DIY Fundraising

The majority of our funds are raised by our supporters through small scale events.

Raising money needs hard work and application; what it does not need is any original thought. It requires you to follow a proven formula and this brief fact sheet is designed to help you along the way. The office is happy to provide further support if required by giving a covering letter showing the charity registration number and providing sponsorship forms. We can also provide collection boxes and mail members in your area to enlist support.

Methods of Fundraising

Fundraising will be successful if it is based on an event that the participants enjoy. The first decision is therefore what type of event would suit you, your friends, colleagues and contacts.

An A – Z of the types of things that can be done and has been done by our friends is set out below.

These fall into two categories. The first are sponsored events where individuals raise money as a recognition of and reward for their own endeavours. Most success can be gained where the task is achievable but not too easy so that those who take part feel a sense of achievement. A 5-mile walk is a good achievement for people under 7 and over 70, for example, but not of particular consequence for the average adult whereas a 15-mile walk , with its greater challenge and sense of achievement, would generate more response.

The second category is social functions where raffles or prizes are offered. Be careful, however, not to make commitments you cannot meet: eg, deposits for room hire, etc.

Aerobics, Aromatherapy evening, Art auction, Assault course.

Balloon race, Barbecue, Barn dance, Beard shave, Bike ride, Blind date competition, Board game marathon, Book sale, Bowling competition, Bridge tournament, Bring-and-buy sale, Bungee jumping.

Cake stall, Car boot sale, Car washing, Carol concert, Charity cricket match, Chess tournament, Coffee morning, Concert, Craft fair.

Dance-till-you-drop, Darts, Dieting, Dinner dance, Disco, Dog walk.

Easter egg hunt, Egg and spoon race.

Family fun day, Fancy dress party, Fete, Fifties night, Football competition, Foreign coin collection, Fun run or walk.

Games evening, Garden party, Give-as-you-earn, Golf competition, Graphology evening, Gymkhana.

Haircutting – sponsored, Halloween party, Harvest festival, Head shave, House-to-house collection, How heavy, far, quick, etc, Hunger lunch.

Ice skating, It’s a knockout.

Jazz festival, Jewellery party, ogging – sponsored, Jumble sale.

Karaoke evening, Keep fit, Krypton factor style contest.

Land’s End to John O’Groats walk or bike, Legacies, Litter cleaning, Local history evening, Lottery, Lucky dip, Luncheon clubs.

Make-up session, Marathon, Masked ball, Medieval banquet, Mountain climb, Murder mystery party, Musical concerts.

Nature trail, New Year’s Eve party or pledge, Night at haunted house, Non uniform day, Non-talent contest.

Open day, Open gardens, Open house, Opera night, Outward bound day.

Pancake day, Parachuting, Parties, Plant sale, Pop concert, Promise auction, Pub quiz

Quiz night Race night, Raffle, Rally driving challenge, Raves, Recipe book, Record breakers, Runs.

Sale of work, Santa’s grotto, Silent auction, Sixties theme night, Slimming challenge, Student fund raising, Sun-flower growing.

Tea dance,Ten pin bowling, Tombola, Toy fair, Treasure hunt, Trivial Pursuits evening.

Underground race, Unwanted items sale.

Variety performance, Village fete, Vintage car rally.

Xmas evening, Xmas fair .

Yoga day, Yo-yo competition.

Zodiac evening.

Forming a local group

Make a list of people you want to join your group. Ask each person on the list to make a further list of people known to have skills or contacts: family, friends, work colleagues, local business people, church committee members. Make one person chairperson, another treasurer, another secretary.

Before event:

Form your committee;
Decide on event, venue and date;
Obtain forms from our office;
Arrange any bookings, check permits, etc;
Maximise publicity;
Secure sponsor if event is of interest to local business.

On the day:

Ensure all volunteers know what their duties are.

After the event:

Ensure everything is tided away;
Make sure that all participants know what to do with money;

Thank everyone concerned.