Built for the palm of your hand:

How Sands turned a mobile-first mindset into a high-impact fundraising experience

Sands UK supports anyone affected by the death of a baby, working to improve bereavement care and fund research to save babies’ lives. Their work is vital for the thousands of families across the UK who experience pregnancy and baby loss each year.

Earlier this year, Sands launched two virtual fundraising challenges—Walk 100km in March followed by Run 50km in April. But this isn’t a story about back-to-back campaigns. It’s about how Sands reimagined the entire experience to work effortlessly on mobile—from the moment someone clicked an ad to the moment they crossed the virtual finish line.

Everything about these campaigns was designed with a single principle in mind: make it easy, make it personal, and keep it moving.

A seamless journey

The moment someone clicked on a Sands ad, the experience was optimised for mobile. The registration flow was lightning fast—under 45 seconds from sign-up to personalised fundraising page. There were no login screens to navigate, no clunky redirects, no ‘check your email to confirm’ delays.

Supporters could:

• Register
• Claim their free t-shirt
• Land on a fully branded, auto-personalised fundraising page

All without leaving the flow or needing to log in elsewhere.

Everything was built to feel like one continuous experience—smooth, intuitive, and designed to keep supporters in motion.

A Strava community

Sands deliberately moved away from Facebook groups, choosing instead to build real community where it made the most sense—on Strava.

Supporters were nudged to join the Sands Strava Club as soon as they activated their fundraising page. Over 1,400 people joined. They tracked their kilometres, posted updates, and cheered each other on in a platform made for movement—not moderation.

No daily admin. No spam. Just organic, challenge-driven community in the place supporters were already active.

SMS made it personal

Alongside email, SMS played a key role in keeping supporters engaged. But this wasn’t a generic, automated blast—it was personal and purposeful.

• Messages came from real names—“Claire” and “James”—not no-reply inboxes
  
• Every nudge was behaviourally timed: set up your page, unlock your badge, thank your donor
  
• Language was warm, supportive, and always connected back to the cause
  
• Donation asks were direct, with links that took people exactly where they needed to go
  

It was a smart use of automation—high-impact, low-friction, and grounded in human connection.

Designed for mobile. Delivered everywhere.

The whole campaign was executed across channels, but always with mobile in mind:

• Paid ads ran across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X—featuring short-form video to drive engagement
• Fundraisers could instantly share their page with friends and family via any messaging app—not just Facebook
  
• Fundraising pages were clean, fast-loading, and optimised for mobile donors
  
• Tickers, supporter quotes, and live stats were placed where they mattered most—above the scroll
  

Everything pointed forward. No dead ends. No distractions. Just clear next steps, every step of the way.

The results (so far!)

Walk 100km in March: £531,000+ raised

5,168 participants in March

Run 50km in April: £86,000 raised (and climbing)

1,400 members in the Sands Strava community

Why it worked

Sands didn’t just run another virtual challenge. They rethought what a supporter experience could be—when it’s built for the way people actually live, move, and give.

Three things made it sing:

• A mobile-first, frictionless supporter journey
• Real community, built on the right platforms—cleverly choosing Strava over Facebook for this one.
• Smart, human messaging that kept people connected
  

It didn’t just feel easy—it was easy. And that made all the difference.