What's your intention?

What's the latest it's acceptable to wish someone a Happy New Year? I've heard answers from the 3rd of January, through to the end of January if it's the first time you've seen that person.

That said, while it might feel late to be wishing a Happy New Year, it doesn't feel that late to be setting a New Year's Resolution. If you haven't set yours set, our Head of Client Experience Lisa, was talking to me about the Year Compass - which if you haven't heard of or done, we both would really recommend you give a try. It's more about 'New Year Intention' than 'New Year Resolution' and it feels like a really fresh way to see things. 

It guides you through assessing your previous year, particularly what brought you joy, what your achievements were and what you would like to see more of in the year ahead, before then assessing 2025. It's less about resolution or major change, and more about setting an intention. Whether that's an energy, a general vibe, or a specific word, having that intentionality allows you guide your own way through the year. You can find a copy here.

For Lisa, the word of the year is challenge, and she's taking that as seriously as she can.

Not just challenging herself to continue delivering those 'goosebump moments' for clients (as one charity put it last year), but also personally challenging herself to do the CoppaFeel Trek this June, covering 100 kilometres in five days across the Isle of Skye. Through CoppaFeel, she's challenging the health system to take breast cancer seriously. She's doing this to honour the memory of a close friend, and we'd love if you could join us in supporting her.

In just a few weeks, my nephew will be born, and it's the first child to be born into my immediate family. My siblings and I don't have a relationship with our mum, and our dad passed away a decade ago - meaning that compared to many people my sister feels like she'll be 'on her own'.

It's my intention to be there instead - to show up for my sister in the way that I believe she, and any mother deserves, and I'm really excited to invest in my family in that way. For me, success from that investment looks like her knowing that she can call me and I will do everything I can to be there.

The baby is due in a month and this might mean a slightly spotty February, but we'll continue to communicate really clearly. For current clients, everything is going to happen. We're going to honour all the meetings that we have and I'm really confident the agency will deliver our best work... but this is my chance to invest in my family and I'm really excited to take it. 

I'd love to hear what your intention for the year is, if you're making a resolution, if you're making a change or if your goal is to just survive, we'd love to hear it.

And whatever your intention is, we'll see you by the Fireside soon. 

P.S. While we're a corporate focused agency, if one of your New Year's resolutions is to focus on trust fundraising, Suzie Rees has recently put out a guide to 'Trust Fundraising in a Box' - a self-serve course that can get you started in what you need to for trust fundraising. It's designed specifically for small charities with tiny budgets, and is a great roadmap to helping you kickstart and manage a successful trust and foundations fundraising programme. You can find out more about here, and if you use the code ANDY, you'll get 25% off at checkout!