"In August 1972, I left my computer job to help found Actionaid, becoming their first director of appeals. Following the advice of Tony Adams, one of the innovators of effective direct approach fundraising in this country, I set out to obtain sponsorships by going from house to house. For a while, I worked by myself, before recruiting and training a small team to continue the work. Several other fundraising jobs followed.

Then, in September 1980, I received my first commission as a self-employed fundraising consultant with a Buddhist charity. Over a two and a half year period, I recruited and directed more than 50 volunteers, going from house to house; and once again a new charity was born — the Karuna Trust — with several hundred supporters, all committed to regular giving. By 1983, I was working with Friends of the Earth, my first established client, and the Tim Lilley Fundraising consultancy became more than a one man band

I have always had a profound respect for the processes that people go through in making their decisions about whether, and how, to give. It is their individual process and should be followed with skill — not manipulated. In my opinion this process is best accompanied by a committed fundraiser, dedicated to one client charity or organisation, and motivated to find donors whose hearts really are in keeping up their regular donations.

I want fundraiser training to be an on-going process, whereby the practitioner gradually comes to understand more and more about themselves and others. I do not believe in quick cognitive training fixes or teaching people scripts. I have mentored hundreds of people to do this work and, in order to deepen my own understanding of myself and others; I completed a training in psychotherapy in 1998.

I retired from the day to day running of this consultancy in 2003, and passed the responsibility to Jane Colvin who is now Managing Director. I enjoy life with my wife, travelling, looking at paintings, and struggling with my tenor saxophone."

Tim Lilley