|
If you wish to raise funds for us, Trudy Thomas, Community Fundraiser, would love to hear from you on trudy.thomas@braintumouruk.org.uk .
A
Ace Races
One Day Adventure Race. Travelling on foot, and by mountain bike, mixed teams of three navigate their way to mapped checkpoints. Staged in Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, and taking between three and five hours. www.aceraces.co.uk
Art Sale
If you happen to be a member of a local art club, or know any famous artists, they might donate items for an art sale.
Amazon
By purchasing from Amazon via our website, Brain Tumour UK will receive a percentage from Amazon. It will cost you no more and will apply to any purchases, not just on books, that you may make.
 All you have to do is click on the Amazon logo and then make your purchases in the usual way.
Ask .ask, and ask again - friends, family, employers, shops. for whatever you're involved in.
Auction of promises
Collect together as many promises of goods and services as you can and auction them off during a social evening with food and a drinks bar.
B
Babysitting
Always a brilliant way to raise money as it is in constant demand, and work can be spread over a number of people and over a period of time.
A Ball - of any kind!
Barbeque Party
Fantastic social event especially during the summer months; have a collection, sell tickets, refreshments, raffle.
Barn Dance
A great way to involve different age groups in an enjoyable social occasion. Particularly good if you can get friends to play in the band to play for free. Income from refreshments, tickets.
Bingo Evening
Birthday Party
Book Sale
Buy and swap books for a small charge. Holding regular events can be enjoyable for those taking part.
Bring and Not Buy
Hold a regular event, such as a coffee morning or sherry evening, and ask people to bring items with them. The sole object is to collect prizes and gifts for future events.
The Bristol Half-Marathon
Held in September each year. For 2008, entries open 14 February – see www.bristolhalfmarathon.com for more details.
The British 10k London Run
We have 45 guaranteed places for this event which takes place on Sunday 6 July. Places are available on a first come, first served basis. Contact trudy.thomas@braintumouruk.org.uk to register for a place. For more information about the event, see www.thebritish10klondon.co.uk
Buffet Supper
Everyone cooks a course; charge for tickets.
BUPA Great Edinburgh Run
This 10k road run, formerly known as the Great Caledonian Run, takes place in and around the Meadows. www.greatrun.org
BUPA Great Ireland Run
10k run held every April each year in Dublin . www.greatrun.org
BUPA Great North Run
Gateshead, Newcastle , South Shields . www.greatrun.org
BUPA Great South Run
16k run held every October in Southsea, Portsmouth. www.greatrun.org
C
Car Boot Sales
Car Wash
Always needed, always fun, always very, very wet!
Carol Singing
Chicago Marathon
LaSalle bank Chicago Marathon. You may wish to link up with our American 'cousins' for this - the American Brain Tumour Association. Info on the run at www.chicagomarathon.com
Celebrity book-signing
Always a good idea to bring celebrities on board to any event for maximum publicity.
Chess Night
Children's painting gallery
Your children can create the art, and so feel they're involved; sell their work, food, tickets.
Chocolate Feast Day
One for the sweet-toothed! Try and get donations of chocolate from local companies, thereby raising awareness of the event and of our work, whilst also keeping your overheads down.
Church/cinema Collection
Classical Concert
Perhaps a local celebrity may be willing to help for free, or why not approach a local orchestra? Charge for tickets with a collection too at the end.
Cocktail Party/Coffee Morning
Collection boxes
Place one of our collection boxes in your local pub, club, shop, surgery.
Cookery demonstration
Teach the recipes for a small charge, perhaps print out the recipes to take away. The food prepared can be raffled for a small charge. Income from: ticket sales, refreshments, raffle.
Craft Sale
Handmade items can be very popular.
Cream Tea Garden Party
Definitely a fun event during the summer, and a chance to charge for either tickets or food.
Cricket Match
Fun to watch, fun to play. Pay to be part of the event, bring a picnic, hope for good weather. Why not combine it with a pig roast and BBQ?
Cycling
Any sponsored cycling event, such as London to Brighton , or anywhere local to you.
D
Dancing Marathon
Get people to sponsor a type of dance for a certain length; the more dances, the longer the hours, the greater the profit.
