Festive fundraising ideas - Macmillan Cancer

We can work it outFestive fundraising – big or small – is a tip-top way to supportMacmillan and have tonnes of fun this Christmas. And don’t worryif it’s your first time. We’re here to help. Just give your Macmillanteam a shout and we’ll help ensure it’s a success.Remember to check our Keep it legal and safe guide and keep youreye out for this exclamation mark This tells you to check healthand safety and legal requirements when doing the event.Top fundraising tips• Decide on a date for your event.• Work out how much your activity’s goingto cost. Then set yourself a fundraising targetand make sure it’s about three times as muchas you spend – otherwise it may not be worthyour while.• List all the things you’ll need – such ascostumes, equipment and refreshments –then tick them off as you go.• Delegate. Find out what skills people have,then give them tasks they’ll enjoy. So if someof your friends are creative, for instance, getthem to design and make badges or banners.• Try to keep costs low. Why not ask localbusinesses to donate prizes or pay for printingposters and banners?• Ask your employer to match everything youraise, pound for pound. It’s worth a try.• Advertise your activity. Tell everyone in youroffice about it. Word of mouth is usually thebest way!

You’re bound to have bags of brill ideas forcollecting Chrimbo cash for Macmillan. But if you’reafter some inspiration, check out our suggestions.Fantastic fiverThis simple game is great for Christmas parties andfairs. Ask people to write their name on a £5 note,put them all in a hat and then draw a lucky winner.Why not give the winner a quarter of the takings anddonate the rest to Macmillan?Fairy and elf auctionWant someone to do your photocopying, makeyour coffee, or wrap and buy gifts for your lovedones? Get people to volunteer as Christmas fairiesor elves in the office and auction off their time tothe highest bidder.Rudolph the red-nosed reindeerPin the tail on the reindeer or dress up as one.Then you could organise a reindeer race in theoffice. Why not wear red noses for a day or holda reddest nose competition?Deck the hallsDonate some money for the privilege ofdecorating your office. You could also holda Christmas shrine competition. Get everyoneto make their desk as festive as possible, thenjudge the best. Go on, get that tinsel out.Trim the treeDecorate an office Christmas tree, get peopleto sponsor a bauble, then write their name on it.You could also make a business card tree forcustomers and suppliers who donate.Guess the little angelBring in snaps of yourselves as young ’uns andguess who’s who.Jingle bells or jingle hell?Donate to hear half an hour of Christmas musicwhile you work – or pay to have it turned off.Hark! The herald angels singGet a choir together and go singing round the office,or hold a carol concert in support of Macmillan.Carol-okeWhy not hold a karaoke competition with aChristmas flavour? Hold heats in the office duringthe run-up to Christmas, then have the final onyour last day at work.Board meetingGet everyone to bring in their favourite boardgame – then pay £1 to take part. Play in teamsor individually.Far-flung festive fareEnjoy a global gourmet gathering. Split into teamsand cook trademark dishes from a country ofyour choice. Then sell these culinary classics at aChristmas fair – with proceeds going to Macmillan.You’ve got talentHave an evening of chortling and warbling byputting on a variety performance. Just think ofall those dancers, magicians and ventriloquists.Make sure you charge the audience to watchthisspectacle – er, spectacular.It’s, er, just what I always wantedWho got the most embarrassing or uninspiring giftthis Christmas? Why not hold a swap shop in thenew year and pay to exchange your dodgy presentfor someone else’s unwanted gift?

