How 'frugal fashion' led Caroline to start a fundraising podcast

When Caroline Jones set out to raise money for charity, she had no game plan, no strategy, no marketing tactics.

She simply wanted to raise money for Cancer Research UK, after losing her mother, Mary, to cancer.

But what started as a simple idea snowballed into a campaign that raised £55,000 for us.

Now, nine years on, Caroline is bringing the knowledge she and other successful independent fundraisers have amassed to the podcast series “What Have I Done?” 

Fundraising is hard work and behind every person is a story, one the podcast unravels and explores.

- Caroline Jones

A passion for fashion

Caroline’s mum, Mary, volunteered in the Harpenden Cancer Research UK shop for 13 years before she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Both women loved fashion. Mary died in October 2014, aged 72.

The following New Year’s Eve, Caroline came up with the the idea for her first fundraising project, ‘Knickers Model’s Own’.

Caroline in one of the outfits she bought from a charity shop

The idea was simple: wear an outfit made entirely from clothes from our charity shops every day for a year.

She started the next day, posting her first picture on Facebook. It was her way of celebrating her mum every day.

The campaign soon caught the attention of the media and led to a book, ‘A Year of Frugal Fashion’. She also won JustGiving’s ‘Creative Fundraiser of the Year’ award and one of our Flame of Hope awards for ‘Pioneer of the Year’.

With her podcast, she’s shining a light on the stories of nine other inspirational people who have collectively raised more than £1m for charities.  

“Every day, someone, somewhere is doing something amazing.”

In each episode, Caroline chats to her guests about their campaigns.

Their discussions span the seed of an idea to the highs and inevitable lows, their connection to the charity or cause they are supporting, and the grit and determination it took to get their project off the ground and over the finishing line.

“I found myself ruminating and thinking I can’t be the only one who was served a really curved ball and the spin-off from doing that little thing changed my life,” Caroline said.

“Every day, someone, somewhere is doing something amazing. Often driven by grief, emotion, or trauma, they are not doing it for themselves, for the accolades or for the spotlight – it’s very often for a cause close to them.  

“Fundraising is hard work and behind every person is a story, one the podcast unravels and explores.”

She hopes the series will not only be an inspiring listen but will encourage listeners to take up their own fundraising challenge.

And, importantly, she hopes it will also give the wider third sector some fascinating insight and learnings.

“Very often, with successful fundraisers, there’s no plan, no campaign strategy and no marketing team – it’s a one-man or woman fundraising band,” she added.   

“So, I hope the podcast is an inspiring listen for anyone thinking of taking on their own challenge, and for the wider charity sector to understand what it takes to work alongside an often fast-paced campaign.  

“I really want the charity sector to listen and learn from these exceptional fundraisers and connect with them and their donors. I think it gives a different perspective because we are not employed by the charities.”

Caroline in an outfit she bought from one of our charity shops — Another of Caroline's 'frugal fashion' looks

An inspiring listen

The name of the show, What Have I Done? comes from the question Caroline frequently asked herself during her year-long challenge. 

And in the 10th episode of the podcast, which will be released on March 4, journalist and author Lauren Bravo talks to Caroline about her own experience and learnings.

A new episode of What Have I Done? is released every Monday, sponsored by JustGiving. It is also available on Spotify.

Caroline continues to volunteer in our Harpenden shop 10 years after her mum’s death, and while there’s no personal fundraising element to the podcast, she’s ruminating carefully on what might come next.

“We’re very grateful for Caroline’s dedication to Cancer Research UK,” said Julie Byard, our director of trading. 

“Her pre-loved outfit challenge highlighted how our supporters can find unique items whilst also getting value for money in our shops.”

“We couldn’t do what we do without our 11,000 incredible Trading volunteers, and we’re pleased that Caroline continues to volunteer in our Harpenden shop almost a decade later.”

“Caroline’s story is an example of how our volunteers can make a positive difference to people affected by cancer. Her efforts have helped to inspire others to consider charity shopping, whilst also raising money for our life-saving research.”