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ABSEIL: The more adventurous the location better. Abseiling down a tower block or office.
ACTIVITIES DAY: Organise an activity day where a variety of people can take part in a range of activities. Can involve families or different classes or teams.
ADVERTISING BOOKLET: This is a booklet that is primarily an advertising source and an information booklet for your local area. It normally works best in small towns or communities and local companies pay for you to advertise their business in it. The advertising booklet will normally contain general information on the local area and other topics. An excellent example detailed a vast range of household tips – from removal of stains to putting up shelves and a local company that was relevant to the tip or piece of advice sponsored it.
AEROBICS: Organise a sponsored aerobathon. Get local sports clubs and leisure centres involved. Get sports shops to sponsor the event.
AFTERNOON TEA: Arrange an afternoon tea party where you can hold a raffle, Auction, Tombola, games and if possible some musical accompaniment.
AIR MILES: Collect Air Miles and collate them together. Either raffle or auction the Air Miles.
ALUMINIUM COLLECTION: Collect Aluminium cans at work and home and sell the tins to recycling companies.
ARTS/CRAFT STALL: The opportunity is either to make all of the crafts yourself or rent out pitches to local crafts people so they can sell their wares to the public.
ART EXHIBITION: Encourage local artists to exhibit their work. Charge entrance fee and commission
AS NEW SALE: An “As New Sale” is really another name for a posh jumble sale. The event can be held in an evening and organised to resemble a shop rather than a jumble sale. This needs time and commitment for sorting the clothes, and where necessary wash and ironing them previous to the sale might enhance the price.
AUCTIONS: Original auction of items that are donated or sold on behalf of the donor and you take a percentage of the fee or sale of the item
AUCTION OF PROMISES: A variation of the auction theme, where you auction off promises made by people or local business. These can be anything from being chauffeur driven for a day to meal for two or Theatre tickets.
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BAD HAIR DAY
BAD TIE DAY
BADGE MAKING: Make a range of badges to sell at a craft fair or at work, or amongst friends.
BAKED BEAN BATH: Get sponsored to sit in a bath of Baked Beans for a day, or a group of friends to sit in a Jacuzzi full of Baked Beans and be sponsored, or charge them to do it.
BALLOON RACE: Sell balloons that are filled with helium; the purchasers’ name and address are written on a tag fixed to the balloon. The balloon that travels the furthest wins a prize.
BALLON RIDES: Organise balloon rides for large groups of people and take commission or offer a balloon ride as a prize for a raffle or auction.
BARBEQUE: Always a winner, especially in the summer. Couple this with games such as cricket or rounders or even some music to make a really great atmosphere.
BARN DANCE: Traditional country music that is becoming more and more popular. There are many companies who offer a good caller and lively music. Offer some food and plenty of cider and the evening is bound to go with a swing.
BATTLE OF THE BANDS: Invite local ‘unknown’ bands to play in front of an audience. The audience then get to decide who is best. The winners get a cash sum. Try to get record producers and music press interested as an incentive for bands to take part. Charge an entry fee for the bands and the audience. Organise a bar to add to your takings.
BEAT THE GOALIE: Traditional fairground game where the competitor tries to score past a goalkeeper. Score a goal and win a prize.
BED PUSH: Sponsored bed pushes are great fun and can be organised over a distance suitable to yourselves, can be through the centre of your town or village. The ‘bed’ can be any sort, from a hospital bed to a four-poster, even a washing machine or 3-piece suite!
BEER FESTIVAL: Beer festivals can be as large or small an event as you wish. The event can last an evening or be continued throughout a week or even over a month. Obviously the larger the event, the more money you can potentially raise. The festival could involve beers from around the world, which could incorporate various themes from different countries. Do not forget to cater for the non-beer drinker and ensure there is enough entertainment to keep everyone amused. Check what the licensing laws permit!
BINGO: An evening of Bingo is great fun and a great way to raise money. Or you can run a regular morning session over a few weeks.
BOARD GAMES EVENING: Organise an evening of board games, charge per game or an entrance fee. Possibly have prizes for the winners (Monopoly Champion or Mastermind of Trivia)
BOAT RACE: Organise a boat race where local organisations build model boats and race them on a river. Variations can also include full size boats, yachts, dinghies and canoes, whatever is to hand!
BOAT TRIPS: If you have a river or canal near by, try to organise a boat trip as an ideal way to spend a summer evening. Try to add refreshment and music. Many pleasure boat companies offer a wide range of services.
BONNY BABY COMPETITION: Invite people to enter a competition to put their baby into the limelight and charge per entry. Approach local press, radio and shopping centres with a view to advertise and hold the competition in. Try to get prizes donated from child friendly shops and organisations. Even approach them for sponsorship. Perhaps enlist a photographer to take photos and charge a fee for them too.
BOOK SALE: Selling second hand books is a great for people to get rid of old books and for you to raise money. If you can’t sell them all, many book dealers will purchase the left over bulk stock to relieve you of all of the books.
BOTTLE STALL: Traditional stall, which works best at large events such as fairs and coffee mornings. Try to get the bottles and cans donated from large shopping centres and manufacturers.
