Fundraising ideas for your school Photo: Richard Tatham
Photos: Boris Heger (ICRC), Sam Hardie & Ahmed Zahid (BRC) The British Red Cross The British Red Cross helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. We help vulnerable people in the UK and abroad prepare for, withstand and recover from emergencies in their own communities. As part of the world's largest humanitarian organisation, we have a truly global reach. Whenever you see a terrible natural disaster or conflict on TV, it's likely you'll also see us there, helping people right at the heart of the problem. Our volunteers also support thousands of people in the UK every year through large-scale or personal crises. By fundraising for us, you'll help ensure we can still be there the next time things go wrong. Thank you for your support. This pack contains several ideas for ways in which you can fundraise for us at your school. For advice or if you have any questions, please email getfundraising@redcross.org.uk to be put in touch with your local fundraiser. Photos: Jonathan Banks, Anthony Upton & Alex Maguire The British Red Cross Society, incorporated by Royal Charter 1908, is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949) and Scotland (SC037738)
How you ll help 2 could pay for a food parcel for someone living with HIV in South Africa 5 could buy two foil blankets for survivors of an emergency in the UK 10 could train one person in life-saving first aid skills 80 could provide treatment to over 250 people affected by cholera 150 could provide seeds and fertiliser to feed 18 families in southern Africa for more than a year 240 could provide support for two people for up to six weeks on returning home from hospital in the UK 400 could train two UK volunteers to respond to emergencies like traffic accidents, severe storms or a terrorist attack 500 could buy a hand-operated water pump to provide safe water for an entire village in Asia 1000 could help pay for a defibrillator that could be used to save the life of someone having a heart attack 2500 could train four ambulance crew members to provide emergency support in the UK Photos: Olav Saltbones, Layton Thompson & IFRC
Bake a difference > Bake a difference! Hold a cake sale with the proceeds going to the Red Cross > Somewhere to hold the sale > A date to do it > Fellow chefs to agree to bake cakes and help sell them > Posters and leaflets or other ways to advertise the event > A variety of cakes, buns and biscuits > Some way of displaying them > Somewhere safe to keep the money you raise > Change to give to people who don t have the right money Photo: Jonathan Banks > Time to advertise the event in advance > Time to bake the goodies > Time for the sale itself and clearing up afterwards > Keep prices to round numbers to make giving change easier > Sell a variety of different-sized cakes at different prices > Run a cake decorating competition alongside the sale where people pay 1 to enter, the winner takes home a cake and the money goes to the British Red Cross > See www.food.gov.uk for some advice on food safety
Dress in red > Dress in red for a day and help raise money for the Red Cross > A date to do it > Students and teachers to dress in red > Red clothing, wigs, hair spray or dye and other red accessories > Sealed collection boxes for collecting donations > Volunteers willing to collect money from people dressing in red > A camera so you can take lots of photos > Posters other ways to advertise the event you can download a poster for your school at redcross.org.uk/getfundraising Photo: Dan Istitene > Time to advertise the event in advance > Time to get your hands on plenty of red items of clothing and accessories > The day itself > Set a suggested donation for people taking part to pay (maybe 1-2 for the day) > Use spray-on hair colour or non-permanent dye if you want to change your hair colour, and make sure that school are OK with you doing this first > Ask people to donate their money at the start of the day it s easier to collect then
Battle of the bands/ Red X Factor > Organise a Battle of the bands or Red X Factor talent competition with the proceeds going to the Red Cross > A date to do it > Willing performers > Somewhere to hold the competition > Any technical equipment you need for the bands/singers/lighting etc. > Posters or other ways to advertise the event > Volunteers to help plan and run the show. Break down the different jobs to reduce the workload for each person > Refreshments if you want to provide them have a look at www.food.gov.uk for some advice on food safety Photo: D. Legakis / Dragon News > Time to plan the event and sign up performers > Allow at least three weeks to advertise the event and sell tickets > Time to set up and clear up on the day > Raise money from entry donations from the performers and the audience tickets > Check costs for refreshments you might be able to get these donated > Get the audience more involved and raise more cash by having each performer collect donations from the crowd the more money they get in, the more points they score in the judging
