ILM Annual Conference 2025: Highlights from the FirstClass lounge

FirstClass had the privilege of hosting a breakout space for event delegates at the 2025 ILM Annual Conference, and it was a fantastic experience! In this article, we share highlights from the day and our team’s thoughts on the experience. 


Bigger and better than before


For the first time, the annual conference took place at Convene 133 Houndsditch in London. It was also the best-attended conference the Institute of Legacy Management (ILM) has ever hosted! The larger venue and great turnout are a testament to the ILM’s commitment to growth and community – we couldn’t be more proud to be an ILM partner and to have been a part of this key event on the industry calendar. 


A chance to connect and explore legacy management


This year, the ILM introduced breakout sessions at the conference, and we hosted the FirstClass lounge, where all delegates could catch their breath between talks. 


It was a wonderful opportunity for our team to meet clients face-to-face, connect with future customers, and explore what’s next in legacy management, including the FirstClass product roadmap.


Reflecting on the event, Rich Mullens, Director for FirstClass, said:


"The introduction of the breakout sessions was a highlight for us, a brilliant addition to the programme. These sessions provided a valuable opportunity for FirstClass to share an exclusive first look at FirstClass and our product roadmap. It also allowed us to connect directly with our clients and users, gathering invaluable insights into their wish lists, pain points, and feedback on the future development of our platform.” 


Bobby Parmar, Account Manager for FirstClass, added:


"As always, attending the ILM conference is a fantastic experience for us to connect, collaborate and reflect on the year that has gone by. The conference allows us to meet clients and future users face-to-face to offer demos, support calls or even a quick hello. This is important as it maintains our customer centricity and shows that not just FirstClass, but ClearCourse as a whole isn’t just a faceless entity.”


A truly excellent event


Well done to the ILM for pulling off another incredible annual conference, and thank you to everyone who joined us in the lounge – we trust that you enjoyed relaxing, recharging and exploring our legacy management software for your organisation. If you missed the conference, we hope to see you next year!


Want to know more about the next iteration of FirstClass? Get in touch.

Pilot Project Launched to Support Free Wills Month

By Fiona Paton • July 31, 2025
To shine a light on October’s Free Wills Month , an initiative designed to offer those aged 55 and over the chance to have straightforward wills written or updated free of charge, FirstClass and sister company Cymba have joined forces and are partnering with the Institute of Legacy Management (ILM) to launch a project that illustrates the impact mobile messaging has on legacy giving. Whilst mobile messaging is typically associated with text-to-donate campaigns, the partnership between two companies that sit within ClearCourse’s stable of brands will showcase how this technology can be used to inspire people to leave legacies in their wills. The webinar, entitled “ How to Boost traffic to your Free Wills and Legacy pages ”, will be jointly hosted by the FirstClass and Cymba teams, and explore how emerging Rich Communications Services (RCS) technology, the evolution of SMS, can be used to drive engagement when it comes to legacy giving. The event will also provide charities with insights into how they can build trust when it comes to increasing donations and gifts by revealing tried and tested messaging formats that drive action. Charities will also learn how to highlight their free wills and legacy pages by harnessing RCS’s ability to implement branded quick-action buttons, and understand the difference in outcomes between SMS and RCS messaging via a dedicated split testing session. In the lead up to the webinar, which takes place on 11 September at 10:30 am, Cymba and FirstClass will be running test campaigns with several of the UK’s prominent charities, the results of which will be revealed during the session. On the event, Rich Mullens, Director at Cymba and FirstClass, comments: “ Regular givers are often among the most open to leaving a legacy. In this webinar, we’ll show charities how mobile messaging can help them engage these supporters more effectively and drive meaningful traffic, not only for donations but also to inspire gifts in wills. We’re delighted to unite these two brands, both of which are founded on helping charities boost donations via mobile messaging and increase their legacy giving, and we’re confident that attendees will leave feeling inspired to use new approaches. ” The new Data (Use and Access) Bill, which gives charities greater freedom to use the soft opt-in by enabling them to contact past supporters with relevant legacy messages without needing fresh consent, removes barriers to utilising RCS. This means that the benefits of RCS, such as the ability to use logos, images, video, and tap-to-act buttons, can be quickly and efficiently embraced by charities looking to incorporate this emerging technology. For more information on Cymba, FirstClass, and Free Wills Month, visit https://www.cymba.co.uk , https://www.firstclass-software.com , and https://freewillsmonth.org.uk ,  respectively.

Three things we're looking forward to at the ILM Annual Conference

May 7, 2025
Are you attending this year's ILM Annual Conference? Discover three reasons why the FirstClass team is excited about this year's legacy management event.
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