Fund raising ideas-Please.

[dadofkent]

DS has been selected to represent the Scouts in the World Jamboree in Sweden in 2011. Terrific news, and it will be a great experience. Downside, he is expected to raise about £1700 of the cost. Quite a tall order for a 13 year old. So far he has done a bit of bag packing at the local Supermarket with some other Scouts in the area, and is also starting a paper round, although it is generally expected that the Scouts raise funds rather than just earn them. He is a little hampered by parents not being active in local clubs, societies, or the church etc., so suggestions like organising a quiz night, or a barn dance, and those sort of things, probably not practicable because we do not have the contacts to sell enough tickets for it to be cost effective.

Any suggestions and ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[Frustratedmum]

Hi dadofkent,
I've often found people don't always like being tied to a particular timed/ticketed event so how about something like a small summer fete, perhaps you would be allowed use of grounds at the scout hut if available or school field? If you write to many local and larger businesses (for example places of local interest supermarkets, shops) explaining your quest, you'll often find that many can be very generous (although I recommend starting this process early as many have a budget & you may have to try more than once).
Then have some fun stalls for example, raffle, soak the 'adult', football goals, guess the name, tombola (ask for small donations from many areas), a BBQ, sweet stall, etc etc. Hope this helps in some small way & good luck to you & DS!!

[Nathair]

My DD's class have just done a car wash at a local pub's car park to raise money for their end of year trip. £3 for the inside or outside of the car, £5 for both. They got a local taxi firm to bring all their cars as well as parents and teachers. They also had a jumble table and had made buns to sell to people while they waited for their cars to be washed and one of the teachers ran a BBQ.

[Fluffy66]

Hi

2 boys from my DS scouts have also been choosen for this World Jamboree too. Some things they have done include the car washing thing at our annual family camp and this certainly went down very well - so if you could find a niche for this it may be productive. My only other suggestion would be to find out when local fetes and fairs are on and see if you could get a table through the Scout group and do something there.

Try visiting some primary school summer fairs for ideas. I have run our Sports Tombola the last 3 years i spend £150 on 100 sporty prizes and we made a profit of £180 at 50p a ticket - maybe a bit adventureous but if you have to next spring.....

My friends DD did the World Challenge last year and her mum organised a champagne night for friends (the mums friends that is) They had someone selling cards, jewellery and Christmassey stuff etc and a raffle. I think it was £10 a ticket and you got drinks and nibble for that. All the ladies selling their wares gave the percentage/cash they would normally give to the fund. It was great fun.

Fluffy

[hermanmunster]

the local parents association have arranged bag packing - very successful, also some lads have been busking (legally!) and playing on the the bandstand.

[Amber]

Our Scouts had a fantastic international food evening recently as one of ours is going to the same thing in Sweden. The troup all raise funds for him, as he is representing them. Several Scouts cooked some really terrific food from different countries: Mexico, Poland, India and somewhere else I have forgotten. Adults paid £2 and children £1 to go in, and there was also an international quiz (50p to enter) and a raffle (tickets 20p). We raised more than £160 just from parents and grandparents, and this is not in any way a wealthy pack. The food was really good though! And food always makes money - homemade cakes, even popcorn (sugar or salt), hot dogs etc - find an event and sell them.

I think the key is that your son should not be expected to do this alone - our whole troup is supporting our boy, and that makes it easier to raise the money.

[sherry_d]

Business and shops in our town are very helpfull and not even one shop were we asked for proof, simply telling them we wanted prizes for a raffle for a youth event. House of fraser- nice humper worth £100, A bycycle from cycle shop, Wilkinson - £50....all the shops were very forthcoming from pizza hut to subway. We had prizes worth more that a £1 000 pounds including a mobile phone and top up vouchers. All about 2 half days work, by simply walking into the shops and ASK. I was really suprised how easy it was and how they trusted us we werent fiddling. Some shops like Wilkinsons simply handed us cash

You'll then maybe host an event where you can sell ruffle tickets to win these prizes and even work with DC school to see if they can promote the event. Our school uses parent mail so we get quite a bit of these now so worth asking there too if they can help you promote event. (We had a mobile phone and that really worked drawing participation from the youth and buying ruffles, they all wanted it. Hampers even though great, were more for mummies but that worked magic in selling them tickets for their DCs) Its better going to the shops knowing what you'll use them for.

I am thinking it may be better if you go along with your son, just thinking if they are just boy scouts going in they will give them rubbish. In our case it was me going to half the town and a friend another half of town. We didnt have any youth kids as we just did it mid week. Weekend maybe pushing it since they are busy so if you can get time midweek to do it. DEFINATELY worth it.

[dadofkent]

Thanks for the ideas everybody. Much appreciated. Few suggestions to ponder over.

I think the key is that your son should not be expected to do this alone - our whole troup is supporting our boy, and that makes it easier to raise the money.

That's where I am slightly concerned. The troop have one fund raising activity arranged at a local fete. But otherwise we do seem to have been left a bit to fend for ourselves..

[ourmaminhavana]

Wow, that was good going Sherry-d.

Could you maybe organise/suggest something for all of the Scouts to do eg
- A Scouts' Got Talent Night with coffee, raffle etc. They get their entertainment badge and you charge the parents a few pounds to get in (and a few more to get out!)
- A Talents'/Slave Auction (basically find a few parents, friends, scouts and offer services eg gardening, house cleaning, a few hours babysitting, tutoring, painting a portrait, doing woodwork, ride in posh car/boat/helicopter basically whatever anyone is skilled at which has the big advantage of no outlay.)
-A treasure hunt
-Sponsored swim/bike ride/read/silence

[andyb]

I think the key is that your son should not be expected to do this alone - our whole troup is supporting our boy, and that makes it easier to raise the money.

That's where I am slightly concerned. The troop have one fund raising activity arranged at a local fete. But otherwise we do seem to have been left a bit to fend for ourselves..

One of our Scouts had his own stall at the village fete. It was set up between the Scouts stall and the Cubs stall so a lot of people who were visiting those stalls because their children were involved also had a go at his. He had also been to a nearby village's fete the week before with much the same arrangement. It appeared to work successfully.