Maidstone Mencap’s Mini Guide to putting the FUN into FUNDRAISING!

WHY fundraise for us?
We are asking for your time and energy to support the work of Maidstone Mencap. So, it’s important you know who we are, what we do and you believe in our mission.
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Did you know that your support will play an active part in funding the following services:

• Playschool (under 5’s)
• Junior Gateway (5-16 year olds)
• Youth Club (16-25 year olds)
• Holiday Clubs (5-18 year olds)

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Spread the word!.
Once you have decided what fundraising you are doing DON’T FORGET TO TELL ANYONE AND EVERYONE ALL ABOUT IT so they can invest their time and money in your event.
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You could get support for your event by using banners, balloons, posters, flyers, press releases, social media or local community magazine. We will be sure to mention you on our website and in our newsletters, wherever we can.
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A simple group email to family and friends could get the ball rolling! Remember to put the information they may need…date, time, place and most importantly to bring their purses and wallets!.
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Dot the i’s and cross the t’s!.
Remember to keep it legal and safe.
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Health and Safety.
Follow advice for any equipment you use and ensure staff are safe in their use. Common sense is usually all you need. Maidstone Mencap cannot accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage suffered to persons or property during your fundraiser.
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Food Safety
If you are doing an event involving food, remember to work to basic food hygiene rules and to take great care during preparation, cooking and serving.
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Roll up, Roll up
If you are having a raffle, lottery or tombola, contact your local authority for guidelines on how to work within the strict ‘lottery laws’ surrounding these. You don’t want to find yourselves in trouble simply for playing lotto in your local village hall!
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Data Protection
Ensure you are aware of the Data Protection Act when sending group or bulk emails. Remember to ‘blind copy’ people into group emails as it is an offence to disclose information about people without their express permission. Don’t disclose any personal information about anyone without their consent. Destroy any data deemed irrelevant or no longer current.
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So, HOW do you go about raising the cash and WHAT SORT OF FUNDRAISING EVENTS could you do?
Here are some tried and tested ideas we have put together from our own and other peoples’ experiences…. serious, ambitious, funny or just completely crazy, there is something here to please all budding fundraisers!
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1) A nice cup of tea!
Hold a coffee morning or tea party work. Charge for entry or for a cuppa and cake!
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2) Host your own Bake-off
Allocate a date for each willing member of your team to cook a tasty dessert, bread or cake and bring in to work. Ask colleagues to based on taste, technical skill and how pleasing it is to the eye!
Remember to keep the votes secret until the end. Charge for entry and for being a ‘taster’!
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3) A simple sponsored event either as a team or individual
Challenge yourself to run or swim a certain distance, or abseil from a scary height! Set a date to do your challenge and ask people to sponsor you. You could even make a day of it by selling refreshments at your challenge.
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4) Dress Down Day
Choose a day when you can all wear whatever you like and pay a small sum for the privilege. You could even liven it up by having a theme such as 1980’s,  spotty day or dress as the opposite sex day!
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5) Golf Day
Either a serious 18 holer or your local pitch and putt! Charge for taking part and have a prize for the winner!
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6) Hold a fun day for your work family
Invite all your staff and families to a little family fun day with the usual funfair games such as ‘Guess the number of sweets in the jar’, ‘Pick a lolly’, ‘Splat the rat’, etc! You could put on a sports event, such as a rounders match or a football match for all ages. Charge for entry and participating.
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7) Donate your birthday pressies
Just for this year, ask for donations to Maidstone Mencap for your birthday present. Imagine that warm feeling you will get for such a personal sacrifice!
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8) Swear box!
Have a tin or jar in the office for that occasional bad tempered rant or swear word! £1 fine each time will do the trick!
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9) Shave it, wax it, spray it, pierce it!
You guessed it… get yourself sponsored for suffering the pain of a full back wax or piercing. Better yet, convince the boss to shave his legs!
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10) Clickety Click, sixty six!
Host a bingo night and charge for entry. Give half the entry fee as prize money and donate the other half to Maidstone Mencap.
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11) Sell, sell, sell
Exploit the talents of your team! Whether they make crafty birthday cards, knit tea cosies, grow plants or paint masterpieces, produce a tray of sellable items and leave them in your office reception with a donation box.
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12) Quizzy Rascals
Everyone loves a quiz night! You could make it themed and provide some snacks for an entry fee. Maidstone Mencap’s apple pie quiz always brings in a crowd…we serve apple pie and cream in the interval.
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13) Scratch cards or lottery tickets
Would you gamble the lot? Who knows, you may hit the jackpot!
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14) Shhh..! Sponsored Silence
Ask your colleagues to stay silent for a couple of hours at work.
Ask for an entry fee and/or fine those who break the silence!
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15) Car Wash
If you have a business car park, why not section a area off as a car wash for the day. Charge for a wash and polish!
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16) Gone to the dogs!
Spend an evening with your friends or colleagues at the local dog race course. Any winnings could go straight in the funds box…or maybe you could gamble the lot on the last race!
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17) Auction your services!
Host an auction night where colleagues and friends auction their skills for a day. Favourites are babysitting, gardening ironing or masterclasses in baking or art.
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18) Fun fun fun run!
It’s not everyone’s idea of fun, but always a great fundraiser. Plan a fun run and charge for participation. Remember to offer a prize as incentive and take a photo of your winner for our website. You could make it a family event by having a children’s run too!
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19) Small change
Have your own ‘small change’ collection tin at work and encourage staff to put all their shrapnel in it at regular intervals. The results can be surprising!
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20) Eco Day
This is a great fundraising idea because you can help the environment and raise money! Dress in green or camo and do good deeds for the day, like litter picking in your local park or recycling your rubbish. Remember to get sponsored for all the activities you do.
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21) Be inspired by what other competitors are doing
Take a look at what some of the other competitors have said they will be doing.
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We hope these ideas have got you thinking!
There are so many ways to raise money.
Be safe, be legal and, above all, have LOTS OF FUN!
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But, what if you just want to help Maidstone Mencap by making a straightforward donation or raising money through a sponsored event?.
Well, of course that would be wonderful! We sincerely appreciate such kindness and generosity.
To find out how, please visit our Donations page.
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THANK YOU for supporting Maidstone Mencap!