little book of big ideas

The little book of BIG IDEAS

Your personal fundraising guide

BCH Charities, Registered Charity Number: 1074850

6914_001_Fundraising Ideas Booklet_A5 AW2.indd 1 20/08/2012 11:46

Imagine you are 5 years old and going into hospital tomorrow.

It’s bewildering, scary and unsettling for anyone going to hospital but especially for children and that is why Birmingham

Children’s Hospital is a fundraising hospital.

Whether it’s £5 to fund some crayons and colouring books whilst waiting for test results or £42,000 for a life saving machine that is a mechanical heart, charitable donations are key to

making us what we are: a centre of paediatric medical excellence that the whole country depends on.

Our aim for the 250,000 children that we treat each year is that their family knows our care of their child is our

most precious priority.

Thank you for your interest in us, we hope that you find all the tools and ideas you require in this booklet to inspire you

in your fundraising endeavours.

We look forward to hearing all about your activities.

Good luck and thank you.

Fundraising TeamBirmingham Children’s Hospital

Activities KeyAlthough all fundraising ideas are good, some ideas work better in particular environments. After all, sitting in a bath of baked beans is hardly going to be

suitable if you’re a cashier in a bank!

Use our little symbols to identify the ideas that might be best suited to you.

Corporate Event

IndividualSchool


Getting Started

The first rule of fundraising is ‘Who do you know?’We’ve left this page mostly blank so you can fill it with a list of all the people you know. Family, friends, colleagues and their partners, your hairdresser, dog groomer, mechanic…

Write down everyone and you’ll be amazed at what you have at the end. This list can then be used as an invitation list to an event; an inspiration list for prizes for an auction; or just a list of people who can support you in your quest to fundraise as much money as possible for Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

Get your pen out and get scribbling!


Our Fab Ideas!

1. GIVE IT UP FOR THE KIDS

3. GREAT CAKE BAKE

Chocolate, TV or even Facebook! What could you give up for a good cause? Get your friends and family to sponsor you to ‘go without’ for a week. See if you can cope and bring in the cash when you do!

Victoria Sponge, Jam Roly Poly or a cool Arctic Roll are all you need to get the taste buds tingling at your very own cake sale. You can use Birmingham Children’s Hospital’s Great Cake Bake pack to help you: posters, collection boxes and all of the useful information you need to get your Cake Bake started! Visit www.greatcakebake.org.uk or contact us for a pack.

2. PROMISES PROMISES Going, going, gone! Whether it’s an evening’s babysitting or exclusive use of a holiday home in Bermuda, an Auction of Promises is an ever-popular fundraising event. Ask friends, colleagues and local businesses to donate goods or services and auction them off to the highest bidder. People will happily bid for anything! From an hour’s worth of ironing or dog walking to lunch with their local MP or someone to wrap their Christmas presents! Contact us for a full ‘How to’ guide to help you get started.


How many sweeties in the jar? How many balloons in the car? Whatever it may be, donate to guess how many or how much and the winner gets a prize! How many goals will England score? Who will be in the X Factor final four? Go on, have a go!

4. DRESS UP / DOWN

6. HAVE A GUESS!

(An idea from Rafe Walker, patient, aged 12)

Put on your glad rags or wear something wacky and donate for the fun! Whether it’s silly socks, fancy dress or even staying in your pyjamas for school! Be as creative as you like and ask everyone to dig deep into their pockets! The options are endless, and everyone can take part!

5. QUIZ NIGHT Will you be the weakest link or do you have what it takes to become the ultimate quiz master? It’s time to get your heads together and host your own quiz night. Get your friends, family or even your local pub involved. Each contestant pays to enter, with the proceeds going to Birmingham Children’s Hospital.


8. TOURNAMENT TIME

9. CAR WASH

Football, basketball, swimming or maybe even dancing! Get your local sports or activity groups together for a tournament. Each team member donates to enter the contest and competes for the Final! You could sell refreshments on the day or use one of Birmingham Children’s Hospital’s collection boxes to bring in some extra cash.

Collect dosh for a car wash! Find a big open space you can use, rope in some friends and charge for each car washed. Do you know a community group, school or business with a car park, hose and sponges? Get them involved too!

7. ONE MAN’S TREASURE… Have a clear out and take your unwanted items to a car boot sale. You might be surprised how much people will pay for the things you no longer need! Find your nearest car boot sale and get the clear out started. If you’re a computer whizz, then you could even sell your things on eBay!


12. IT’S IN THE BAG Shopping without the hassle. Ask your local supermarket if you can collect donations from shoppers for packing their bags for them – save them time and raise money and awareness for a great cause. Ideal for schools, Scouts, Brownies and community groups.

10. BABY FACE Were your friends and colleagues always as cute as they are now? Ask everyone to bring in a picture of themselves as a child, display them on a notice board and charge each person to identify the babies correctly. A prize for the winner!

11. QUOTE QUIZ “No one puts baby in the corner.” “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” – Can you name the films? Gather together a series of quotes and ask for donations for taking part. Dance routines and dressing up as your favourite film characters optional! If movies aren’t your thing, try lyrics, famous quotes or catchphrases.


