Introduction
Helping Hands Community Trust (HHCT) has delivered trusted, face-to-face advice across Leicestershire for over 25 years, supporting individuals and families through debt, benefits and complex life challenges. While their impact was strong, their brand lacked the clarity and consistency needed to support growth, diversify funding and expand awareness beyond existing networks.
The Challenge
Key obstacles included:
- No single, repeatable way to explain their holistic impact to funders, partners and the wider community.
- Increasing pressure from commissioners to prove measurable outcomes, not just activity.
- Limited awareness outside established referral circles, restricting reach and partnership potential.
- Time-heavy reporting systems that underplayed the true scale of results being achieved.
The Solution
Kerf led a research-driven brand strategy process built around alignment and clarity. This included:
- Interviews and questionnaires with funders, partners, business supporters and internal team members.
- Competitor and market analysis to sharpen differentiation.
- Clarification of vision, mission and purpose to unify leadership and staff.
- Development of a clear positioning concept – “By-your-Side Empowerment” – capturing HHCT’s distinctive blend of face-to-face support and long-term independence.
- Definition of tone of voice, strategic pillars, measurable goals and a practical action roadmap covering communications, fundraising and growth.
The final deliverable was a comprehensive Brand Strategy Roadmap – providing not just messaging, but a clear framework for decision-making, impact reporting and future development.
The Impact
The strategy gave HHCT clarity, confidence and a shared language – strengthening internal alignment and sharpening their external positioning to better win funding, partnerships and community support. It laid the foundation for:
- A more compelling impact report to elevate funding applications.
- Stronger SME engagement through tiered partnership offers.
- Broader awareness across Leicestershire.
- Increased long-term funding resilience.
Euan created something that truly reflects who we are and the impact we’re making. He listened carefully to our team, funders and supporters and brought it together in a way that feels so us. The process has given us clarity and confidence for the future.