Putting the Fun into Fundraising

There are so many ways for you to get involved with fundraising! We really are in it together, and we would love to come alongside you to support and encourage you with implementing your fundraising ideas.

Our amazing Carolina Gisbey recently organised a clothes and cake sale. It was so great to see the wonderful range of clothes and people coming along to update their wardrobes! We were able to share so much about Links and what we do at the same time so it was a win win! Thank you to everyone who was a part of it, to those who donated and those who came along.

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We would love to encourage you to have a think about how you can put the fun into fundraising and make a difference! If you have any ideas, please do feel free to get in contact with us so we can chat it through further. You can email hello@links.charity to chat with us further.

Here are a few FUNdraising ideas:

A

Abseil - Set the bar high with an abseil. Whether it is off your local town hall, or the side of the Spinnaker Tower, you’re sure to get noticed.

Auction - If you have a well-stocked record collection you're willing to let go off for a good cause or you have the contacts to get your hands on sought after activities or memorabilia, an auction could be the fundraising activity for you.  

Afternoon tea - Ready to debate how to correctly pronounce scone and whether one should apply clotted cream or jam first? Why not host an afternoon tea? For our UK audience, as a nation of tea drinkers, we are sure your event will be hugely popular. Get the cake stand at the ready and get those invites out!

B

Bake Sale - Bake your way to fundraising success. Whether you run the event at work, school, church or your home. Bake sales make fundraising a ‘piece of cake’!

Bungee Jump - Not for the faint hearted, but nevertheless an exhilarating way to raise funds!

Beard Shaving - Calling all hipsters! We know you love your furry face - so how about making a great sacrifice and shaving your beard off in the name of confronting poverty? Some may pay big to see that gorgeous mug hidden below!

C

Coffee mornings - When it comes to poverty, many need to wake up and smell the coffee - how about holding an artisan coffee tasting morning? Many coffee shops are usually willing to make their facilities available. This can be a great way to share with people about the work that Links is doing.

Cinema screening - Film student with a project to show, or maybe you have a DVD collection to rival Netflix? Either way a cinema screening is a fun, flexible fundraising idea. Whether it's hosted in a school hall, work canteen, your living room, the local cinema or projected outside, only one thing will stand between you and success - popcorn - so buy your own kernels and get inventive, it's a great way to raise extra cash on the night! Salted caramel popcorn anyone? 

D

Dinner Party - An event which can be hosted all year round, why not pick a theme. You could focus around the international origins of the food you serve! 

Dances / Discos - You don't need access to a ballroom and moves for Strictly to host a dance (but if you do that’s great - please send us your videos!) you just need space and music to move to. Again this is a great one to pick an international theme. Bollywood, Salsa, Tango… Morris Dancing?!

E

Eating competition - How many doughnuts can you eat without licking your lips? How about crackers without water? When it comes to food there are lots of challenges to be set, particularly for fans of I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!

Easter Egg Hunt - The only constraint here is time of year - easter eggs may be hard to find in December, so make sure you leave enough time to get this organised.

Easter party - With school holiday and a long bank holiday weekend Easter is a great time to fundraise. You'll have more time to plan the activity and people are more likely to have the time to support you.

F

Face painting - Not got the time or resource to organise your own fête or street party then why not get involved in one which is already taking place and offer your services as a face painter, most events will be happy to have you.

Football match / Five a side football tournament - Even if you don't score, you can still guarantee that you'll make a difference. If you've got smaller numbers why not opt for a game of five-a-side?

Fancy dress days - Fancy dress is a great way to raise money. If you’re  a boss of a company why not have every one come into work in fancy-dress and pay a small donation for the day?

G

Games Night - You don't have to be a Chess master to a host a games night. You just need games, a place and people. It can be as simple as charades. Or if you have a screen and console to hand, why not go down the gaming route, charging friends to play.

Give it up! - We all have habits, why not kick the habit whilst fundraising for Links? If your habit is costly, why not donate the money you save? Alternatively you could take part in a 24 hour fast. Whether this is fasting food and identifying with the hungry around the world or fasting something that is personally sacrificial - this can be a great way to raise funds!

H

Head shave - Why not also stretch out the activity by giving people the chance to dye your hair a crazy colour for a week before the shave?

Hike - Raise money by hiking in some of the beautiful backdrops that the UK has to offer. As many of our partners will often have to walk great distances on a daily basis for work, or simple needs such as collecting water, this can be a great way to fundraise for these projects.

I

International evening / International Day - Whether you've travelled the world or just love a particular culture, an international theme is a great way to get people excited about raising money. With Links currently working into approximately 40 nations you can guarantee that we will be able to connect your event with specific partners and projects. Choose your country - or go 'around the world' - and charge people an entry fee. Have a think about dress codes, food and music. Entertainment such as quizzes can be a great way to raise extra funds at these events.

J 

Jewellery collection, Jewellery making/selling - If you have high value pieces you're looking to donate, an auction could be the best route for you, or if your skill set lies in making why not put on a 'make-your-own' craft session.

Jump - Base jumping, paragliding, parasailing are all great and exhilarating ways to raise funds, whilst getting the adrenaline pumping. Or for those who prefer to stay closer to the ground, sponsored skips can be a great way to raise funds and stay fit at the same time!