13. AN EXTRA DAY OFF!

16. BBQ for BCH

Win a four day week! Persuade your boss to donate a day off as a raffle prize and watch the ticket sales go through the roof!

Grab some food, some friends and a load of hot coals to throw a barbecue for Birmingham Children’s Hospital! Ask people to donate their pounds and pennies in exchange for some tasty grub and a great party.

15. DUCK RACE

14. TEE-TIME

Great for the little ones! A 21st century version of pooh sticks. Put your plastic ducks in the river / stream and watch them go. Each person pays to take part, with a prize for the winner. It’s enough to send you quackers!

Crazy about golf? Take on your local course with friends and family, charging each person to take part. Ask the golf club to give you a reduced rate and charge your participants full price or more. Contact us for a ‘how to’ sheet.


18. NO SWEARING PLEASE!

BLEEP!BLEEP!

*?!*

17. FIRE AND ICE CHALLENGE

Know anyone with a potty mouth? Now’s the time to put an end to their nasty habit! Every time they turn the air blue, make them drop a pound into the jar – it’ll soon add up.

It’s a case of mind over matter. Can you take the heat in this unique challenge by walking over hot coals and broken glass? To organise your own event, get in touch with us. Or to make things even easier, get in touch with our Events Team to book a place on the official Fire & Ice Walk. Send an email to: [email protected]

19. OFFICE OLYMPICS Race from one end of the office to the other. Shoot hoops with your paperwork. Throw ‘discus’ with your mouse mat. Be inspired and see how many sports you can adapt. Invite different departments to represent different countries in your very own Office Olympics. Or if you’d prefer, email our Corporate Partnerships Team for an Office Olympics pack at: [email protected]


20. DONATE AS YOU CELEBRATE Getting married? New baby? Or simply scared of that big birthday looming? Why not make the most of it and really celebrate by asking your friends and family to make a donation to Birmingham Children’s Hospital instead of buying a gift? Not only will you be helping our patients feel better, you’ll feel great too! Set up your own tribute page at www.bch.org.uk/tributes

21. SMARTIE TUBES Be a smarty and fill a Smartie tube with your spare change! Each tube holds up to £27 in pound coins, so start digging down the back of your sofa!

22. CHOOSE YOUR CHALLENGE If you fancy trekking across the Sahara, running a half-marathon through the streets of Birmingham, abseiling down The Mailbox, or climbing Snowdon, we have a challenge for all ages and fitness levels. Check out our website (www.bch.org.uk) or email [email protected] to find out more.


23. TREASURE TRAIL(An idea from Lauren, patient, aged 9)

Scatter your clues and invite people to play detective in your very own treasure hunt! You could set it up in your garden, your local park, or think big and send people on a countryside or town centre adventure. Ask those taking part to pay for their first set of clues, and have a great prize ready for the winning treasure-hunters! For more tips, get in touch.

24. COOK THE BOOKS Calling all budding Delias, Nigellas and Jamies! If you’re renowned for your ravioli or famous for your flapjacks, why not put together your own charity recipe book? Gather favourite dishes from friends and colleagues, or theme your recipes. Cakes, curries and kids’ food always go down well. Sell your book to fellow foodies and donate the profits to us!

25. DONATE A DAY Could you give up a day’s wages for Birmingham Children’s Hospital? It’s 1/365th or 0.27% of your annual income. It doesn’t sound like a lot does it? If your colleagues join you and your employer matches your sacrifice, you could raise loads of money without ever having to sit in a bath of baked beans!


26. DRAMA QUEENS If you’re involved in amateur dramatics, a member of a choir or run a dance class, use your talents to raise funds by holding a charity performance. Donate a percentage of the ticket sales, and boost your total by holding a raffle during the interval and shaking buckets at the door.

27. SHWOP SHOP Most of us have clothes we’ve never worn… the ‘absolute bargain’ that didn’t look quite as good when you got it home. Liberate unworn items from the back of your wardrobe, by arranging a clothes swapping party. ‘Shwopping’ is an environmentally-friendly way to clear your clutter and update your look. Put a small price on each item and donate the takings.

28. RANSOM & RELEASE Who can you hold hostage for the day? Your boss or head teacher perhaps? Lock them up and it’s up to them to persuade friends, family and colleagues to pay the ransom that will secure their release!


29. ORGANISE YOUR OWN If you love lists, can run a committee and have bags of energy and enthusiasm, you can organise practically anything! Whether it’s a barn dance, a ball or a beer and skittles evening, use you organisational skills and contacts to stage a fantastic fundraising event. We even have a fab ‘How to’ guide to get you started, so get in touch!

30. OPEN GARDENS Whether it’s a tiny cottage garden, a cool urban space, or the manicured lawns of a country house, people love to see a gorgeous garden. Reap the benefits of all your hard work by showing your beautiful garden off to an appreciative audience. Collect donations at the gate, and raise additional funds by providing tea and cakes, selling plants or organising a raffle. A delightful summer event for green fingered fundraisers.


