We’re looking for ideas for fundraising events, activities, etc. to help us raise tens of thousands of pounds sustainably on an annual basis. This will allow us to support the good causes we want to into the future.
Please put on your thinking caps and if you have any ideas, then please add a comment below this post for all members to see, so that we can bounce the ideas around.
Don’t worry about pinching them from other people, it’s really reuse or recycling 😉 If you can include links to what other people are doing, to help explain the idea, then so much the better.
If you see an idea in the comments and can build on it, then please reply to the comment with your thoughts.
Ready … Steady … Go!
An example to get you started: Easter Egg Raffles – An idea from Havant Rotary club.
Link: https://havantrotary.org.uk/havant-rotary-easter-eggs/
As discussed but to help stimulate other’s thinking, I believe running a Bake-off event would get a lot of interest (entries) so if we construct the entry fees carefully (competitors and observers), and maybe add on auctioning off the cakes etc it could generate some useful money for us.
Thanks Peter!
Could also do an auction of promises at one of our bigger dinners – if we can get enough offers to do stuff from our members of other sponsors.
Thanks Peter!
Make more of the marathon finish at Kings. We already have crowds there so need childrens entertainment and a bar amongst other things to keep people there for a little longer.
Thanks Anthony!
Another “big speaker” event – with popular appeal. Thinking caps on to identify suitable acquaintances who may have direct links to facililtate an approach.
Thanks Gill!
Something simple -float the idea, among members and their relatives to initially… to consider leaving a legacy into rotary in their wills.
Many other charities do this …
Thanks Bruce!
Mark,
I was going to suggest Easter Eggs too, presumably you mean selling spaces on a 100 board or 200 (!) over pub/club bars in the run up to Easter, for a large chocolate egg. I have had experience of that before and it was a money raiser.
Also as per Alresford rotary, selling Christmas trees around the beginning of December, but you need a location, i.e. market stall or likewise to do this. There is a place up the Candovers that sells them wholesale.
Thanks Tony!
In relation to Easter Eggs, the Havant approach that the Community team are looking at is to buy a whole bunch of good quality 2kg eggs, that they then label clearly as being from Rotary. They give them to local organisations and businesses around the area to raise money for their own causes, some of which might be Rotary. They’re required to let the club know how much they raise, which from about 80 eggs in 2024 was over £14,000 I believe. Apparently it helped to generate a lot of awareness and good will for Rotary and the club. One of the advantages is that the organisations, etc. have to do all of the organising, which saves the club effort whilst giving them the freedom to be inventive about how they use them to raise money for things they really want to support. Your thoughts could be something we could recommend to organisations who would like to participate, but aren’t quite sure how they’d go about it.
in Ipswich area we took the egg to the pub with the number board. the landlord did the rest then on Maundy Thursday ( other Thursdays are available !)) he drew a number gave the egg to the winner and we picked up the £100.
Thanks for the update Tony!
1. I am currently pursuing an idea to ask all Clarendon entries to raise in the order of £200 for Rotary which, if they do, will mean they are given back their whole entry fee (£50). If 30 people do this, it would equate to £4.500 for Rotary. If 100 did so, that equates to £15,000. Hence well worth trying this year. If they wish to raise even more for Rotary, that would be great but they could raise any extra for their own charities.
2. Expanding the current Watercress Way walk to make it longer and including more of the Watercress Way, which could make it more attractive for people from the wider community. The existing route could still continue for those wanting to do only 14km. The current walk is on the Watercress Way for only about 4 or 5 km. There is a 23km circular route ie just more than a half marathon (21km), though it could be shortened by 2km if the start was to be in Eversley Park and finish at King Charles. About 18km of it would be actually be on the Watercress way. It would take people between 5-6 hours approx. It could even be opened up further to runners. Watercress Way Half Marathon Walk (or Run). Perhaps just a walk in the first year to test it and possibly include a run thereafter. Would probably need one water station at 13km point (or 2 stations), as walkers could still stop briefly at The Plough (5km point), though most carry their own water/sustenance. More Marshals would obviously be needed. Would need a different level of wider publicity.
3. Hold a party in the park (River Park) with bands and assorted entertainment. Would have to be well away from dates of other events such as Cheese & Chilli and hat Fair, and would be weather dependent. Creating a formal permitter and entrance might be difficult and costly so, fundraising may have to be through donations of attendees rather than an entrance fee. Attendees to bring their own food, drink, cookery, rugs, chairs. Could possibly be combined with a bake-off and selling of the produce?