Professional Headshots With a Purpose: TOC Fundraising at the University of Manchester

TOC returned to the University of Manchester this year with a different kind of session: a professional headshot day, offering students and staff polished portrait photography while raising funds for our work with young people.

The idea was simple. TOC’s team already has the photography skills; the University of Manchester has staff and students who regularly need a good professional headshot for LinkedIn, applications or university profiles. Bringing the two together meant we could offer a genuinely useful service while turning it into a fundraiser, with proceeds going directly back into TOC’s programmes.

Throughout the day, our facilitators worked through a steady queue of sitters, adjusting lighting and composition for each person while keeping the atmosphere relaxed rather than rushed. For many, it was a quick, low-stress way to get a headshot they’d actually want to use, and a chance to hear more about TOC’s work with young people across Greater Manchester.

Every donation and fee from the day goes towards the essentials that keep TOC running: participant travel, equipment, and free places on sessions for young people who couldn’t otherwise take part. We’re grateful to the University of Manchester for hosting us, and to everyone who booked a slot.