It's been 29 years since my first tentative foray into fundraising. Almost as long as the poetical career of E J Thribb. Now it's time to stop worrying about whether I've just unconsciously written the same appeal for a second time, and hand over to fresher talent.

'But what,' I hear you all cry, 'are the words of wisdom that you leave us with…?' Time for me to break the embarrassing silence.

When I started, I wrestled for a long time with the question why should anyone want to give their hard earned money to a charity? And slowly the answer dawned: because they want to.

People are naturally generous. Ask any human being for help, and their first, instantaneous reaction is to want to say yes. That, of course, is followed a millisecond later by the doubts – can I afford it, can I trust them, what will they actually do with my money, am I being taken for a ride here…?

Our job is simple. We have to remove those obstacles to generosity so that someone can enjoy the experience of doing good undiluted by regret. Of course there's always someone in the organisation who wants to complicate things. Just try to make sure it isn't you.

Barry Evans