BOUNCY CASTLE: Although initially this can be quite expensive, it is amazing how much more money you can raise with a children’s sideshow. If you are organising events that involve families or children it is definitely worth investigating.
BUNGEE JUMP: Bungee jumping is all about fear- the fear of falling and never hitting the floor! It’s a fantastic way to gain sponsorship by inflicting fear, but a really great money-spinner.
BURNS DAY: A Scottish based theme evening, with Haggis, Nepes and Tatties and Scottish dancing. Charge entry and hold a Scottish based raffle.
BUS PULL: Involve a group of people to pull a bus a set distance and be sponsored for the event. Try to get sponsorship from a large organisation. Alternatively, it could be a competition with numerous teams pulling the bus against the clock over a shorter distance. To make it more elaborate you could even decorate the bus with a theme.
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CAKE STALL: Traditional stall to sell donated cakes and other delicatessen delights. Works best at a larger event such as a fair or coffee morning. Please let the hospice know if you are doing a cake stall so they can advise you on health and safety regulations for selling perishable goods to the public.
CALENDARS: Produce and sell calendars that give a pictorial year of your organisation. These can be from a very simple one-page calendar to a page a month. You could even get departments or suppliers to sponsor a page. The sponsorship could then go towards production costs. Be careful though because this is dated product and therefore there is an element of risk.
CANDLE MAKING: Why not make candles and sell them at craft fairs or coffee mornings? There is a great increase in the fancy candle market and they are really very easy to make.
CAR BOOT SALE: Organise a Car Boot Sale in the community and sell the pitches. This is also a great opportunity to raise funds by including other stalls and sideshow e.g. refreshments, bouncy castles, tombola. Alternatively, sell your left over jumble and donations at car boot sales.
CAR THROUGH A BUCKET: This is an achievement in itself, but it really is as it sounds. Challenge a couple of teams (perhaps two local garages) to completely dismantle a car and pass it through a bucket with a hole in the bottom. If the challenge is in a public place, (superstore car parks are ideal) not only do you receive the sponsorship of the teams but you also gain the donations from the public. This is an amazing feat and when two teams are racing against the clock it becomes an even greater spectacle.
CAR TREASURE HUNT: Rather than a traditional treasure hunt around the local town, this is a treasure hunt where you drive from clue to clue and find the treasure! A real challenge and good fun as well as a sound fund raiser.
CAR VALET: A car valet service is a little more complicated than a standard car wash service because normally the owner of the vehicle will need to be around at the time. This service may be suitable for office car parks where the people are available most of the day.
CAR WASH: Set up a car wash service. This is best run from a local car park (supermarkets are ideal) where you wash your clients car whilst they do your shopping! You could even make it a fancy dress car wash to add a bit of originality
CARNIVAL: Most towns hold a carnival of some sort and there can be many different themes, from a musical carnival to a traditional float carnival.
CAROL CONCERT: Hold a Carol Concert in a local hall. The Concert can consist of musical talents and a whole range of choirs. Many concerts also include official ceremonies to turn on the Christmas Lights or annual presentations. You could also sell refreshments, such as mince pies and mulled wine.
CAROL SINGING: A traditional method of raising funds during the Christmas period. In order to collect from private residence you may require a license and carol singing in large groups is much safer and you gain a much better response.
CASINO EVENING: There are many companies who offer the facilities to set up a casino in a hall or local meeting place. You can organise a range of games including blackjack, roulette and other card games. Alternatively, you can organise and supply the games yourself.
CHARITY BALL: The most elegant of evenings. Try to organise a theme to the ball to add to the whole event. Live bands also work well and you can also run raffles and various games throughout the evening.
CHARIOT RACE: Hold a chariot race between local organisations. The Chariots can be as imaginative as you like, from a very traditional “horse and cart” to a “Sudan chair”!
CHARITY PUSH: Sponsored pushes are great fun and can be organised over any distance. The push could be a wide range of items from a bed to a shopping trolley from a car to a bathtub!
CHILDREN”S PARTY: Organise children’s parties or activity sessions. This is an ideal fundraiser is you are close to a beach or open field or ground. Be careful of childminding and make sure that you check out the relevant childcare practices.
CHRISTMAS DRAW: One of the best times to hold a draw for any organisation is at Christmas. Firstly, most companies increase sales towards Christmas, the more sales the better the prizes! Secondly, during the season of giving and goodwill, it is much easier to sell draw tickets. Finally, if you are selling direct to the public, there is a greater volume of people to depart with their money! Please check with the charity before organising a draw to check the regulations about public draws and raffles.
CLASSIC CAR SHOW: Organise a motor show for classic vehicles and motorbikes. The fascination in old historic vehicles draws massive crowds and when promoted properly will attract a very wide and exciting range of vehicles.
CLOCKS: Build clocks and sell them at craft fairs. The clocks can be novelty or based on local attractions, made from wood or “recycled” products and materials.