Develop Property (and donate your profits to Brain Tumour UK )
Yes, we've read about this in the Sunday Times ! We'll happily forward any well-meaning capitalists the relevant article.
Draws and raffles
A large draw can be spread over a period of time making it easier to sell tickets. It's important the main prize is attractive enough to ensure people will want to buy tickets. You should always check with the local authority about lottery licences and with the office to make sure no other draws are taking place in the area.
Dress Down at Work/School Day
E
Edinburgh Half-Marathon, Relay and Family Fun Run
Take the scenic route on 16 March 2008, starting from Cramond and running along the picturesque Firth of Forth coastline –
see http://www.edinburgh-half.co.uk/
Edinburgh Marathon
Held in May each year (25 May in 2008), covering 26.2 miles. See www.edinburgh-marathon.com
Edinburgh International Cross-Country/ The BUPA Great Edinburgh International Cross-Country
Held in January each year at Holyrood Park , Edinburgh , the world's leading distance runners descend on Scotland 's capital for what is regarded as the most prestigious non-championship cross country event in the international athletics calendar. Broadcast live on BBC1 www.greatrun.org
Employers.
It's always worth involving your employer in your fundraising/sponsorship event, especially if they have a matched-giving scheme. Or ask them to nominate Brain Tumour UK as their Charity of the Year.
Exhibitions
Showcase your own or local work. Charge for entry and sell the work to donate the profits.
F
Fairs, fayres, and fêtes
With a large number of people working behind the scenes this idea can do very well, and is a good one for nurseries, schools, churches or workplaces.
Fashion shows
Ask local fashion shops or department stores if they will organise a free show in return for the publicity. Use a good venue. Add interest by having accessories on display, and perhaps make-up or hairdressing demonstrations. Combine the show with a buffet lunch or supper.
Festival of Speed
Our keen supporter, Gill, lays out a huge Scalextric (or similar) track in a marquee in her garden each year. Great for Formula 1 fans!
Fifties/60s/70s/80s evening
Dress in the style of. Dance in the style of. always good fun and it is possible to attach to many other fundraising ideas, such as a themed karaoke, dinner or raffle. Try to see if you could get a DJ or a band to come for free or at a reduced rate, thus minimising expenses. Income from tickets, food, raffle.
Film night at your home or local cinema
Hold a film extravaganza either at your home, or if possible try and get your local cinema on board, which would therefore widen the appeal and capacity. Income from tickets, refreshments
Flowers
All profits from the sales of Charity Flowers Ltd go to charity. Just let them know that you want the profits on your order to go to Brain Tumour UK . To find out more, visit their website www.charityflowers.co.uk. They also have a range of chocolate and other gifts.
Football tournament
Charge for entry, sponsor goals scored, sell refreshments
G
Garden open day/Garden parties
Either show off your garden to the public, or try to persuade a local house to open their garden. This would need maximum publicity, but you would be able to charge for entrance, food, and perhaps cuttings.
Give a talk and donate the proceeds.
If an expert in your field, local societies may like to hear from you in return for a donation to our work. Alternatively, consider joining our speakers' panel.
Give up chocolate. smoking.
Get people to sponsor you either in the time it takes to give up, or the length of time you can prove you have given up.
Golf Tournament
Take over your local course, charge for entry into the competition and get people to bring items to be raffled off or given in prizes.
Great Run Events
Senior and Junior programmes, including BUPA and VisitScotland runs, with locations throughout the UK . www.greatrun.org
Great Scottish Walk, Edinburgh
See www.greatscottishwalk.com
Great Scottish Half Marathon, Glasgow
See www.runglasgow.org
Great Yorkshire Bike Ride
See www.gybr.co.uk
Greeting cards
Create your own cards, sell them at a profit. If you speak to a local printer they may be able to print for free or at a discount rate.
H
Holiday change
People returning from holiday usually have pockets full of foreign currency that they can't be bothered to take to the bank. Contact your relatives, work colleagues, friends and neighbours and ask them to let you have any change or notes they don't want. Take it to a friendly bank or supply it at the going rate to people going abroad.
