A few fun ways to fundraise

We have so many brilliant volunteers and supporters who help so many people by raising money for us. If you’re interested in raising money for the Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind, but you’re not quite sure how to then please read on! This blog lists some of our favourite, most fun and rewarding ways to fundraise...

Get your bake on!

The old fashioned bake-sale is a fantastic way to raise money and have fun while you do it! We love baking cakes. It’s cheap, relaxing and, in the end, yummy! You can set aside one Sunday afternoon to bake a few cakes or bathes of cupcakes with very small expenses and they sell them to your friends, family, neighbour or work colleagues. You will enjoy yourself, make others happy, and raise lots of money for a great charity!

Dress down, or up!

If you work in an office environment this works particularly well. Ask your boss/manager if it would be possible to have a dress down day, or a fancy dress day at work! Everyone get enjoy dressing up in fancy dress, or lounging in their comfy clothes, and can donate a small fee for the pleasure. It’s great for work morale and a really simple was to raise money!

Don’t bin it, sell it!

How does that saying go - one man’s trash is another man's treasure? A great way to kill two birds with one stone is by holding a garage sale! You get to clear some space in your home while selling your unwanted belongings and raising some money!

Shut up for money!

A great one for the chattier among us is a sponsored silence. Suitable for work, home or at schools, (we’re sure bosses, mums and teachers will love this one!), get your friends, family and work colleagues to sponsor you to remain silent for the entire day. A free, effective and simple way to fundraise!

Charity Film Night!

We love a Saturday night in watching films! Instead of going to the movies, out to eat, or out for a few drinks on a Saturday night, why not invite all you friends over to your house for a film night. All of the money that they would have spent on going out can be donated to charity instead!

These are just a few easy ways to fundraise we enjoy, but there are literally 100’s of ways you can raise money for charity. Why not share your favourite methods in the comments section below!

Interesting Marathons you can run to raise money

Running a marathon or a half marathon is no mean feat. Pushing yourself mentally and physically to exhaustion deserves an awful lot of credit! For this reason, people really respect and admire marathon runners, and are more than happy to support and sponsor them.

If you’re planning on, or are interested in, running a half or a full marathon this year, you should consider running it for charity. It’s a great way to raise much needed and valued funds for good causes while you achieve something on a personal level. We’ve put together this list of a few popular and interesting marathons you can partake in –

The Plusnet Yorkshire Half Marathon-Sheffield

The all-new Plusnet Yorkshire Half Marathon will burst onto the streets of Sheffield on Sunday 12th April. Set to be hugely-popular with runners of all abilities, this exciting new event will boast a field of thousands. The major new charity road race - organised by Run For All in partnership with Sheffield City Council - will attract thousands of runners of all abilities and spectators to the city's streets and raise many thousands of pounds for good causes. All profits from The Yorkshire Half Marathon-Sheffield go to charity. You can sign up today and start your fundraising for any cause you wish. Find out more about it here - http://www.theyorkshiremarathon.com/events/-events-plusnet-yorkshire-half-marathon-sheffield-/

The London Marathon

Since the first London Marathon in 1981, runners in the race have raised more than £600 million for charity, making it the largest annual one-day fundraising event in the world! Running the London Marathon and fundraising for charity has never been more popular – at the 2014 race 77 per cent of participants raised money for causes close to their hearts. If you’re a runner who’s looking to get a place in the 2015 race via a guaranteed charity entry, visit the ‘I Need a Charity Place’ page here to find out more - https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/charity/run-charity/listings/UK/

The Edinburgh Marathon

The Edinburgh Marathon is Scotland's most popular marathon. It began in 2003 and has continually grown in popularity and stature, having just received a 97% satisfaction rating in a recent Runner's World poll. Since 2003, Edinburgh Marathon Festival runners have raised over £30 million for hundreds of amazing charities. Find out more here - http://www.edinburgh-marathon.com/?why_run_for_charity

The Bournemouth Marathon

Stunning sea views, fresh crisp clean air and the very best of Bournemouth and Poole is on show as the South Coast is home to an international marathon. This is the perfect natural environment for “running as it should be”. There are 3 different ways to become a charity runner at Bournemouth Marathon Festival.  Find our more - http://www.run-bmf.com/?pages_id=6044

If you are running one of these, please consider raising money for us here at the Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind. We are one of Sheffield’s oldest independent local charities, originally formed in 1860. We provide opportunity, support, friendship and services to blind and partially sighted people in Sheffield, helping them to achieve whatever they wish to do and whatever they aspire to be.