COACH TRIPS: Why not take your members on a coach trip? Traditional favourites such as London, Blackpool, Bath, Flower Shows and Exhibitions always appeal to a wide range of people, and you can always organise a raffle on the coach as an extra fund raising opportunity.
COCONUT SHY: Traditional fair game where the competitor tries to throw wooden balls at rows of coconuts.
COFFEE MORNING: By having an open house and organising other stalls such as a bring and buy or a cake stall and raffles you can make a substantial amount from a very social event!
COLLECTING TINS: Probably the oldest method of raising funds. Locate prime sites where there is a large amount of pedestrian flow and hold out the collecting tins. Please talk to the hospice before you go ahead with a collection as they can advise you where might be best to go and can supply you with the correct materials and permits.
CONCERT: Concerts can vary widely. If your organisation has musical attachment then you may be able to put on your own performance, or alternatively, you could bring in entertainers from around the area to perform at a concert in aid of your chosen charity. The style and type of concert can also differ considerably from rock and pop to classic or opera!
COOKERY DEMONSTRATION: Inviting a chef from your local restaurant to let you in on the secrets of the trade is a real crowd puller. You may even be able to attract some of the newfound celebrities or hold your very own “Master Chef”.
COPPER COLLECTION: A lot of people have their own small collection of copper coins, why not persuade people to depart with their copper collections and donate it to your fund.
CRAFT FAIR: Craft Fairs offer the opportunity for local craftsmen to sell their wares. The talents of these people will range from wood turning and wood carving through to embroidery and cross-stitch. You may also produce crafts to sell at the fair.
CRICKET MATCH: Hold a cricket match and afternoon activity. Challenge your County team to a match or invite some star cricketers to join in your efforts. With the introduction of Kwik Cricket in schools you may be able to organise a competition based on this new form of the game.
CROSSWORD COMPETITION: Holding a crossword competition, as a sideshow is a relatively new concept. Produce a very large crossword on a board and get people to pay to answer a clue. Hidden behind each number is a raffle ticket that could win a prize!
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DANCE: Dances can take many forms. One favourite dance is the old-fashioned tea dance, an opportunity to have a leisurely afternoon’s dancing and entertainment. (Perhaps for the older generation!) Sell refreshments such as cakes and scones as an added money-spinner.
DART THROWING: Traditional fair game where the competitor tries to throw darts into a target and win by a method of ways – score over, score under, 3 in the black. Correctly matching the target wins a prize.
DARTS MATCH: Put out the challenge to all the pub teams in the area to compete in a tournament for cash prizes, or a barrel of beer!
DINNER AND CABARET: Hold a cabaret evening with a fantastic meal in a superb restaurant followed by a star studded cabaret ranging from song and dance through to comedy and even magic.
DIRECT MAIL (WASTE): Collect all of your direct mail for recycling. Due to the paper being of better quality, you are often able to receive a better recycle value than you get for newspaper. The average household gets twelve direct mail letters a week, which can mean making money from junk.
DIRECTORIES: Publish a directory for your local community. This may include businesses and all other organisations as well as further local information. The directory should be funded by sponsorship and advertisements from local businesses.
DISCO: A disco can be a compliment to another event or an event in its own right. Discos also appeal to a wide range of ages and can often cater for a wide range of musical tastes. You even theme your disco to make it a little more interesting with a Madonna night, or Wham night.
DOG SHOW: A dog show is the perfect opportunity for people to show off their pets. You could also run a competition to see which owners look most like their pets. Try to get a local pet shop to sponsor the occasion and donate prizes
DUCK RACE: Sell numbered plastic ducks to people and launch them from a bridge. The person who “owns” the first duck to cross the finishing line wins a prize. This is an event in itself and with good preparation sales of hundreds of ducks can be made. A good event for a summer Fete.
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EASTER EGG HUNT: Children of all ages love Easter Eggs and having to hunt them out creates a great game of hide and seek. Charge people to enter the hunt. Try to get sponsorship from local sweet shops or chocolate manufacturers to donate prizes.
EATING MARATHON: A marathon can take many forms and an eating marathon is no exception. You may want to rise to your challenge of eating a marathon of one food, (maybe cold baked beans,) or seeing how long you can eat for! A visit to a local burger bar and trying to eat everything on the menu is always a marathon that burger lovers enjoy! Sponsorship from restaurants may help cover costs for this one.
EYEBROWS: Shave them off for a fee or sponsorship. They will grow back – eventually!
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FACE PAINTING: This is one of the most popular ways of fundraising and with the right paints nearly anyone can have a go at doing it. Kids love having their faces painted and is a winner at any fete, party or children’s event.
FANCY DRESS: Kids love it. Adults love it! Dressing up in fancy dress can add fun to any event, and holding a fancy dress competition for the children is an excellent money-spinner for any event.
FASHION SHOW: Many local businesses will support a fashion show in aid of Charities and local organisations. The business uses it as an opportunity to promote themselves and enjoy good local promotion by supporting such events. Any sales made on the day should include a commission to you.
FETE: Annual fetes and fairs are the biggest event for many organisations. The village or school fete is also a key community event that is enjoyed by the whole community. To ease the organisation you may be able to join forces with another local organisation to assist.