Hydro-Active Women's Challenge
Takes place in Hyde Park, London , in Birmingham City Centre, and in Sefton Park , Liverpool each September www.womenschallenge.co.uk
I
International endurance and sporting events
For our intrepid adventurers who are able to self-fund. Many to choose from, always changing, too numerous to mention here. See www.charitychallenge.com as a first step on that magical road.
International food fair
Like an exotic Bring and Buy. Ask people to bring items of food from as wide a range of countries as possible and then offer them for sale.
J
Jeans for Charity day
Jig-saw marathon
Combine this with another event, a fair or garden party, perhaps. Get a very large jig-saw, donated if possible, and mark, say, 100 pieces with a number or code. Charge people 5p per piece they select and, if they correctly insert a marked piece, they win a prize - money, a gift or free turns.
John O'Groats to Lands Ends Cycle Challenge
A gruelling challenge which has the potential to raise a huge amount of funds. Always a remarkable achievement; it can also be done in the other direction!
K
Karaoke night
Always a classic, discover the talented among your fiends. and the not-so-talented! Income from tickets, song requests, refreshments.
Kingston Festival/ASICS Kingston Breakfast Run
16 mile and 8.2 mile runs from the heart of Kingston-upon-Thames taking in the river and Hampton Court . www.humanrace.co.uk
L
Ladies' indulgence days
Organise beauty or hair demonstrations, talks on antiques, aromatherapy, books, flower arranging, health matters, or handicraft demonstrations, an Indian head massage, jewellery, relaxation.Enjoy a full day, with a buffet lunch or supper to finish, and hopefully leave with a feeling of calm and well-being!
Local running (or walking) events .
. or the national ones. Check with your local Athletics Club on what's happening in your area.
Loch Ness Marathon & Festival of Running
Taking place on Sunday 5 October 2008 - see www.lochnessmarathon.com
London Duathlon
A duathlon is a run followed by a cycle, with another run to finish. Taking place in the completely closed roads of Richmond Park in SW London, there are two individual distances to choose from: one fun and one more of a challenge, plus the usual team relay www.thelondonduathlon.com or call 0207 5592919.
London Marathon
A major achievement, and you may even be able to run alongside a celebrity! See www.london-marathon.co.uk
M
Masquerade Ball
Imaginative and colourful.
Media
Involve the press to help raise awareness of your event, and of our cause.
Murder/Mystery Evening
Organise your own murder mystery evening or week-end.
Michelob Ultra London Triathlon www.thelondontriathlon.com
Mile of pennies (or any other coin for that matter!)
About 80,000 pennies (£800) make a mile. You could just collect them but it's far more interesting to see them laid out - and more likely to attract media interest.
N
Nearly new shop
Hire an empty shop for two weeks (local estate agents and local councils may help). Spend the first week collecting, pricing and displaying the stock, and the second week selling it. Make sure all items are sized, priced and attractively displayed. Contact local groups to help find and gather stock but do give them plenty of warning.
O
Open gardens or the formal Open Gardens Scheme
Ask up to twelve people if they will open their gardens or allotments to the public on the same day. Produce flyers and programmes that carry a description of each garden. They don't need to be grand, most people are happy to wander round the normal suburban plot, but do include something different, like an organic allotment, a themed garden, scented garden or one designed for the less mobile. Sell programmes - to include entry to all gardens - before and on the day. Income from: programme sales, raffle, refreshments.
P
Parachute jump
Definitely for the more adventurous, like Lesley and her friends in Glasgow , or Nicki Jayne, but can raise a huge amount of money as people are always in awe!
Pantomime
Enter into the festive spirit and put on your own production, sell tickets, have a collection, and make the refreshments to sell. With maximum publicity it would also gain media attention and thus larger audiences.
Photography Competition
Pie-eating competition
Easy to add to another event or hold as an event in its self. Either sponsor a number of pies, or highest number eaten wins a prize (or both!)
Pig Roast - Fun, sociable, perfect to link with another event.
Polo event, or croquet. or any sporting event really!
