I write the words that move people to give.

Senior charity copywriter with 18 years in direct mail, legacy, digital and integrated campaigns. I work with fundraising agencies and directly with charities including Oxfam, NSPCC, Amnesty International and Christian Aid.

Lucy Leonard
Lucy LeonardSenior Copywriter

Charities and brands I've written for

  • Oxfam
  • NSPCC
  • Amnesty International
  • Christian Aid
  • Comic Relief
  • Shelter
  • RSPCA
  • Marie Curie
  • Dogs Trust
  • Alzheimer's Society
  • Centrepoint
  • Mencap
  • Scope
  • Cats Protection
  • Blood Cancer UK
  • Refugee Council
  • Age International
  • The Donkey Sanctuary
  • Leukaemia UK
  • Pancreatic Cancer UK
  • MAG
  • Citizens Advice
  • RHS
  • BirdLife International
  • UNHCR
  • RNID
  • JustGiving

Directly or through leading fundraising agencies.

A legacy pack that drew nearly 250 responses in two weeks.

A story-led legacy mailing to warm supporters. Nearly 250 heartfelt responses arrived in the first two weeks: pledged gifts, cash donations and supporters engaging with Christian Aid's long-term vision.

Christian Aid, Beacon of Hope legacy pack. Legacy prospects DM · 2023

Christian Aid Beacon of Hope legacy pack: outer, letter and reply form

Selected work

What I write

From a quiet nudge of curiosity to a bold, urgent call to action, in print and on screen.

  • Direct mail appeals

    Cold, warm and emergency appeals, from the outer envelope to the reply form.

  • Legacy and gifts in wills

    Legacy propositions, prospect packs, brochures and in-memory giving.

  • Integrated campaigns

    Multi-channel campaigns taken from concept to launch.

  • Paid social and digital ads

    Meta and paid social ads, text-to-give and lottery creative.

  • Email journeys

    Welcome journeys for Scope, MAG, Refugee Council and Abortion Support Network.

  • Reports and guides

    Annual reports, white papers and supporter reports, including turning a 60-page white paper into a punchy one-pager.

  • Tone of voice and positioning

    Style guides, TOV work and brand positioning.

  • Scripts and voiceover

    Film scripts and voiceovers for charities and brands.

Kind words

Lucy's ability to turn even the most mundane text into emotionally resonant copy is nothing short of magic.

Her writing is intuitive, powerful and evocative, in short everything one could wish for from a copywriter. From the day she joined my team at Mencap she showed passion and initiative, tackling complex and challenging projects such as the annual report and the ‘Hear My Voice’ campaign with enthusiasm. Her creative vision proved invaluable in group brainstorming sessions and her commitment to quality ensured the resulting work consistently surpassed expectation. Perhaps Lucy's best trait, however, is her disposition. She approached internal and external stakeholders alike with kindness and sensitivity, helping to build the reputation of a newly formed creative team following a massive period of change. I would not hesitate to hire Lucy again should the opportunity arise. She would be an incredible asset to any organisation.

Andi DavidsGlobal Strategic Business Director, Bulletproof, previously Lucy's manager at Mencap

We've worked with Lucy on a number of fundraising campaigns and she has been brilliant. She has a wonderful way with words, quickly gets to grips with the brief and is so quick and responsive to our feedback. We love working with her, thank you Lucy.

Kate BakerIndividual Giving Lead, Princess Alice Hospice

Lucy was an absolute dream to have on board for our Christmas appeal letter. From the moment that we provided the brief, Lucy was incredibly engaged with what we wanted to do, and her own expertise was invaluable to us throughout the whole process. The copy that Lucy provided was not only beautiful, but on brand and very impactful – we know that our supporters are going to really connect with it. I would highly recommend Lucy's services!

Jenna RobertsonSupporter (Retention) Marketing Officer, Mary's Meals UK

Lucy did a fantastic job writing the copy for our Christmas Appeal. I was really impressed with how swiftly she was able to turn around a large amount of copy. My colleagues and I were very impressed with the quality of the work she produced. She was open to meeting with me to discuss our feedback, was proactive and willing to go the extra mile to help with any final edits even after the last round of copy was delivered to us. Thank you Lucy and I hope we can work on another project again soon.