FILM EVENING: Before the introduction of cinemas in towns and cities people would congregate in the local hall to watch the latest blockbuster! Recreate an evening of vintage film by showing classic films and musicals.
FIREWORKS: Organised firework events are becoming more popular due to the safety aspect. There is a massive opportunity to raise an awful lot of money at a fireworks display although the weather is never guaranteed! If you are organising your own fireworks night, please make sure to take all the necessary safety precautions for you and your audience.
FLOWER ARRANGING: Floral arrangements is an ideal item to produce for craft fairs and other events such as harvest. Dried and silk flowers are most suitable because they will not wilt or die!
FLOWER SHOW: A flower show and horticulture show is a great way to raise funds and is a real crowd puller. Why not try to hold a competition and displays too, as well as an area for advice. Further sideshows will add to the amount raised.
FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT: Organise a football tournament for local clubs or companies to participate in. Organise a range of stalls for the participants and spectators to spend their money to help raise your funds. Get prizes donated by companies who are playing in the tournament.
FOREIGN COINS: Many people now travel abroad and although banks are willing to exchange notes, they are not interested in coins. Ask friends, family and colleagues to gather their coins left over from their holidays and give it to you. Once you have a substantial amount, change it into sterling to aid your fundraising.
FUN DAY: Organise fun, games and entertainment for your colleagues at your local sports club. These can incorporate tradition fete games, bouncy castles or event inflatable Sumo wrestlers!
FURNITURE SALE: Organise a furniture sale in a large hall and take a commission from the price of the sale. In addition, you can also sell donated items of furniture and surplus office equipment.
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GAME SHOW: Following the success of the wide and varied game shows on television why not organise an evening of game shows. ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’, ‘The Weakest Link’, even adapt games such as pictionary to include lots of people. Try to get sponsorship from local business and get prizes donated.
GARAGE SALE: A garage sale is a good way to raise some quick money. Clear out the garage, shed and attic of all of your unwanted goods. It is very important to check that any member of your family or housemates no longer needs the items you are selling before you sell it!
GARDEN PARTY: An open garden or garden party is a very sociable occasion to raise funds. Either sell ticket to a strawberries and cream garden party or hold an open garden to encourage people to visit the garden and make a donation.
GARDENING: Offer a service for gardening. This may be as simple as lawn cutting or patio cleaning or you may be able to provide a more complete service.
GLAMOROUS GRAN: Organise a competition throughout the community to find the most glamorous granny. Charge for entry and get local hairdressers and beauty Salons to donate a prize. Can be publicised through a local newspaper.
GNOMES AND PIXIES: Make and decorate garden gnomes. Try personalizing each one or basing them on famous characters or even members of your organisation can raise your funds.
GO KART GRAND PRIX: Organise a Go Kart Grand Prix at the local track. Many of the indoor circuits assist with groups that are fund raising and some will even organise the whole event for you!
GREETING CARDS: Why not create your own greeting cards? There is massive profit in greetings cards, whether for birthdays, weddings, religious celebrations or just to say hello. Many Charity card sectors are at present very restricted to the Christmas season. By producing your own cards you will be able to boost your funds.
GUESS THE ???: Traditional fair game where the competitor guesses the number of sweets in a jar, or the name of the teddy bear etc. The list is endless as to what can be guessed and the person who guesses correctly or closest wins the prize.
GUEST SPEAKER: Invite a guest speaker and selling admission tickets. In addition, you can organise raffles and refreshments to boost the funds raised.
GUIDED TOURS: Organise tours to local places of interest for visitors. Or organise trips to tourist destinations for friends, relatives or individuals to visit.
GUNGE TANK: Create a tank of the weeks left overs and other ingredients for a gunge tank. It is a great sideshow at the local fete by enticing people to pay to gunge a friend, enemy or even their parents!
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HALLOWEEN PARTY: Plenty of traditional party games can be played including bobbing apples and trick or treats.
HEAD SHAVE: Just for the brave! A very quick, but often immensely successful way of raising funds.
HOOK A DUCK: Traditional fair game where the competitor hooks a duck that has a number on the bottom of it. By matching the number on the bottom wins the corresponding prize. Get prizes donated by local companies or businesses
HOOPLA: Traditional fair game where the competitor throws hoops over prizes. On successfully landing a hoop completely over a prize entitles that person to win it.
HOUSEHOLD SALE: From the same stable as the garage sale this can either be ran from home or you can organise it in a local hall – a jumble sale without the clothes!
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INDOOR MARKET: Creating a market offers local traders the opportunity to set up a stall outside their normal shops with your organisation taking a cut of the takings or a rent for each stall.
INFLATABLE: In addition to the bouncy castle, there are many different types of Inflatable that you can rent out including water accessories, fly walls, boxing rings and gladiator courts. All of them offer great opportunities to add value to your summer fete.
IRONING: Everybody hates it! Charge people to do their ironing. Charge per item or per bundle.