Produce/plant stalls
Either as an event on its own, with as many stalls as possible selling home produced goods and plants, or as part of another event. Remember to charge realistic prices. Home-produced goods can be expensive to make and taste much better than in the shops, so they should be priced accordingly. Plant stalls are always popular, so persuade local gardeners to grow extra stock for the stalls. Income from: sales of goods, raffle, refreshments.
Pub Quiz
Extremely popular. Find a known 'quiz master' to help with the organisation. Local pubs and clubs are often pleased to have a quiz evening on quiet nights and may well give you a room for free. Ask local businesses for donations for prizes.
R
Race Nights or a Day at the Races
A great way to raise money and have an exciting evening, preferably in a pub or club. Use films of races with commentaries or run it as a board game. Alternatively, organise a fun day at the races for your workplace, with voluntary donations of winnings.
Raffle
Please be aware of local licensing laws.
Race for Life
A series of women-only 5km runs across the country. May to July. www.raceforlife.org
Rat Race (Urban Adventure Races)
Three 2-day events be held in Bristol , Edinburgh and Manchester www.ratraceadventure.com
Recipe book
Very easy to produce and a nice thing to sell as it can be very personal. Speak to a local printer to see if they will print at a discounted price or even for free.
The Robin Hood Full and Half- Marathon
Takes place in September in Nottingham ; see www.robinhoodmarathon.co.uk or telephone 020 8939 3215
S
Scotland
For a list of adventure events/challenges and a few more ideas, try the VisitScotland and EventScotland websites: http://adventure.visitscotland.com/whatson/eventslistings
School Concert
Raise awareness and money by holding a school concert with tickets and/or collection being donated. Always popular as parents love to watch their children, and children love to be watched!
Skydive with the Red Devils
See www.northernevents.com or telephone 0114 266 2665
Sponsored walk, run, horse-ride, slim, swim, cycle, tennis match. anything you can think of.
Swimathon !
Definitely for the more fit amongst us, but a brilliant way to raise money through sponsorship.
T
Three Peaks 24hour Challenge
Climb the highest peaks in Scotland , England and Wales (Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, Snowdon ). in under 24hours www.3peaks.info
Tombola
Travel film shows
Most large travel agents will show foreign travel and holiday films to an audience. Invite them to bring advertising material, posters and brochures. Try for travel vouchers as raffle prizes. Organise 'travel' competitions where you guess the location.
U
Unusual recipes
Ask people to submit recipes for unusual and novel dishes. Have them printed in a booklet which can then be offered for sale, perhaps through the local media, at local fairs and other fundraising events. Get sponsorship and advertising from local businesses Income from: book sales, sponsorship, advertising
V
Vanishing lunch/coffee morning
Invite six people to lunch (or coffee) and ask them to donate a minimum sum to cover it. Ask them to go away and each invite five people to a lunch they organise themselves, again for the minimum donation. Then the five invite four, the four invite three and so on. If the chain is completed at £3 per head, it will raise £5,868; at £1 for coffee, the figure is still £1,956!
W
Walk the Great Wall of China
Be adventurous... Or simply organise a sponsored walk locally involving your local Ramblers Assoc.
Walk the West Highland Way
The West Highland Way was Scotland 's first official long distance route (95 miles) www.west-highland-way.co.uk
Wear one of our t-shirts/caps or badges.
Windsor Half Marathon
Held every September - see www.runwindsor.com
Wine tasting
Approach your local wine merchants to see if they will organise a regular free wine tasting evening for a group, and will offer the wines for sale at discounted prices. Invite people on a 'first come, first served' basis and charge for the tickets, to include wine and cheese and biscuits. Organise a blind tasting competition to round off the evening.
X
Xmas cards
Instead of sending Christmas cards at your workplace, you could ask your employer to donate the money to a worthwhile cause, and work colleagues to do the same.
Y
Yoga demonstration
Who hasn't thought of trying yoga but has been reluctant to go along to a formal class? Invite a Yoga teacher to give a demonstration for you and some friends. Also invite an aromatherapist, a reflexologist, a homeopathic practitioner or herbalist. If serving food, try making it healthy.
Z
How about setting aside your cares and worries (for a little while), and participate in some Zen Buddhism or other relaxation event? z.z.z.
|
