Fundraising Ideas
If you would like to fundraise for Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity, but you are not sure how to do it or want some great ideas, we can help you.
With the cancellations of fundraising events due to COVID-19 pandemic, it’s more important than ever to find safe ways to raise money and support our NHS.
Coronavirus means people are in need of our NHS’s care more now than ever and with your help we can continue to provide more care for more people.
Thank you so much for your generous support and remember to set up your JustGiving page to help you collect donations on your fundraising adventure.
A- Z Fundraising Ideas
Abseil – Set the bar high with an abseil. Whether it’s off the side of your local town hall or the spectacular Millers Dale in the Peaks, challenge yourself to tackle those heights
Afternoon tea – Whether you do it at work, home or a local venue, we’re a nation of tea drinkers, so your event is sure to prove popular. So get the cake stand at the ready and send the invites out.
Bake sale – Make like Mary Berry and bake your way to fundraising success. Whether you run the event at work, school or your home be sure to find out about any specialist diets (or perhaps just favourites) first to maximise sales!
Bingo – If the phrase “2 little ducks” brings a smile to your face then bingo could be the activity for you! Our advice: keep it fun and adapt the game for your audience.
Beard shaving – You may love your furry face, but what about your friends and family? Would the idea of you shaving your beard off have them reaching into their pockets in the name of Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity? Why not let them dye it too before the big shave as a way to raise extra funds for charity?
Coffee mornings – Most people rely on a coffee to get them through the day so hosting a coffee morning is a great way to fundraise. (Gathering donations is much easier when you’re offering something people want anyway!) If you’re looking to host outside of the workplace, why not tie in with your local book club or community group?
Cinema screening – Have a DVD collection that could rival Netflix? Then a cinema screening could be the perfect, flexible fundraising idea for you.
Dances / Disco – You don’t need access to a ballroom and moves for Strictly to host a dance (but if you do that’s great) you just need space and music to move to. Will you host your dance at home or will your hire a local venue?
Darts match – Set your sights on bulls-eye and keep the game serious by charging an entry fee to raise funds. Or keep it fun and set challenges like throwing whilst on one leg and charge per throw. If you are or know a local darts champion why not charge a fee to play against them?
Easter Egg Hunt – Quick, easy AND you get a tasty chocolate reward at the end.
Easter party – With both a 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.
Football match / 5-a-side football – Even if you don’t score, this is one match that guarantees you’ll make a difference in 90 minutes. If you’ve got smaller numbers, why not opt for a game of 5-a-side? Raise funds by charging a player fee and why not let spectators donate to take part in a penalty shootout at the end of the match?
Fancy-dress – Fancy dress isn’t just for Halloween. It’s a great way to raise money any time of year. If you’re the boss, why not have your staff come to work in fancy-dress and ask them to pay a small donation for the day?
Games Night – You don’t have to be a Monopoly board master or play Scrabble like a pro to a host a games night. You just need games, a place to play and people to play with. 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? Tight on time? Put on a lunchtime session at your office and get colleagues to play for the price of a coffee.
Give it up! – We all have bad habits but if you have a habit you want to kick, why not do it while fundraising for vital research into cancer? If your habit is costly, why not donate the money you save? Or if your habit causes more frustration to others than yourself, why not have people sponsor you?
Head shave – One of our most popular fundraising activities is the head shave. Make sure your bold move gets the recognition it deserves by offering people the chance to bid to shave your head. Or stretch out the activity by giving people the chance to dye your hair a crazy colour for a week before the shave.
Halloween party – The only thing better than fancy-dress for fundraising is dressing up at Halloween. So get your invites out and charge guests an entry fee to spend the night apple bobbing to ‘Thriller’.
Indulgence evening – enjoy an evening of indulgence and pampering with your family and friends
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?
Jumble Sale – having a clear out? One man’s junk is a man’s treasure so why not see what you can raise from having a jumble sale?
Karaoke night – Time to stretch the vocal cords and get ready for a night of karaoke.
Knitting – British weather means that knitwear is often in demand. So why not use your needle skills to raise money for charity?
Keeping Fit – Get everyone off their feet and working off those calories with an exercise class
Lottery – Join Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity Lottery and you could win £25,000
Livestream – Charity streaming gives you the freedom to fundraise your way. Whatever your talent, hobby or challenge, you can help us raise vital funds for life-saving research. The magic of live streaming is its fantastic reach. Because you’re broadcasting publicly, your potential audience is wide. So the more people that watch your charity stream, the more money you’ll be able to raise.
Marathon events – take on the challenge of 26.1 miles or maybe even 26.1 hours of a marathon gaming session or even reading!
Matched Giving – Whether you’re raising money in the office or outside of work, ask your employer about matched giving. Lots of our fundraisers have doubled the amount raised by their employer so don’t be afraid to ask.