IT”S A KNOCKOUT: A revival of the 80”s game show where teams compete in the most ridiculous games in the most ridiculous costumes. This will make you laugh and raise a few eyebrows as well as funds! Perfect as a family fun-day for your company or sports club.
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JAIL BREAK: Although escaping from jail is not recommended, it is a great way to raise funds. Being dumped in the middle of nowhere and having to get back to your headquarters with no money or mode of transport. Organise it as a competition between teams, charge an entry fee and offer prizes for the first to get back.
JAZZ FESTIVAL: A jazz festival is a great evenings entertainment and it pulls together the key elements of fund raising – music and food.
JEWELRY MAKING: Making items of jewellery and selling them at craft fairs is an excellent way to raise funds.
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KARAOKE: Hire a machine and a room and a well stocked bar and you will be amazed how little encouragement people need to be like their favourite pop star.
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MARATHONS: The traditional marathon is a great event to get sponsored to complete the 26 mile race, although there are many variations on the marathon and you can make it almost anything you want.
MEDIEVAL EVENING: A medieval banquet followed by jousting and entertainment is an original and entertaining way to enjoy an evening and having a themed evening assists in the raising of funds.
MILE OF PENNIES: In a local shopping area, try to make a mile of pennies. Get shoppers to lay their pennies next to each other until they stretch out to a distance of a mile.
MINI OLYMPICS: Invite all your colleagues, friends and their families to participate in a mini Olympics with a range of sports whether they are normal or purely just for fun! Try the egg and spoon race or the sack race along with throw the welly or the limbo! Charge an entrance fee for all. Can also sell refreshments.
MOUSE RACE: A mouse race is great fun at a fete or fair. Build a racetrack with individual lanes and tempt them with a little cheese! As an alternative, you can always use clockwork mice!
MUFTI DAY: Mufti days are greatly accepted by pupils in order for them not to wear their school uniform for the day. You can also widen this to the workplace where people change from their normal work-wear to an alternative for the day.
MUSIC CONCERT: Music concerts are a great method of raising funds and the style and content of music can suit any age or culture.
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NATURE TRAIL: Plan a local nature trail and offer guided walks that highlight the key areas of natural beauty. Alternatively produce leaflets with the walk detailed on and request a donation form the walkers or charge for the leaflets.
NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS: Many people make them, but how many keep them? Challenge people to get sponsored to keep their resolutions for a little longer than normal!
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OPEN GARDEN: Offer to open your garden to visitors and request a donation from visitors. If you don’t have a garden, get in touch with your local gardening club and see if you can organise it using their members. You can also organise refreshments and sales of plants and vegetables.
OPERA NIGHT A night at the opera is a great way to raise funds and bringing opera to the local community gives an exciting and cultured evening of entertainment.
ORIENTEERING There are many orienteering competitions and they can be organised to raise funds by charging entrants and organising additional fund raising activities.
ORNAMENT SALE Ornaments and collectables are always a successful combination and organising fairs where you receive a commission or a rent from each trader can raise money.
OUTWARD BOUND Outward bound is a scheme that is run to give people the opportunity to experience outdoor adventures including climbing, hiking, camping and other sports. Many people raise money to attend and gain further sponsorship to complete the many challenges they will face.
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PAINTBALL COMPETITION This game is professionally run and you can organise challenges to raise funds where people contribute to your funds.
PANCAKE RACES Shrove Tuesday is full of Pancake races through many towns. Why not organise pancake races at work, school or in your shopping centre. Ask for sponsorship from teams and donations from spectators.
PANTOMIME Christmas is the time for Panto and this gives every organisation the chance to perform and entertain its supporters.
PARACHUTE JUMP Another idea for the daredevils of fund raising! This method of fund raising is definitely not for the feint hearted and most funds are raised through individual sponsorship.
PARTIES Party’s, parties and more parties. There are so many variations of parties that every party can have a different theme. Many parties can be organised in order to raise funds either by charging an entrance fee or by having other activities within the party.
PERSONALIZED GIFTS Offering a service to personalize items of property or to sell gifts that are unique or have personalization on them is an excellent way to raise funds. There may be a special occasion that your organisation is celebrating and this again can create opportunity to sell unique gifts.
PET SHOW A variation of the dog show, but with all pets. Also, run a competition to see which owners most look like their, Cat, Dog, Hamster, Rabbit etc.
PETROL TOKENS Collect petrol tokens and trade them in for gifts that you can then use as raffle prizes or for your organisation or Charity.
PICK A CORK Traditional fair game where the competitor picks a cork out of a board, each cork has a number on the end. Pull a cork with a winning number then you win a prize.
PICK A TICKET Traditional fair game where the competitor picks a numbered ticket from a bucket. If the ticket number matches a winning ticket then you win a prize.
PICTURE FRAMING Offer a framing service of pictures, photos or prints of local scenes or relevant topics to your Charity.
PLANT A TREE A “plant a tree” scheme can raise funds for almost any organisation by getting people to sponsor a tree.
PLANT SALE Organise a plant sale where people either donate plants for you to sell, or they purchase a pitch to sell their own produce. A plant sale can also include a fresh produce sale as well. If you do want to sell fresh produce, please health and safety issues with the charity.
