A-Z of fundraising ideas
Over the years, Young Lives vs Cancer supporters have come up with an amazing range of fundraising ideas – some traditional, some wacky, and others completely bonkers. What you do doesn’t actually matter. What matters is supporting young cancer patients and their families. Here are some fundraising ideas to get you started at home, school or work.
We’d love you to fundraise for Young Lives vs Cancer! Download fundraising materials to get started. For extra support and guidance to help you make the most of your event, please email our fundraising@younglivesvscancer.org.uk or call 0300 330 0803. We’re a friendly bunch and ready to help you make the most of your event.
- Ask friends and family to donate money to us instead of birthday or anniversary gifts. Come on, you’ve got enough stuff already
- Organise a coffee morning or an evening gala. You could also ask local businesses to donate awesome prizes for a raffle
- Sell, sell, sell – from selling something you’ve made (try to make it good), to flogging second-hand goods (best if they still work). “But where can I sell all my great stuff?” we hear you cry. You could contact the organisers of a local event, strike up a relationship with a local shop, or simply use your front garden for a yard sale (American-style)
- Sing – from carolling at Christmas to karaoke in the pub. Talent optional.
- Organise a lunchtime bake sale. Undercutting the school canteen is perfectly acceptable; just tell your teachers you’re raising money for Young Lives vs Cancer
- Battle of the bands – great fun for everyone. Ask older pupils to lead on organising the event, and ask teachers to bring earplugs. Or sell them as your side hustle
- Hold a non-uniform day, asking pupils to donate a pound to participate. Or go one better and let everyone wear PJs
- Organise a winter or summer fete with stalls, games and raffles.
- Have a dress down day in the office in exchange for a small donation (… and larger donations from senior staff)
- Organise office games like a football, netball or even a dodge ball tournament. We take no responsibility for the inevitable bickering this will cause
- Ask your manager whether your company operates a match giving scheme, where they’ll match the amount you raise, pound for pound. Double money! If they don’t, this could be a great day to start
- Use your staffroom to sell books donated by colleagues for a small donation into a Young Lives vs Cancer collection tin.
A
Auction, abseil, ‘Antiques Roadshow’, art exhibition
B
Beard shave, black tie ball, BBQ, Burns Night, Boxing Day dip, bag packing
C
Cake bake, casino, car wash, concert, car boot sale, cricket match
D
Darts tournament, disco, dance marathon, dog walking
E
Egg and spoon race, exercise class, Easter egg hunt
F
Fashion show, fishing competition, fancy dress party, film show, face painting
G
Garage sale, garden party, gala evening, golf day
H
Halloween party, head shave, hockey match, hugathon
J
Jumble sale, jokeathon, jazz evening, jelly bath, juggleathon
K
Karaoke night, kick a bad habit, keep fit
L
Lunch party, line dance
M
Marathon, magic show, Monopoly challenge, massage, murder mystery
N
Non-uniform day, no smoking day, netball competition
O
Open day at work or in your garden, open air concert
P
Plant sale, pub quiz, ping pong competition, pantomime, pancake race
Q
Quiz, quit smoking, ‘Question of Sport’
R
Rugby match, raffle, roller skating, raft race, race night, Readathon
S
Sponsored silence, skydive, swishing – clothes swap, sponsored swim, sports day
T
Talent contest, treasure hunt, tennis match, teddy bears’ picnic, tug-o-war
U
Unwanted gift sale
V
Variety show, volleyball match
W
Wine tasting, welly throwing
X
Xmas party
Y
Yodelling contest
Z
Zany as you like…
Get in touch!
We’d love you to help you make the most of your event. Email us at fundraising@younglivesvscancer.org.uk or call 0300 330 0803.
Every pound raised will help families face everything cancer throws at them
