Here, our Content Developer Debbie tells us how she raised lots of money for her Macmillan China Hiking Challenge, and at the same time gives us some fun fundraising inspiration.
So you’ve signed up for the London to Paris cycle challenge, next year’s London Marathon, or maybe you’ve gone all out and plumped for the once-in-a-lifetime Kilimanjaro summit trek. You’ve told everyone you know, your family is proud as punch and all your friends have vowed to be alongside you every step of your training way. Result!
There’s just one thing troubling you... how do you raise the thousands of pounds sponsorship that you need to do the challenge?
It’s a sobering thought. And one I was facing myself just over a year ago. I had signed up to do the China Hiking Challenge and needed to raise a staggering £3,500. Gulp.
How did I do it? Well, let’s start with the obvious one...
A JustGiving page
This was the first thing I set up. I sent the link round to friends, family, colleagues and all those far-flung people from around the globe that feel just a little bit guilty they never replied to that email I sent two and a half years ago. I posted it to Facebook, Twitter, and all the social media I could get my greedy little hands on.
Straightforward sponsorship though only got me so far. Once I’d got over the high of watching the money roll in as I sat effortlessly back and pictured myself on the summit of the Great Wall, I found the money quickly dried up and I was stuck at a not-too-shabby, but still far off target, £800.
So here’s how I really had to get my hands dirty...
Night in for Macmillan
This is similar to Macmillan’s cake-inspired World’s Biggest Coffee Morning. Only with this event we swapped the morning for a Friday night and the coffee and cake for food and wine. Now we’re talking… So good I did it twice.
Themed work lunches
I was lucky enough to be blessed with colleagues who were talented-in-the-kitchen, generous enough to donate their culinary delights, and hungry enough to pay £3 a plate to eat what was on offer. Cue a Chinese lunch, Fajita Friday and a Pancake Day extravaganza.
Jumble sale
I was surprised at how willing people were to give me their unwanted clothes, shoes, handbags, and children’s toys. But I wasn’t surprised by how much people love grabbing a bargain.
Supermarket collections
A surprisingly lucrative money-raiser was a Sunday morning stint at a local supermarket. Packing bags for customers or just handing out information, donations came often and easily. If you can persuade a couple of youngsters to muck in, you have a guaranteed cash cow.
BBQ
Granted, this one was actually a thinly-veiled excuse for a bit of a party in the sun. But what better excuse could you want?
Pub quiz
For the pièce de résistance, I joined forces with a colleague fundraising for the London Marathon. Add a few raffle prizes, a mind-boggling quiz and a venue that went out of their way to host us impeccably, and we made a staggering £1,000 in one night.
So if you’re thinking of signing up for that challenge event, but the fundraising target terrifies you... do it anyway. It is hard work and there will be times when you want to tear your hair out, but it will be an experience you remember for the rest of your life.
A huge thank you to all my friends, family and colleagues that helped in my fundraising ventures and who star in the featured photos.
[If you feel you need a little extra inspiration, grab hold of The little book of 101 big ideas. This exciting little book is crammed full of 101 fantastic fundraising ideas for everyone and anyone.]
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