PLAY STATION PLAYOFF Set up a league of people to play a certain game on the playstation or Nintendo. If you cannot get hold of enough for every participant, hire them from video shops. The winner of the game gets a prize. Try to get this donated from a computer software company.
PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT Traditional fair game where the competitor plays the game of higher and lower through a series of playing cards. If you correctly get six consecutive guesses correct then you win a prize.
PLEDGES Gathering pledges of support, donations and services can greatly aid your cause. A pledge of help with donation of gifts or help with administration redecoration may prove to be more valuable than any donation that individuals can offer.
POP CONCERT Organise a pop concert with local bands. There are a great many music festivals that raise vast sums of money for national causes and linking up with the local bands and music organisations can prove to be really successful.
POSTAGE STAMPS Many Charities and organisations now collect postage stamps to sell onto dealers. Foreign and unusual stamps command the best prices and you get paid by the kilo of stamps. (That is quite a lot of stamps!)
PRIVATE TUITION Sell your skills and tutor others. The tuition can range from the normal academic tuition to outdoor activity such as canoeing or rock climbing.
PROGRAMMES Producing a programme for an event is an added source of income. It can be the local fair, concert or Pantomime. Businesses can pay to advertise in the programme and you can sell the programme as entry. Another incentive is to us the programme as a prize draw and number each copy.
PROMOTIONAL GIFTS Sell promotional items that have your Charity or organisations logo on them. All towns and cities promote themselves in this way with a memento of your visit and the same can be done for Charities and organisations to promote yourselves.
PUB GAMES EVENING Organise a championship of traditional pub games. There are many different ways in which this can be organised, although the key games to include are darts, skittles, shove ha”penny, dominoes and card games.
PUPPET SHOW A puppet show for children can always draw a crowd, and donations can be collected. Traditional Punch and Judy on the beach or why not try some of the newer characters and stories in your local shopping centre.
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QUIZZES Everyone loves a quiz and they are great fund raisers. Holding a quiz on a regular weekly basis in your local pub or community centre or sports club will keep a consistent flow of funds coming in. Many public houses are willing to support this type of event as it also brings them custom as well.
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RACE NIGHT Race nights bring a whole new meaning to horse racing. Many companies organise the whole evening or just supply the props. The “punter” places their bet on a horse and after all the bets are place, the race is run on a large screen. The people who bet on the winning horse take their winnings and another races starts. There are normally around eight races a night and there are now variations on the theme including greyhound racing and motor sports.
RAFFLES One of the oldest, one of the best and easiest to organise fund raising ideas. Always a winner and always a trusted addition to any event. Please consult the charity before trying to organise a raffle, as there are various laws and legislation, which should be adhered to.
RAFT RACE A group of teams complete in a raft race over a set distance. Part of the challenge is to build the raft and be able to sail it over the course. A very wet and exciting activity.
RAMBLES Many people enjoy a Sunday stroll, although there are a great many that would prefer to join an organised walk. The ramble can take many different forms including a family ramble, fancy dress, singles, three legged etc. Charge an entrance fee to take part and offer refreshment.
RECIPE BOOK Produce a recipe book to include favourite recipes from the local restaurants and chefs. In addition, you can get famous television chefs to donate a recipe and culinary tips. This book can then be sold through your organisation and local outlets.
RECYCLING COLLECTIONS There are now a great many items that can be collected and sold on for re-cycling. By offering a collection service for these recyclable products can also boost your funds.
REFRESHMENTS The refreshments at almost any event can make you as much money as the rest of the event put together! Selling the usual teas and coffees, along with a few sandwiches and biscuits can greatly improve your event and the money raised.
ROLL A BALL Traditional fair game where the competitor tries to roll a ball through a hole at the end of an alley, a ball through the hole wins a prize.
ROLL A COIN Traditional fair game where the competitor tries to roll a coin down a shute, if the coin lands on a playing card on the board then you win a prize.
ROLL A DICE Roll six sixes and win a car! This is a fantastic fund raiser, but you will have to ensure that you are at an event with an awful lot of people and you have adequate insurance to cover the cost of a car should someone win! This really can make some serious money!
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SAFARI SUPPER A safari supper is where you travel from house to house or restaurant to restaurant and have a different course of your meal at different places. Entrants pay a fee to cover the costs of their food and a little profit for you. Try to get the local restaurants to donate some food towards this. It is great promotion for them too.
SALE OF FESTIVE GIFTS The lead up to the festive season offers a massive opportunity to raise funds. By offering a range of Christmas product from gift-wrap to Christmas cards you can capitalize on this mass market. Many of these items are reasonably inexpensive to have personalized for your Charity or organisation. Charity Christmas Cards now make up over 35% of all Christmas card sales and this figure grows annually.
SALE OF FREE GIFTS Collect free gifts from local companies and then sell them at summer fairs and other events. There are many special offers that retailers have that offer free gifts. If you can encourage them to give one of these free gifts to your organisation then you can use them for raffles or to sell on.
