Speaker spotlight: Dan Varley on being bold and pushing boundaries

Hospice Income Generation Network's online conference is all about fresh ideas, bold thinking, and learning from each other’s successes (and challenges!).

One of the speakers bringing exactly that to the table is Dan Varley, challenge and events fundraiser at Dorothy House Hospice Care.

Dan’s talk, Being Bold and Pushing Boundaries, will take an honest look at the Bath City Zipline – a brand-new fundraising event that took two years to bring to life.

From concept to city skyline

As one of two challenge and events fundraisers at Dorothy House, Dan is no stranger to pulling off big, ambitious events. His focus is on large-scale mass participation events and flagship fundraising challenges – and nothing fits that description quite like the Bath City Zipline.

“It was an event two years in the making,” Dan says. “And while we’re now feeling really positive about how it went, it really hasn’t been plain sailing! This talk will be an honest dive into being bold, what we learned along the way, and some key takeaways for the future.”

Why bold fundraising matters now

With hospices under increasing financial pressure, finding new ways to bring in income – and reach new supporters – has never been more important.

“We’re all looking for more ways to bring income in, as well as new supporters, so a bold, exciting event with huge fundraising potential feels like a good place to start,” Dan explains.

Dan's session will explore what happens when you take a risk, the importance of audience engagement alongside income generation, and practical lessons from the event – from participant experience and stakeholder management to budgeting for something that’s never been done before.

What Dan hopes you’ll take away

The big lesson from Dan’s experience? Being bold can pay off.

“Income is great, but engagement can be too. I’ll be sharing some of the key things I’d do differently next time so others can learn from our journey.”

Learning from others

For Dan, fundraising is about more than just hitting targets – it’s about staying connected to the cause, collaborating with colleagues across the hospice, and learning from others in the sector.

“I absolutely love chatting with my clinical and retail colleagues – it makes me a better fundraiser. The stories, the facts, and the ability to motivate others to get involved… it always helps!”

It’s no surprise, then, that what Dan is most looking forward to at the conference is hearing how other hospices are approaching income generation.

“I just love hearing how hospice colleagues are doing things differently. We all have so much to learn from each other, and every year I’ve attended the conference, I’ve come away with fantastic ideas to implement and some brilliant new contacts.”

Join us at the conference!

If you haven’t signed up yet, don’t miss your chance to be part of the conversation. And if you have, get ready – Dan’s session is going to challenge you to think differently about events, risk-taking, and the future of hospice fundraising.

 Secure your place at the Hospice Income Generation Network Conference today!