Stuart SarreIndividual Giving Manager, RNID

Lucy was copywriter on our Christmas Appeal and Reminder 2025. She was excellent to work with and highly skilled at writing powerful fundraising copy. We are looking forward to working together in the future. Thanks so much Lucy :)

Chloe WaiteHead of Content and Conversion, RNID

I've had the pleasure of working with Lucy on a number of legacy charity campaigns through an agency – she's always delivered fantastic copy promptly and written with a keen sense of storytelling and purpose. She makes managing multiple content strands a dream. Thank you Lucy!

Bridie WilkinsonContent Specialist and Copywriter

Lucy is an absolute pleasure to work with! She's quick, proactive, a great communicator and asks all the right questions. Over the past few months she's delivered some excellent copy for us across a whole range of projects – helping us get through a very busy summer. Plus, with her warmth and can-do attitude, she's a joy to be around.

Joe NicholsonCreative Director

Facing a tight deadline? Rest assured. Lucy is speedy and consistently produces exceptional copywriting for our charity clients. She has great attention to detail and the ability to craft compelling messages to help elevate whatever type of campaign she's working on – from campaigning, to fundraising, from email to social media ads. I would highly recommend Lucy for your copywriting projects!

Sarah CrowhurstDigital Fundraising and Marketing Strategist, Co-founder of Hynt

Lucy is a dream to work with – she works quickly, efficiently and creatively, and always with an eye on what's best for the charity client. She has an eye for good stories, and has helped us create memorable, but most importantly responsive email campaigns and journeys for clients across the sector. I would highly recommend Lucy for any copywriting work.

Josh LeighCo-founder, Hynt

The Legacy fundraising team has recently worked with Lucy on three copywriting projects, and each has been delivered to such a high standard. Lucy's great to work with, very responsive and understands brilliantly what the job needs.

Gill BlakeLegacy Manager, Worldwide Cancer Research

Lucy is able to drill down to the heart of a message with unfailing enthusiasm, speed and creative flair. She has pushed my own writing forwards and the work she has produced for Mencap is of consistently outstanding quality. Whether it be tackling complex information to make it readable and compelling for an annual report or capturing the essence of a new campaign in a short, snappy headline, Lucy always rises to the challenge with a smile!

Sally HarperSenior Copywriter, British Heart Foundation

Lucy is a talented, hardworking writer with a wealth of cause-led experience. She has helped bring to life numerous charity campaigns for big clients like RSPCA, Centrepoint and Plan UK. She is also a stellar person who added laughter and positivity to the agency. She's a pleasure to work with.

Susannah BurtonCreative Director, Arthur London

Lucy is a very talented writer who produces really compelling copy. She takes feedback well and has an exceptionally positive, can-do attitude. She's a joy to work with.

Charles RivingtonCreative Director, Arthur London
Lucy Leonard

About me

I craft words that move people, from a quiet nudge of curiosity to a bold, urgent call to action. As a senior copywriter, content editor and creative strategist, I work with fundraising agencies, NGOs and purpose-driven brands to build stories that connect, persuade and spark lasting change.

I've been a charity copywriter for 18 years. I specialise in emotionally resonant storytelling and integrated campaigns across print and digital: direct response, legacy fundraising, paid social, annual reports, tone of voice, brand positioning and everything in between.

I've partnered with some of the sector's most respected names, including Oxfam GB, NSPCC, Amnesty International, Christian Aid, Comic Relief, RSPCA, UNHCR, Theirworld and RNID, either directly or through leading fundraising agencies. My legacy work for Christian Aid, Dogs Trust and several NHS charity trusts exceeded its income targets.

Whether I'm leading a campaign from concept to launch, developing a legacy proposition, or turning a 60-page white paper into a punchy one-pager, my focus is the same: helping causes be seen, heard and supported by the people who matter most.

Experience
18 years in charity copy
Works with
Agencies and charities
Specialisms
DM, legacy, integrated

Got a brief? Let's talk.

I'm always happy to have an informal chat about what you need, whether it's one appeal or a whole campaign.