Quiz > Test your knowledge and raise money for the Red Cross - hold a quiz for students, families and teachers?? > A date to do it and a venue > Volunteers to mark quiz sheets and help out > A quizmaster and microphone (or somebody with a loud voice!) > Quiz questions and answer sheets for each team > Time to advertise the event in advance > Time to source some great prizes for a raffle > Time to sign up teams you will probably need at least four weeks from finding a venue > Raise money by selling tickets to enter the quiz for a suggested donation per team or per person > Tell as many people as possible think about all the different ways you can do this > Assign volunteers different tasks to help spread the workload before the event e.g. venue organisation, raffle prizes, quiz questions etc. > Use search engines for quiz writing inspiration > Consider having a raffle in the interval to make a few extra pounds. Please see the legal issues section of redcross.org.uk/getfundraising for more information on the rules for running raffles > Make sure you take lots of pencils and pens people never have their own > Keep a running total of the score between rounds to add to the competitive spirit > Get the teams to pay you when they sign up, in advance of the event
Sports day > Organise a sports day or tournament at school > A date for your event > A venue with enough space for the activities you want to run > Any equipment you will need > Sealed collection boxes or buckets for donations > Posters or other ways to advertise the event > Sponsorship forms (email getfundraising@redcross.org.uk or call 0844 412 2728 to order these) Photo: Jonathan Banks > Time to advertise the event in advance > Time to find all the equipment you need and recruit volunteers to help out > Time for the event itself and clearing up afterwards > Set a suggested donation for people to take part (like 1 per race or a set price per team etc.) > You could hold a tournament or match for a popular team sport e.g. football, netball or rounders > Try to include a variety of activities in a sports day, so that the event will appeal to a lots of people > Organise refreshments to keep up the energy levels see www.food.gov.uk for advice on food safety
Fashion show > Hold a fashion show > Have some fun and make your own exclusive designs or buy clothes from your local Red Cross shop and turn them into catwalk classics! > A date to do it > Posters or other ways to advertise the event > A venue with enough room for a catwalk, the audience and somewhere for the models to get changed > Volunteers to run the event on the night, helping with outfit changes, presenting, taking tickets, seating people, selling raffle tickets and refreshments etc. Photo: Frantzesco Kangaris (BRC) > Allow about six weeks to produce tickets and advertise the event. You also need to recruit your models and prepare the clothes > Time to set up the stage/catwalk and the seating and for a dress rehearsal > Time to prepare any refreshments (see www.food.gov.uk for advice on food safety) > Get as many items as possible donated clothes/refreshments etc.
Fancy dress party > Hold a fancy dress fundraising party > A theme > A date to hold it > A venue and décor > Music and a sound system > Posters or other ways to promote the event > Refreshments you can find some advice on food safety at www.food.gov.uk > Volunteers to help plan and run the event. Break down the different duties to reduce the workload for each person > Allow at least three or four weeks to advertise the event and sell tickets > Time to organise refreshments > Time to set up and clear up on the day > Pick a theme that will be popular and gives people lots of costume options
Sponsored challenge > Get your friends and family to sponsor you for a personal challenge > This could be anything from a 24 hour silence, to giving up chocolate for a month or doing a sponsored swim, walk or bike ride > A sponsorship form (email getfundraising@redcross.org.uk or call 0844 412 2728 to order these) and willing sponsors > A way to advertise your challenge so that people know what you re doing > If you have internet access you can set up a sponsorship page at www.justgiving.com/redcross so your friends and family can sponsor you online > Pick a day for your challenge, at least four weeks in advance > Time to collect sponsorship before, during and afterwards > For events outside of school, make sure your organiser checks any health and safety requirements > For a sponsored silence, use a notepad and pen, or caption bubbles to hold up so that you can still communicate > For more advice you can speak to your local Red Cross fundraiser. Call 0844 412 2728 or email getfundraising@redcross.org.uk to be put in touch with them