Fundraising tips

Have you ever wanted to trek across the Great Wall of China or jump out of a plane?

Here's a way you can, while raising much needed funds for charity.

Sometimes fundraising for a charity can seem overwhelming, but raising money is all a part of the challenge and journey. 

We give all our participants a great deal of support in raising their sponsorship - many of our participants surprise themselves by exceeding what they set out to raise.

Millie Caffull raised over £2000 for Trek Iceland. Here are her top tips on how to make the most out of your fundraising event.

• Set up a Just Giving page

Most people do this as standard, but if you haven’t done it yet you must! It makes it so much easier for people to donate, and you can share the link on your various social media channels like Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn/Email.

Here’s the JustGiving link to get your online fundraising page up and running.

• Start early

The sooner you start getting donations the easier it is, even if it’s just a few donations here and there, you will be grateful of them when you start nearing your deadline

• Use the time of year to your advantage

When I was fundraising during December I offered a mince pie making service to my colleagues at work. They could order any number of mince pies, which were to replace what they would normally buy from a supermarket.

Think about the season and try to use it – it might be making Valentine’s Day cards or gifts, it might be baking Easter cakes, or it might be mowing lawns in summer.

• Business contacts

If your job involves working with other businesses, partners or suppliers, it’s always worth asking them for a donation. Write out a nice letter explaining what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and how their donation will help. I had a donation of £50 from a supplier at work!

• Share when other people donate

If you’re a social media user, post whenever one of your friends donates to you. Tag them, thank them, and include a link to your donation page. This will remind people that you’re raising money and encourage them to donate to you too. See it as a friendly nudge!

• Where does the money go?

My final tip is to make it clear just what the money raised could do. Just £5.60 can pay for a bed for a night for a homeless person. £9 could provide a meal for a lonely older person. These are small amounts that make a big difference. and if people know this they will be more inclined to donate.

Asking for a small but specific amount also makes it more likely that someone will donate - rather than leaving the amount up to them to decide.

Good luck with your fundraising and remember that every penny you make is going towards a fantastic cause. Don’t give up or get fixated on targets – just do your best!