Gordon Taylor has been using his creative skills to fundraise for us for decades. He shows no signs of stopping, despite reaching his mid-80s.
Gordon was first inspired to support Cord by his daughter, Janet. She saw our work first hand as a staff member in the 1990s. Janet worked with refugees on the Thai/Cambodia border. This led Gordon to find out more about Cord.
Gordon explained:
“I read the story of Cord’s beginnings. The response of that group of people to the plight of a single Vietnamese orphan was an inspiration. My subsequent observations of the Christian ethos, the simple but efficient administration and the careful use of resources, which continues to this day, has also been an inspiration.”
It didn’t take long for Gordon to start fundraising for Cord, trying different approaches initially. The breakthrough came when he packaged up Janet’s work to tell the story of the impact Cord was making through photos, words, and music. He discovered this approach enabled him to connect with people. That first show used Janet’s pictures from her time with Cord.
As time went by, requests for Gordon’s shows increased, and the content evolved too. He began to tour around his home county of Herefordshire. He would pull together slideshows of content that interested him and entertain audiences. Gordon never charged an entrance fee, leaving it to the host group or society to give what they could afford. He explained: “word seemed to get around, so I thought that Cord could benefit from the donations the shows generated.”
Gordon continues to entertain audiences, raising more and more funds as he goes. Janet also continues to support Cord, whilst she keeps an eye on her dad. Sometimes that eye is too watchful for his liking. He said:
“I receive regular admonitions, especially from my daughters. ‘Dad, you are 84 years old, you know, and shouldn’t be running about all over the place at your age.’ I can’t see a problem, but I suppose I should at least do as I am told. Sometimes!”
Just like when Janet was with Cord, we continue to work with refugees. We support returning refugees and their communities in Burundi. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of people have fled to escape war and unrest. Now, as many return, tensions and conflict arise in their communities. Find out how, with help from people like Gordon, more of these communities are experiencing peace and reconciliation.
If you’re inspired by Gordon’s journey or have a fundraising story of your own to share, we’d love to hear from you: info@cord.org.uk