Music – 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 just looking for local acts to support you? You could keep it simple with a Saturday busking session. Or if you’re thinking bigger, start to look at venues (or start being extra nice to friends with big gardens).
Name the … – Name the teddy, bunny or bear. Whatever it is you choose, tap into people’s competitive nature with a simple guessing game. Charge per entry and provide a percentage of the money raised as a prize or try to get one donated.
Night at the races – host a Race Night, where people can buy tickets to attend and companies can sponsor races.
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. Charity fundraising activities for the office could include bake sales, an office Olympics, a dress-down day or perhaps take breakfast orders and set-up your own tea trolley. A morning coffee could make your colleagues more than happy to sponsor you!
Open Garden / Day – If your garden is in full bloom or you have a house with a colourful history, why not open your doors for an entry fee and host an open house. With the kitchen close by, it will be easy to raise extra funds by offering refreshments and a great way to meet the neighbours!
Pamper Day – It’s likely your friends love a bit of pampering, so why not plan a day that offers the break people need. Are you a trained beautician, masseuse or hairdresser? We need your skills. If pampering is more of a hobby, whilst we’d suggest staying away from offering haircuts, why not have your friends over for a night in? You could even make your own beauty products which will help keep guests entertained and your spending low.
Pancake race / Pancake Day / Shrove Tuesday – Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day. We don’t mind what you call it as long as you flip for us.
Plant sales – Green fingered? House turning into a jungle? Share some of those plants and raise some funds for your local NHS.
Quiz night – The pub, village hall, local sports centre and your best mate’s garden are all venues suitable for hosting a quiz. Decide what’s the best option (and available) to you and get working on those questions.
Raffle – A raffle is great to have at a charity fundraising event. Just charge a fee for tickets and the winner gets a prize. This could also work as a standalone fundraising activity. Just be aware of offering that unwanted Secret Santa gift you got last year as a prize: your friends may recognise it!
Running – Join our team of training heroes and fundraise by running! No organised event, just you and your challenge.
Sweepstakes – Want a way to fundraise for charity fast? A sweepstake could be the perfect way for you to raise money. You have 1 question, for example, ‘How many sweets in the jar?’ and people pay to be given an answer. Whoever has the winning answer gets a prize, while you donate the money raised.
Skydiving – Our supporters are brave. Despite the obvious fear factor, skydives are one of our most popular fundraising activities so join our dedicated fundraisers, get in touch and start organising your skydive today.
Sponsored Silence – If you’re a chatterbox who finds being quite a challenge, then perhaps you could raise funds with a sponsored silence. Just remember, don’t be quiet about the cause and your fundraising before or after the event!!
Tug-of-War – We know that together we are stronger than cancer, but will you be stronger than your friends?
Tuck shop – If you’re the type of person who causes your colleagues to get lunchbox envy, then it’s time to set up shop. Grab yourself some simple budget recipes and cook up something cheap. Your colleagues can grab some grub for a budget price while getting the chance to support a good cause.
Uniform free day – Whilst best avoided if you are a fireman, a uniform free day is a great way to get raise funds at school, or let your office relax a little with a dress-down dress code. Swapping your usual uniform for fancy dress could help you raise even more money.
Vintage – Got enough vintage shirts to set up your own stall? Got an eye for finding furniture gems online and at car boots? You don’t have enough time to organise your own stall, why not organise a vintage clothes swap? People pay a small fee for entry and you can raise funds on the day with activities and bake sales. Perhaps you could sell homemade lemonade to keep people refreshed while they swap!
Walk – Where and how far will you walk to support your NHS? Whether you head to your local shopping centre in your onesie, or make your way from John O’Groats to Lands’ End, walk with purpose and become a fundraiser today.
Wax It – It’s a classic charity fundraising technique that provides an interesting insight into how much your friends are willing to pay to hear you shout ‘ouch!’. A packet of wax strips (and maybe some aloe vera) is all you need to raise money with a wax off.
Wear It – People like to laugh, so give them an incentive to sponsor you by letting them nominate what you wear.
Xbox / PlayStation / Console Night – We hope you’re sitting comfortably because a charity gaming fundraiser could leave you up all night. Make this gaming session one that matters by inviting people to play for a donation Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity.
Yoga marathon – Know your tree pose from your downward dog? Lots of fundraisers use skills they already have to successfully raise money. So if you’re a self-confessed Yogi, why not run a not-for profit class? Your pupils will not only have invested in their own health, but also have the added satisfaction of knowing they’ve made a difference.
Zumba – Zumba is a fun filled way to exercise and is a great way to fundraise. Get a group of friends together and boogie on down!
Zip Wire – Adrenaline junkie or willing to face a fear? There’s zip wires up and down the country and all offer a different experience. So do your research and find the challenge that is right for you (and most likely to encourage friends to sponsor you!).