31. ZUMBATHON

33. ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR

Perfect for fans of the Latin fitness sensation! Ask your instructor to donate a percentage of their takings for a week, or to run a mammoth Zumba session and ask everyone who takes part to get sponsored. Add to the fun by Zumba-ing in fancy dress. A high-octane event for those who want to shake their booty for a great cause.

Remember the school or church fêtes of your childhood? With the cake stalls, plant stalls, tombolas, raffles and bouncy castles? Go retro in your community and arrange an old fashioned fête. We can even provide you with merchandise for a BCH stall.

32. CALENDAR GIRLS (OR BOYS) If the camera loves you and you can muster an enthusiastic bunch of like-minded friends or colleagues, why not pose for your own charity calendar? It’s been done before, but not by you! If you’re not a budding Miss February or Mr November, calendars featuring local scenery, pets, children’s artwork and even bus stations have all proved popular!


34. VIRTUAL REALITY If you have always wanted to swim the channel, or walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats but have never quite managed to get round to it, why not do it virtually instead? You might not manage Dover to Calais but you could swim the same distance in your local pool. Or cycle to Paris on an exercise bike! The ideal sponsored event for those who prefer to keep it local.

35. SERVICE CHARGE Use your contacts! Know any beauticians or nail technicians? Ask them to donate their services at discounted rates (or even free!) then hold a pamper evening. Charge your guests to indulge in treatments that will leave them looking fabulous and feeling great for having supported a worthy cause.

36. SPONSORED SLEEPOVER Sleeping somewhere uncomfortable or unusual is a great event to ask for sponsorship for. Sleep in the school hall, your office, camp in your garden, or bed down in a haunted house! Midnight feasts are optional!


37. NAME THE BEAR With his friendly face and smart Birmingham Children’s Hospital ribbon, our lovely cuddly teddy bear is only missing one thing – a name! Charge people £1 to give him a name and the winner gets to take him home. Contact us for a pack at [email protected]

38. TOYS ARE US Evoke your inner Father Christmas or Fairy Godmother! Give up your mid-morning coffee or chocolate bar for a week and then buy a new toy for our wards with the money you save. Contact us for a list of pre-approved toys that our children can play with.

39. SMALL CHANGE, BIG DIFFERENCE

40. COME DINE WITH ME: THE HOSPITAL EDITION

A collection box is a great way to raise money; it works everywhere… on your work desk, in your local pub or at the entrance to a supermarket. If you’d like to go one step further and set up a network of collection boxes in your area, get in touch and we’ll be happy to help you.

Fancy a dinner party with a difference? Invite friends round for a dinner styled on hospital grub (or even school dinners). Remind your diners what it’s like to be a child in hospital! Diners donate what they think the meal was worth.


Support

Plus once you’ve decided, we can help you with:

• Fundraising materials: collection tins, T-shirts, balloons, banners, sponsorship forms and much more

• Marketing materials: posters, press releases, logos, guidance on key messaging and much more

• General advice: raffle licences, permits and any risk assessments you might need

ANY QUESTIONS? JUST GET IN TOUCH.Email: [email protected]

Call: 0121 333 8506

Write to us: Fundraising Team, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham, B4 6NH

Once you know which activity you are going to do to fundraise for us, please complete a Fundraising Registration Form which can be found in your pack, or online.

Whatever you decide to do, the Fundraising Team at Birmingham Children’s Hospital is here to help. If you’re struggling to make up your mind, we are on hand to match a fundraising activity to your lifestyle, and to help make your activity as fun and successful as possible.


Money, money, money!

Sponsorship formsYou’ll have some sponsorship forms in your pack. If you need more, just go to www.bch.org.uk and download some. Or contact us at [email protected] and we’ll post or email more to you.

Do make sure your sponsors fill in their full names and addresses (including postcodes) so that we can claim AN EXTRA 25P for every pound you raise.

Return completed sponsorship forms, along with a cheque for the total amount raised, to:

Fundraising Team,Birmingham Children’s Hospital,Steelhouse Lane,Birmingham,B4 6NH

Just GivingSet up a Just Giving page and people can donate to you electronically. Nice and simple, no counting piles of pennies! If you’d like help on setting up your page, feel free to contact us. See www.justgiving.com for more details.

Gift AidGift Aid is a really important part of your fundraising as it means

you have the potential to raise an extra 25% of your total...

FOR FREE!

In order for us to claim Gift Aid back from the government,

make sure all your donors (those who are UK tax payers)

complete their names and full addresses (including postcodes)

when donating, and that they tick the Gift Aid box.

So how do you collect all that lovely money you are going to raise? And how do you return it to us so that we can quickly get it to where it’s needed?


“Thank you!”

Feeling inspired? Get started!Hopefully this pack has inspired you to get out there and start fundraising for Birmingham Children’s Hospital. So, if you’re feeling all fired up and enthusiastic here’s some space to start planning your fundraising activities.

Remember we’re always here and happy to help in any way we can.

So, good luck, enjoy yourself, and from all of us here at Birmingham Children’s Hospital...

Start jotting your ideas down now!


0121 333 8506 www.bch.org.uk [email protected]

BCH Charities, Registered Charity Number: 1074850


little book of big ideas

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