Spring-time Fundraising Ideas
With the days getting longer and the sun shining brighter, winter is behind us, and the first signs of spring are starting to appear.
What better way to welcome in the new season than to do something good for your local hospice. Not only will it make you feel great, but it will mean we can carry on caring for terminally ill people and their families when life comes full circle.
We’ve put together five spring-time fundraising ideas to get you all inspired.
OPEN GARDENS
Every year the National Garden Scheme (NGS) provides a unique opportunity for us all to have a snoop behind the fences of some of the most beautiful private gardens in our community.
If you are already opening up your garden through the NGS, we’d love to hear from you.
Have you considered selling refreshments for your guests to enjoy whilst they admire your handy work? A cup of tea or some fresh juice served with a slice of homemade cake will make your guests’ experience all that more delightful. After all, nothing quite says springtime in England like afternoon tea in the garden! Donating the money you make is a truly scrumptious way to support us.
You don’t have to be part of the NGS to raise money from your outside space.
Have you got a garden that you’re proud of? A flower bed that’s been several years in the making, or an arrangement of terracotta pots storing your carefully pruned perennials? Why not open up your garden solely in aid of St Catherine’s?
You don’t have to own acres of land or have an extravagant water feature for your garden to be appealing. If you’re passionate about your plants and flowers, and your friends and family tell you how lovely they look, it’s likely others will think the same. Charge an entry fee and give the local community exclusive access to your pride and joy. Tempt them to stay a little longer with some refreshments, and before you know it you’ve raised a ton of cash for your local hospice.
PLANT SALES
If opening up your whole garden isn’t quite your thing, but you’d still like to share what you’ve been growing in the greenhouse this winter, you could hold a plant sale instead.
Sowing seeds through the winter months and watching them start to flourish at this time of year is always something to be proud of. It is all that more satisfying knowing that you didn’t break the bank to buy the seeds but can still make a chunky profit by selling them on as fully established plants.
Joy and Ray run plants sales for us continuously from February to October. When they’re not selling they’re busy preparing for the following year. Joy shares more about this unique and powerful way of fundraising:
I am in my element when propagating and growing plants and love meeting other garden enthusiasts. It’s been a pleasure to raise funds for St Catherine’s Hospice over the past 3 years through the selling of plants from our home. It has provided us the opportunity of meeting some lovely people who have been extremely supportive and has seen us raise almost £8000.
SPRING CLEANING
We know not everyone is blessed with green fingers, so here’s an idea that just about anyone can get involved with.
If you’re having a spring clear-out, don’t forget that your unwanted items might be another person’s treasure. Do good for the environment, but also for your local hospice, by giving your preloved items a second chance.
Open up the back of your garage, set up a table outside your house, or park up at a local car boot fair, and lay out all your unwanted items for people to have a browse. You’ll be amazed what people will buy. Give your profits to St Catherine’s and donate anything you don’t sell to one of our charity shops.
We’ve got 14 shops across West Sussex and East Surrey that rely on donations of good quality second-hand items to help keep them fully stocked and thriving. Find your local shop and drop off your unwanted items so they can go to a new home and be loved all over again. You can find a full list of the items we would be delighted to accept here.
GET ACTIVE
Being active outdoors is not as tempting in the cold and rainy winter months, but with blue skies finally making a regular appearance, now is the chance breathe in that fresh spring air and get moving. Ask friends, family, colleagues, and neighbours to sponsor you and make your exercise all that more rewarding knowing you’ll be directly helping us to care for local people that need us.
You could run, cycle, swim. You might take on an obstacle course, offer a dog walking service, or do a skydive. Or why not get a whole group together for a sports day, a football game, or a rounders match. Whatever it is you enjoy, turn it into action-packed fundraiser instead.
COMMUNITY PICNIC OR BARBCUE
It’s time to uncover your garden furniture, lift your barbecue out of the garage, and dust off your picnic blanket. Outdoor dining is back and a great opportunity to bring friends and family together to enjoy the beautiful weather, delicious food, and fruity refreshments.
Host your event at home, or arrange to meet in a local park, and charge your guests for the food you’ve supplied. Make sure you cater to different dietary requirements to make your event as inclusive as possible.
If catering for lots of people isn’t your thing, ask your guests to bring along a dish that can be shared between everyone and charge them an entry fee to your picnic instead. How about running a raffle, an auction, or a quiz at your event to? Host garden games and keep your guests entertained all afternoon.
If you are doing your own fundraising this spring, we’d love to hear from you. Our friendly team is here to help with anything you might need.
From sending you materials to support your fundraising, to giving advice on how to set up your JustGiving page, or how to use social media to promote your efforts, email fundraising@stch.org.uk, call us on 01293 447361, or fill out this form.
