Six lessons to learn from Maestro Madness

The Maestro Madness road trip started out as four mates – Chris, Rob, James and Simon – wanting to combine their love of classic cars with doing some good. Starting when Rob found a gorgeous Henley Blue Austin Maestro for sale on eBay, a meaningful discussion about obscure, unappreciated British classics unfolded… and the next thing they knew, the Maestro Madness road trip was being planned out in detail.

The boys wanted to use the trip to raise awareness of prostate cancer and funds for essential research. During their initial discussions, Rob’s father was undergoing treatment for prostate cancer and his father-in-law had also just been diagnosed. They agreed that Prostate Cancer Research was a vital cause – and that a convoy of Maestros would certainly grab attention out on the road. An unforgettable and beautiful sight for all.

Before they knew it, the trip planning was underway and the team’s support in the community was growing by the week. The Maestro Team now has 11 fully fledged members, their Facebook group has 253 members and they have raised more than £3000 to support PCR projects. There’s a lot we can learn from their fundraising, so here are our top six fundraising lessons from the amazing team that make up Maestro Madness.

Lesson 1: Do what you love; love what you do

As classic car enthusiasts, the boys have combined their hobbies and interests with giving back to a cause close to their heart. By using personal passions as a base from which to start, fundraisers are guaranteed to have fun every step of the way and stay motivated enough to smash their target. Raising money shouldn’t feel like a chore and it’s so important to keep having a really good time. Raising money whilst doing something you love is a definite way to do this. Win-win all round.

Lesson 2: Link fundraising to the charity’s cause

The Maestro Madness team have done a fantastic job of linking their road trip to the cause they’re supporting. Their understanding of our vital work means that it’s super easy for them to talk about Prostate Cancer Research when anyone asks them about the trip and, importantly, raise awareness of prostate cancer with every mile they drive. To bring the trip alive and connect it with PCR, the team are driving to towns across the UK that begin with all the letters in the word ‘Prostate’. Such a simple idea, but totally brilliant.

The team also chose to drive Austin Maestros to break the social stigma surrounding prostate cancer check-ups. The Maestro is commonly mocked as an ‘embarrassing’ car and, in response, the team coined the phrase ‘At least you’re not driving a Maestro!’ to break this common taboo around prostate cancer. The message is that prostate cancer is not something to be avoided or embarrassed by, and the team’s aim is to encourage more men to get checked.

Lesson 3: Use social media to spread the word

The team members are active on social media. They have made Maestro Madness accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, which they regularly update. Their Facebook group has more than 250 members, who are regularly updated about the team’s progress on their journeys and on their fundraising. Social media has allowed the team to reach new people who would not be aware of their fundraising campaign. The power of social media means that that pages and posts can be shared to an infinite network of potential supporters.

Social media also offers the chance to shake up engagement with supporters and always bring their activity back to the core cause. The Maestro Madness team have used this potential to their advantage by sharing posts directly from Prostate Cancer Research’s own social media, posting brilliant photos of their cars, along with videos to give their supporters more visual updates. Not only does multi-media content give the team more reasons to post updates, it also gives their supporters a chance to get to know the team and really be involved in their fundraising and journey planning. Offering a virtual road trip for every supporter is a great sell for engagement.

Lesson 4: Update your online fundraising page

The team keep their Virgin Money Giving page updated, at least monthly, so anyone visiting the page can see their progress. It’s a great way to show everyone what they have been doing and where they are with organising the trip. Regular posting and updates on their fundraising page also show their supporters how dedicated they are to their trip, encouraging more donations, motivation and support. Documenting their progress is also a great way for the team to look back on everything they have achieved! The team should be really proud, especially since they’re dealing with such challenging vehicles (aka temperamental old bangers).

Lesson 5: Get creative and shake up the ask

The coronavirus outbreak has meant that the Maestro Madness team have had to postpone their trip to August 2021. While this delay has provided extra time for planning and fundraising, the team have had to think of ways to shake up their ask to keep people engaged. They are always coming up with fun and creative ways to raise money for PCR and spread the word; running marathons, attending car shows and planning to have people sign one of the Maestro bonnets to auction off at the end to name just a few!

They are also thinking of other ways that people can support them as an alternative to donations to make their trip even bigger and better – for example, using their networks in the Classic Car world to secure photo ops at high-profile locations during their trip and using contacts from work who are offering to supply trip T-shirts.

Lesson 6: Team work makes the dream work

The success of the Maestro Madness team sum up the essence of the phrase ‘team work makes the dream work’. From an initial group of four, they have grown to a supportive and collaborative team of 11. They have included as many people as possible in their event to help spread the word about prostate cancer research, raise awareness, raise valuable funds and – most importantly – have fun. Working together allows the team to share responsibilities, making the organisation of the trip and generating fundraising easier for everyone. Everything is better with your mates, and we have no doubts the boys will have a great laugh together on their trip: jump in, buckle up, turn the key, and pray that the engine doesn’t stall (again).

Support Maestro Madness

To keep up with the Maestro Madness team, you can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also make a donation to their Virgin Money Giving page to support their fundraising and help them smash their £10,000 target. If you can think of any other ways to support the boys on their cross-country adventure, please do get in touch with our Events Team.

Have you been inspired by the Maestro Madness team and fancy organising a fun and unique event for Prostate Cancer Research? If you're ready, we are too! Let us know your fundraising plans or get in touch to ask us any questions.

Let us know about your DIY fundraiser Get in touch with our Events Team