K

Karaoke night - Why not take that hidden talent out into the open, stretch the vocal cords and get ready for a night of karaoke? 

Knitting - British weather means that knitwear is often in demand - even in summer! So use your needle skills to raise some money!

L

Ladies Night / Day - Throw a ladies night and get your female friends together. You could have cocktails and canapés, or a spa and pampering evening. 

Lunch - If your office has a habit of ordering food on a Friday why not cook up your own treats? You'll save your colleagues time buying lunch which will give them even longer to enjoy your yummy food!

M

Marathon events - Always popular, running a marathon has long been seen as the ultimate sporting event and whilst it is a great way to raise funds, it is also a brilliant way to be disciplined to get fit. 

Merengue Night - Get on your dancing shoes and sequins ready to burn up the dance floor with latin tunes to leave you feeling like you have been transported to the Caribbean! If you have the skills and know how, try adding salsa and bachata to your evening!

Music evening - - Pop, rock, or Jazz? Regardless of genre if fundraising through music appeals to you, it's time to start thinking about your event. Will you be performing or looking for local acts to support you? 

N

No Make-Up Selfie / Natural Week - Take a make-up free snap. Want to take it one step further, why not go natural for a full day, week or month?

No car week - Inspire your work colleagues to ditch the diesel and committed to walking or cycling to work for the week. You will be both saving money to give to great causes and looking after the environment.

O 

Office Collection Day / Office Fundraising - Short of time but eager to make a difference? Then fundraising in the office could be the right activity for you.  Fundraising activities for the office could include; Bake Sales, Office Olympics, dress down day or perhaps take breakfast orders and set-up your own tea trolley. Think, ‘What would Michael Scott do?!’ 

Obstacle course - There are many great obstacle course races now such as Tough Mudder (https://toughmudder.co.uk) which can be great fun ways to raise funds.

P

Pamper Day - It's likely your friends are already spending money on pampering (the UK beauty industry is worth £17 billion!) so why not plan a day that offers the break people need and leaves them feeling good in more ways than one. Why not get in a trained beautician, masseuse, hairdresser?

Q

Quiz night - The pub, village hall, local sports centre and your best mates garden are all venues suitable for hosting a quiz. You host the night and guests pay to play. Simple... but the questions might not be. To maximise your fundraising potential, try adding cocktails/mocktails, raffles and cake sales too!

R 

Raffle - A raffle is great to have at a fundraising event like a fun day or as part of your fundraising for a wider event. Just charge a fee for tickets and the winner gets a prize., This could also work as a standalone fundraising activity.

Running - Whether Marathons, Iron Man events, 10Ks or fun runs. This is a great way to raise money. Another option is a virtual challenge, using a home or gym treadmill. Run the distance of the Peruvian Inca trail, or summit Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro, all from you home or town gym! Get fit and raise money to change lives! 

S

Skydiving - Our Links Family World Changers are brave! Despite the obvious fear factor, skydives are one of the most popular fundraising activities in our nation. Get in touch and we can help you start organising your skydive today.

Sponsored Silence - If you’re a chatter box who finds being quiet a challenge then perhaps raise funds with a sponsored silence, or silent retreat. Just  remember don't be quiet about the cause and your fundraising before or after the event!

T

Tea party - A good cup of tea can change your mood, we drink it when we are sad, we drink it when we are happy so why not drink it to beat poverty?

Tug-of-War - We know that together we are stronger than poverty, but will you be stronger than your friends?

U

Uniform free or dress down days - Whilst best avoided if you are a policeman(!), a uniform free day is a great way to raise funds at school, or to let your office relax a little with a dress down day/week. Swapping your usual uniform for fancy dress could help you raise even more money.

V

Valentine's Day - Do you have single friends and a penchant for playing cupid? Then organise a singles event, from speed-dating to a full blown Valentine’s ball. Or why not throw an alternative Valentine’s  Day event, whether its fitness or food, make the theme 'what you love' and ask for donations from friends who attend!

W

Walk - Where and how far will you walk to confront poverty? Be creative, walk with purpose and become a Links fundraiser today.

Wear It - People like to laugh, so give them an incentive to sponsor you by letting them nominate what you wear.

X

X-Factor Competition - These can be such fun community evenings. If you’re not a singer, why not hold a multi talent competition? A few judges, golden buzzers and you’re on to a winning formula! 

Xbox / Playstation / Console Night - We hope you are sat comfortably because a gaming fundraiser could leave you up all night, but make this gaming session one that matters by inviting people to play for a donation to Links.

Y

Year to Remember - What's the most memorable year of your life? Why not make it this year, and for all the right reasons. What could you do for a year to make a difference? How about giving something up for a whole year? 

Z

Zumba - Get on your dancing shoes and Zumba your way to fundraising transformation around the world. Ready to feel the rhythm?

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These are just the tip of the ice burg when it comes to ideas that can make a difference! We hope that they have whetted your appetite and got you thinking about how you could use your time, skills and talents to raise funds, joining with us to connect people, confront poverty and create potential, whilst having a huge amount of fun in the process!