One year 'til the Sahara

sue38

Registered User
Mar 6, 2007
10,849
0
55
Wigan, Lancs
Well it's a year today until we set off on our Sahara trek so I thought I'd better start to think seriously about fund raising (and training come to that!).

My 2 friends (who are raising money for their own charities) and I had thought about arranging a quiz night and I had wondered about having a raffle with some good prizes (rather than that bottle of wine of uncertain origin and the dodgy perfume that would kill a blue bottle at 20 paces - which let's face it have been only been donated by someone because they themselves won them at an earlier raffle.... but I digress)

I was thinking of contacting the local professional football and rugby clubs to see if they would donate a signed ball or programme, but I wondered if any one has any other ideas as to who we could tap up for free prizes.

I have thought about the local hairdressers and beauty salon where I go every week (they have just started to let me leave by the front door... sorry the old ones are the best) to donate a free treatment in return for a bit of free advertising. My firm could offer a free will or a free divorce (woo-hoo :rolleyes: ), but I don't think that's really going to get people excited enough to part with the cash.

Any ideas?
 

Skye

Registered User
Aug 29, 2006
17,000
0
SW Scotland
Hi Sue

Try all the local hotels and restaurants to donate a free meal for two. Or a spa day?

Good luck,
 

Kate P

Registered User
Jul 6, 2007
565
0
Merseyside
We once had a "skills" auction at our church.

My dad is an artist so he offered to paint a picture for someone (he ended up doing a portrait of someone's dog if I remember).

Massages, facials, hair appointments, cleaning, dog walking for a week, doing someone's ironing - there was all sorts on offer and people did go for it. Time is more valuable than money.
 

Lucille

Registered User
Sep 10, 2005
542
0
Hi Sue

As a raffle prize you could offer a 'Maid for a Day' ... don't mean you have to dress up as one,:D but some of the things Kate suggested are a good idea. You could combine these as a raffle prize; say, do someone's weekly shop, bit of gardening, ironing (I know it'll be tedious for you, but think of the cause!!:D)

Also, if you're doing a Sahara Trek, why not contact some of the indie travel companies such as, Explore, Exodus, Imaginative Traveller and see if they can help - in return you give them some publicity. Or they might be able to offer some trekking gear for you ... on that note what about the outdoor shops, like Rohan, Blacks etc.

Good luck with it. I've just raised some money for AS for an event I took part in and I got a great sense of satisfaction knowing that the money was going to such a good cause.:)
 

sue38

Registered User
Mar 6, 2007
10,849
0
55
Wigan, Lancs
Hi Sylvia,

I haven't approached anyone yet as my fellow trekkers and I couldn't agree on a date or venue for our quiz, well they agreed with each other and not with me! It all got a bit heated and it looked at one stage as though it was going to be a lonely walk across the desert.

Anyway, fortunately we have known each other for the best part of 30 years and have got over many a scrape along the way, and have now agreed to have 2 quizzes:- 1 in Wigan in February and 1 in Bolton in October (3 weeks before we go, bit late in my opinion, but there you go!)This was only agreed on Tuesday so the hard work starts here. I have prepared the letters (the AS sent a sample letter with fund raising pack)apart from putting in the venue and the date so will book the venue and then send letters off, hopefully this weekend. My sister also suggested approaching cinemas for free cinema passes.

I have set up my web page now and even had a few donations (well 2 to be precise and 1 was my Mum!). I have had some business cards printed with web site address on which arrived yesterday so I am handing those out.

One simple idea I read was to hand out tubes of Smarties and ask for them back full of 20p's. The tube exactly fits a 20p piece and when full holds about £14. The downside of course is that you have to eat all the Smarties before you can put the 20p's in ;).
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,443
0
Kent
Good luck with everything Sue. I love the Smarties idea, but then I would, wouldn`t I? :eek:

Perhapd Dhiren is right and we should be back in Manchester, then we could support your quiz night. ;)

Love xx
 

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