Silly Santas and funny fairiesHave a fancy dress day in the office.Wear Christmas hats and masks or go forfull festive clobber.Santa, where’s your beard?Get a willing volunteer from your office to shavetheir beard for Christmas. And why stop there?How about shaving their head or waxing theirlegs and chest?A winter wonderlandIf your company has a crèche or allows you tobring your nippers in over Christmas, why notcreate a Christmas grotto?Cash not cardsInstead of sending Chrimbo cards at work, ask allyour colleagues to make a donation to Macmillan.Put a big poster on the wall for people to write theirYuletide greetings. Not only will you raise lots ofmoney, you’ll also be saving the environment.Oh, bring us a figgy puddingGet your company’s top brass to serve Christmaslunch in the office. Everyone’s bound to donategenerously when they see their bosses withpinnies on and sleeves rolled up.Mince pie munchHave a baking competition to find the bestmince pie-maker in the office. Once the winner’sannounced, get everyone to chuck in a couple ofquid so they can munch as many mince pies asthey want.Still a big kid?Christmas is all about being silly. So eat jellybeans with a cocktail stick. How many can youcram in your mouth in a minute? Encourageothers to join in and run a competition to guesswho’s the mouthiest in your office.Here comes SantaHold a Secret Santa and give a donation toMacmillan as part of your gift. Get your colleaguesto scribble their name on a scrap of paper and chuckthem in a hat. Everyone draws a slip and buys apresent for that person – but keep it a secret. Cap thebudget at £5 – then spend £4 on the gift and collectthe other pounds for Macmillan.Do you hear what I hear?Choose a Christmas record and ask everyoneto guess how many times it’ll get played on theradio. Will Wizzard, Bing Crosby or Band Aidsend you crazy by the end of the month?Fill those stockingsMake and sell homemade Christmas stockings,or have a lucky dip. Award prizes for the best.Smartie pantsFill a large jar with Smarties and charge yourcolleagues to guess how many there are.There’s a pretty sweet present at the end of it.Tubular sellsWhile we’re on the topic, give your workmatesa tube of Smarties each. Once all the sweets aregone, ask them to fill the empty tube with poundcoins over a few weeks. You’ll be impressed howmuch you raise for Macmillan.Christmas shopping spreePay for time off during your work day to goChristmas shopping. Then donate those hours’wages to Macmillan.Get creativeSell holly, mistletoe or homemade door wreaths tocolleagues and give the proceeds to Macmillan.It’s playtimeCrack out the party games. We suggest pass theparcel, musical chairs and festive bingo. You couldcombine this with a talent or comedy contest andcharge an entry fee. And make the most of thefundraising opportunity – just add an extra poundto the price of party tickets and donatethat to Macmillan too.Christmas choccy chompBuy a big tin of Quality Street, Roses orCelebrations and get your colleagues to donate20p for each sweet they eat. Or why not have aChristmas advent calendar? Each time you opena window, pitch in some pennies for Macmillan.

Festive flicksIt’s not fun being stuck in the office betweenChristmas and the new year – especially whenyou know all your colleagues are watchingclassic films at home. So chuck in a donationfor Macmillan and stick the box on. You mayneed to ask your boss about this one.Quit itStruggling to kick the fags? Can’t stopthat sneaky snacking? Finding it toughto boot the booze? Redouble your effortsand get people to sponsor your newyear’s resolutions.Pounds for poundsWhen the festive fun’s all over and you’reback to work in January, hold a sponsored slim.Get colleagues to pay you for the weight youlose and donate the cash to Macmillan.A pound for each pound seems fair.

Your donations will make a big difference tosomeone living with cancer£10 could fund 21 copies of The Cancer Guide.This booklet gives people recently diagnosed withcancer – and their families – information aboutthe disease, its treatment and the help available.£25 could pay for someone to get help fromthe Macmillan Support Line. That means freeinformation and emotional support for peopleliving with cancer.£40 could help a cancer self-help and supportgroup hold their first meeting.£190 could fund a Macmillan nurse for a day.£400 could cover an equipment grant for aMacmillan professional. This could buy specialist kit,such as a speech aid, to make a world of differenceto someone affected by cancer.£900 could pay for a Macmillan social workeror family support worker for a week.£1,900 could fund 10 Macmillan palliativecare nurses for a day.£70 could help run a large Macmillaninformation and support centre for an hour.© Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907)and the Isle of Man (604). MAC12901_FESTIVEFUNDRAISING