The Institute of Financial Planning has publicly thanked the firms and individuals who gave such excellent support to this year's consumer awareness campaign, Financial Planning Week, which ran from 21-27 November.

The IFP is delighted to report that this year's campaign was the most successful one since it began in 2008, generating considerable engagement with consumers right across the UK. The breadth and depth of support was significantly higher than in the previous three years as organisations across the financial services spectrum got involved to channel their expertise and resources into practical ways to help people take action to plan their finances more effectively.

IFP members led the initiative, with many firms providing pro bono seminars for the general public, walk in financial surgeries, blogs, tips and articles for the media and radio broadcasts. Some planners took the opportunity to engage with schools and gave presentations to students on the subject of Financial Planning. Others were on hand to answer consumers' questions using the IFP's new online "Ask a Planner" facility.

As well as lead sponsors NS&I and Friends Life, more than a dozen organisations were formally involved in lending their support to the campaign, including Prudential, Defaqto, Finametrica and Prestwood to name just a few. The UK's leading debt charity the Consumer Credit Counselling Service and money education charity Credit Action also gave excellent support.

The use of online media was significantly increased this year. Pete Matthew CFP^CM, creator of Meaningful Money, provided live daily broadcasts via their online TV channel on a broad range of topics related to Financial Planning. Viewers were also invited to ask questions live via the "chat" facility provided. Informed Choice Ltd of Guildford ran a series of YouTube videos where Financial Planners gave the public practical tips and ideas they could use, aimed specifically at the financial needs of people at different stages of their lives. Debt Free Direct and Staysure also created video footage to help people make the most of the opportunities during Financial Planning Week. IFP President Marlene Shalton FIFP, CFP^CM took part in a live online money surgery with The Times, helping their readers with their budgeting queries.

Following on from its considerable success in the 2010 campaign, the use of Twitter as a means of spreading the Financial Planning Week messages to the broadest possible audience was particularly powerful. Large numbers of tweeters helped spread the word, including powerful advocates such as Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis. Facebook too was used for the first time as part of the campaign, to effectively engage with consumers.

Nick Cann, chief executive of the IFP, said: "It is so exciting to see the tremendous growth in the support for and engagement with the Financial Planning Week campaign this year and to see that as a result of it Financial Planning and Financial Planners are changing people's lives for the better. Thanks to everyone who helped to make it such a big success. It was fantastic to see the profession working together in this way to help consumers, particularly as increasing awareness is so important a year ahead of the FSA's retail distribution review. As our survey results last week proved, the public are prepared to engage with those able to demonstrate their professionalism. Given that so many consumers are uncertain about how they should best plan for their financial future, the need for sound professional advice, and campaigns like Financial Planning Week, has never been greater."

The website www.financialplanningweek.org.uk saw increased numbers viewing tips, tools and information. Amongst the most popular features were the free Financial Planning software provided by Prestwood Group.

Media coverage of financial planning topics was significantly increased from 2010 levels, with well over 200 separate features and articles published on the subject of Financial Planning during the week as result of excellent work by Holt PR who co-ordinated the PR campaign. The detailed consumer financial planning survey and series of daily polls conducted by YouGov with the support of NS&I (National Savings and Investments) gave a boost to news coverage by providing relevant daily data.

As well as excellent support from the trade press, the national consumer press also gave strong support to the campaign, with titles such as The Financial Times, Financial Mail, Financial Mail on Sunday, The Express, The Sunday Express, The Daily Mirror and Daily Telegraph all running features. Regional press coverage was particularly strong this year, including such notables as The Scotsman, London Evening Standard and City AM, The Irish News and The Western Mail. Coverage too from lifestyle media such as Your Home and Families Magazine added to the scope of the campaign.

Radio coverage was also strong. Many IFP members got involved with their local radio stations to talk about Financial Planning. Thanks to the support of Prudential, Nick Cann spent the first day of Financial Planning Week in the studio recording programmes for distribution across the UK radio network throughout the week.