SANTA GROTTO No Christmas Fair can go by without a Santa’s Grotto and many shopping centres will organise a grotto to benefit local organisations and Charities.
SCAVENGER HUNT A scavenger hunt is enjoyed by both young and old. It is a form of treasure hunt where each team is given a list of items that they have to find and collect. The winning team is the one who collects the most.
SCRAP METAL Collect scrap metal and sell it to a scrap metal dealer or re-cycling plant. You will be amazed how much you can raise through other peoples junk and scrap!
SEASONAL DRAW Large events can normally always command a draw for either a major or cash prize. It is best if you can run draws with the seasons to clearly distinguish the draws.
SHOE SHINE Organise a shoe shine stall in your local shopping centre or railway station and charge to polish peoples footwear. This is often more profitable during the week rather than the weekends.
SHOPPING COUPONS Collect the shopping coupons from major supermarkets and trade them in for goods or financial redemption. In addition, many supermarkets and grocery manufacturers now offer vouchers for schools, books and computers. These are ideal to be collected through schools and organisations.
SILVER COLLECTIONS A collection of people’s silver coins will very quickly boost your funds.
SIT IN A BATH Get sponsorship to sit in a bath of….beans, maggots, cold tea, in fact anything that takes your fancy, or not. Try to complete your spectacle in a large shopping centre to create maximum coverage.
SKITTLES Traditional pub game that you can easily make into an evening event.
SKYDIVING For those people who have one the parachute jump, this is the next step. Sky diving is free fall and as exhilarating as parachuting. The main revenue for this is through sponsorship.
SLIMMING COMPETITION Slimming has probably become the number one hobby! Why not organise a competition to see who can slim the most, or get sponsored for every pound lost! Get in touch with the local slimming clubs and do it as a competition between clubs and areas. Try to get a prize donated, which relates to the competition (example: a day at a health farm)
SLIPPERY POLE Traditional fair game where the competitor fights against another player on a wet pole with pillows. The one who stays on the pole the longest is the winner. People pay just to have fun, but you could also have a knockout competition.
SPLAT THE RAT A fair game where a bean-bag rat is dropped through a piping and the competitor tries to hit the rat with a baton as it comes out the bottom of the pipe. An awful lot harder than it sounds!
SPONGE THROWING Traditional fair game where the competitor pays to throw wet sponges at a person who is normally in stocks. Often, people will pay to have s “friend” put in the stocks to throw their sponges at!
SPORTS COMPETITIONS Almost any sport can be turned into a fund raising event. Organising competitions and tournaments can support your fund raising activities. Remember to have lots of stalls, raffles and refreshments.
STAGE PLAY If you have a few amateur dramatics within your organisation you may be able to put on a stage play in your local theatre or hall.
STARVATION Organise a sponsored fast. For some, not eating for an hour is a long time, but try it for a day – ensure that you drink plenty of fluid to compensate for the lack of food. Please consult your doctor and the charity before going ahead to make sure that you are healthy enough to be able to cope without food for a day.
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CYCLE The logistics of cycling to Paris are quite complex although you can easily cover the distance with a group of people cycling on stationary cycles. By measuring the mileage, you can aim to cover the distance to Paris without leaving your hometown!
STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM Bring the taste of Wimbledon to your fund raising by offering strawberries and cream as part of your refreshments. You probably will not be able to command the prices that they charge at the heart of tennis but you will raise some funds!
STREET ENTERTAINERS Street entertainers can be seen in most large cities and many command high audiences while they perform their talents. Street entertaining is especially good if you have a show coming up and it offers the opportunity to promote the show as well as raising funds from donations. Check if you need a license.
SUN FLOWER GROWING People purchase sunflower seeds and plant them. The person who grows the highest sunflower wins a prize. The sunflower is also the symbol of the hospice movement.
SWAP SHOP From the late 70”s came the Swap Shop. The opportunity to swap your unwanted items with someone who wants it! The organisation can take a fee for putting the people together or charge an entrance fee.
SWEAR BOX Try getting your work, the local pub or sports club to have a swear box at the bar area to boost your funds.
SWIM-A-THON Aquatic people many take up a challenge to complete a swim-a-thon and wither swim for a set period of time or try to swim a certain distance.
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TABLE TOP SALE A tabletop sale is a variation of a car boot sale. Unlike the boot sale, you provide a table for each stallholder and the sale is held indoors. This means that the event can be held throughout the year.
TALENT COMPETITION The talent competition is an opportunity for local performers to compete against each other to win the competition. It gives local people the opportunity to perform on stage and entertain the audience. Charge a minimal entry fee to cover your costs then charge the audience entry fee. Try to get the prize donated. Even try to get a local business to sponsor the whole event.
TEN PIN BOWLING Ten pin bowling challenges often raise lots of money for Charities and many centres will have special rates and evenings for Charity events.
TIN CAN ALLEY Traditional fair game where the competitor tries to throw wooden balls at a stack of tin cans. If you knock all the cans down then you win a prize.
