RFP working with Barnabus

Background

Barnabus are a fabulous charity providing vital support for homeless people on the streets of Manchester. The work they do is essential, inspiring, rewarding and challenging; an absolute lifeline to the many people they support in Manchester. However, this current climate is not only difficult for profit making businesses to exist in, but also for not-for-profits. With the never-ending struggle to make finances stretch to fit the gap charities fill for the government, charities need to remain both money-wise and appealing.

Their problem

Barnabus’ was looking for stronger, modern and visual ways to appeal to funders, exemplify their work, attract new volunteers and ensure their service is easily discoverable to those they aim to support. Their services include The Beacon Centre in Manchester city centre, providing homeless people (friends) with medical and benefits advice, meals, showering facilities, clean clothes and bedding and a generally kind and supportive listening ear. Secondly, RENU, where friends are taught furniture restoration skills, providing them with practical and valuable vocation skills. Thirdly the Allotment, which enables friends to escape the city centre and their stresses for a while to rejuvenate, learn skills and make friends in a relaxed and welcoming environment.

Our solution

We met with Barnabus during 2019 to find out who they really were, to get a genuine feeling for their work. We discussed their needs and the problems they were facing and then offered them a range of bespoke solutions. Together we decided to create a selection of targeted videos that could work on a variety of platforms such as their website, corporate funder platforms, in the Beacon Centre, in their Aflex Palace furniture shop and on various social media channels. The videos also had to target a range of audiences such as, homeless people, potential funders, future volunteers and those already supporting their work. Barnabus were very keen for the videos be a celebration of their work, they had to be truthful, positive, uplifting and welcoming.

The results

RFP produced 9 short videos for Barnabus, including a range of single interviews and longer films featuring a variety of interviews based around each of their 3 centers. Our only challenge was editing down all the fabulous and meaningful stories we heard from volunteers, friends and staff, into bite sized chunks, we could have happily made these films 3 times as long! It was an absolute delight and gift to work with Barnabus, our search for making real films about real people was certainly met here.