer research through multiple fundraising adventures annually, appealing to all spheres of their advocacy.
With participants glowing after their adventure and relaying an average feedback rating of 4.8/5, they are looking forward to the next Cherish fundraising adventure.
Testimonials
“Many thanks for the immaculate support of the Cherish Trek to Kili. I must say that African Scenic under Simbo and our chief guide Joel were true professionals who we all trusted completely. They were outstanding and we felt incredibly safe.” - Andreas Obermair (Cherish Founder)
“Inspired Adventures was supportive and helpful. It was an amazing adventure. Thank you.” - Alaina Keniger (Participant)
“Thank you for an amazing adventure. Everything was great and well organised. Being prepared for summit night was a must. I wouldn’t have made it without all prior information and preparation from Inspired Adventures. “ - Helena Annandale (Participant)
More Information
Want to find out how Inspired Adventures can reinvigorate your community fundraising to yield impressive results? Enquire below.
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