TOMBOLA Traditional fair game where the competitor picks a raffle ticket out of a barrel and tries to match it with the number attached to a prize. TOY SALE Organising a toy sale is an excellent fund raising method. Children grow out of toys very quickly and if you organise it prior to Christmas you are onto a real winner.
TREASURE HUNT Teams compete against each other to complete a course to find the treasure by following set clues.
TREASURE ISLAND Traditional fair game where a map of an island is split into squares, under one of the squares is the hidden treasure. The winner is the person who selects the correct square.
T-SHIRTS AND CLOTHING Members of clubs and organisations are proud to be members and therefore help them promote it by providing a range of clothing that they can purchase.
TUCK SHOP A tuck shop is a good fundraiser at events and organisations that cater for children. All children like to spend their pocket money and by providing a tuck shop it means that you can raise some funds as well.
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UNDERWEAR PARTY For the adults! A variation on the party theme that can also become a fashion show as well!
UN-RIDEABLE BIKE Challenge people to ride a bike over a set distance. The bike must be specially made to peddle backwards and to steer the opposite way just to make it more difficult!
UNWANTED PRESENTS After the Christmas period you often see adverts for unwanted presents. Why not offer a place for everyone to sell their unwanted’s and you take a commission of the sale price or get people to donate them to your organisation.
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VARIETY SHOW The Variety Show brings lots of performers together to create a wealth of artistic talent. They may be comedians, magicians, singers, dancers, musicians or part of a band but bringing them all together can make an excellent show.
VEHICLE RALLY Organise a motor show for classic vehicles and motorbikes. The fascination in old historic vehicles draws massive crowds and when promoted properly will attract a very wide and exciting range of vehicles.
VICTORIAN EVENING Many towns now organise themed evenings and a Victorian evening is one that proves to be the most successful. It is possible to recreate almost any era in order to raise funds. Your evening many be restricted to one location or you may open the challenge to the whole town.
VISITS Organising visits to local places of interest for visitors or to tourist destinations for local residents can both boost funds. Coach trips are enjoyed by all and can prove to be very successful.
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WALKS Town trails and local guides in many towns are on the decline, although visitors and residents like to know a little of the history of the place they are visiting or live. A short walk pointing out the main places of interest or variations including “ghost walks” prove very popular.
WASTE PAPER COLLECTION Collect waste paper, mainly newspapers and magazines for re-cycling.
WATER SPORTS Almost all water sports can aid fund raising, whether by tuition, sponsorship or just for fun!
WAXING A chance for the boys to see what the girls go through! Wax chest and or legs and get sponsored.
WEIGHT OF THE CAKE Traditional fair game where the competitor tries to guess the weight of the cake, the winner of the cake is the person who guesses the correct weight.
WELLY THROWING A good competition to hold at fetes, where people compete to throw a Wellington boot the furthest.
WHISKEY RAFFLE Sell raffle tickets at an event for a pound. Every 25 tickets sold you pick a ticket and the winner receives a bottle of whiskey. This style of raffle means that people may have many goes throughout an event. Please consult your charity about raffle legislation before you go ahead with this.
WINDSCREEN WASH A variation on traditional car washing services where you only wash the windscreen. This works exceptionally well at motorway service stations during the summer months. Get permission from the garage owner, even ask them for sponsorship.
WINE AND CHEESE EVENING A very popular way to raise funds. Encourage local supermarkets to donate the cheese and wine as a promotional opportunity. You can even combine it as a wine tasting opportunity.
WINE TASTING Many wine companies offer tasting sessions for local organisations and they can assist in your fund raising efforts. Make sure that you receive a commission for every bottle sold and organise additional raffles.
WISHING WELL If there is a well or a pool of water that you can see the bottom there is a fascination about throwing money into the pool! Try to locate “wishing wells” in the local area. Visitor areas seem to be very popular for this type of fund raising.
WOOD CUTTING Why not offer a wood cutting service in preparation for the winter. This could take either the roll of pruning trees or cutting wood for domestic fires.
WOOD WORKING Making items out of wood and selling them at craft fairs. In addition, woodturning and woodcarving are both on the increase and as well as selling items, you may also be able to give demonstrations.
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XMAS EVENING How about holding an Xmas evening! From carols and party antics through to Christmas pudding and mince pies. Do not forget to invite Santa and his reindeer and rather than being traditional, why not have Christmas in July!
XMAS HAMPERS Christmas hampers are an excellent way of raising money. Many people like to save on a regular basis for their Christmas hamper in order to ease the financial burden. In addition, you do not have to keep the hamper to perishables and food you can always include toys and gifts.
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YACHT RACING Yachting is a fast growing sport and there are many ways in which you can enter into it. Yacht racing can take the form of a small yachting club holding an event or you can participate in National events by gaining sponsorship and business support. In addition, there is also land yachting that is popular on flat beaches.
YARD OF ALE Challenge people to drink a yard of ale. The fastest drinker wins a prize!
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ZODIAC EVENING Why not look to the stars to help raise your funds! Holding a Zodiac evening that offers information on star signs and astrological information is an entertaining way to raise funds. Enlist the help of the local astrological club and even get a guest speaker to give a talk about the stars.