Events Ideas Booklet by The Students' Union at UWE

Event Ideas Booklet

IDEAS, IDEAS, IDEAS Many of the fundraising ideas featured below happened right here, were very real and raised funds for hundreds of worthy causes. We have documented the varied and creative nature of student fundraising activity that exists to inspire you!

Adopt A Charity Hundreds of charities apply to UWE RAG each year so we are confident we can find your perfect match. Our Adopt A Charity Scheme can help you find the perfect charity for your fundraising activities. With your fundraising idea, the Fundraising & Volunteer Support Co-ordinator and UWE RAG Committee can support you with event ideas & planning, budgeting, risk assessments and insurance (whilst ensuring you stay on the right side of charity law!) We can also help with charity visits and volunteering opportunities giving you the chance to meet the charities and service users who’ll benefit from your much-needed support. Check out the UWE RAG website or come to The Students’ Union at UWE (Frenchay Campus) and speak to us about your own/ your group’s aims and ideas.

Help With Finance We can help you with banking and donating the money to charity. You will need to pass it through out RAG Account to conform to Charity Law, so using our buckets and tins will make fundraising even easier.

Set Up An Online Page Or if you need to set up an online fundraising page! We use BT Donate, just ask and we’ll get you started.

DO’S & DON’TS Just putting yourself forward to organise an event is amazing and so we want to ensure it is a success. We’re here to support you all the way so get in touch with rag@uwe.ac.uk if you are planning on running one. Our Do’s and Don’ts for organising an event will help you even more.

Do’s

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Do let us know if you are planning, running or even thinking about an event. We’re here to support you in your activities and can help to make your events even more successful! Do bank you money through us. As the Students’ Union is a charity it cannot give money to other charities. That includes all Students Groups and activities on its sites. By banking your money through the RAG account we can ensure that all money is passed on to your charity without breaking the law. Do follow any legislation. Even simple fundraising events such as Raffles, Bake Sales and standing with a Bucket require you to follow certain laws. When you let us know about your event we can give you the guidance on what to do in these situations. Do maximise your reach. Tell everyone, let everyone know, get them to tell everyone. Use your contact and get them involved. Think about online donations to make it accessible as well. Do use our Online Donation Page. We have an account with BT Donate which means you don’t need to. We have set it up to make it easier then ever to get people to give you money for your cause.

Don’ts

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Don’t forget to plan. You should think about everything to ensure nothing can go wrong. Also whilst planning try and think about how you can raise money through every part of your activity. Don’t shake your bucket! Engage with your audience, be proactive but don’t shake your bucket. There are many guidelines that need to be followed with Fundraising so let us know if you are planning on doing something and we can help you get it right. Don’t pressure people. If you’ve already asked twice, then you shouldn’t be forceful. This applies to sponsors, companies and external partners. Don’t walk around with the money. We strongly advise you to get the money to us the same day as the event. We can they get it paid into finance and quickly onto your Charity. Not only will this speed up the process but protect you from losing any of your hard earned donations. Don’t forget about our Adopt A Charity Scheme. More information is on the previous page, but we can help you make your event a success. 3

RAG CLASSICS 

Club Raids – sell glow sticks, face paint, sweets at Union club nights

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RAG Raids – dress up in your best fancy dress, sports gear, lab-coats (the sillier the better) and collect funds in the city centre (don’t forget your permits!)

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World Record Attempts

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Pub Crawls - make it a mystery and go to another city!

ENDURANCE & ‘ATHONS! 

Rowathon – (actual UWE example) - Rowing club rowed for 24 hours straight!

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Cycleathons – (actual UWE example) - clubs raced each other to cycle the distance to London on a stationary bike, and sold cakes and glow-sticks in the process

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Swimathons – (actual UWE example) - Women’s rugby swam the length of the channel tunnel, and one of our individual fundraisers swam 10k

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Ctrl, Alt, Donate - (actual UWE example) - sponsored gaming 24 hours in aid of Cancer Research UK, had a raffle, sold cakes, charity auction, over 700 people attended!

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Film Marathon – people pay to take part in a 24 hour film extravaganza

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Rough It – students’ sponsored to sleep rough for the night on the concourse

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Dance-athons – zumba, hip-hop, ballet, tap?

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24 hour Comedy Marathon - One liners, stories and observations.

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24 hour karaoke - you could even sing the same song for it!

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30 Hour Football Manager Marathon - or any Game you want

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Yoga-thon - experience the Zen for days 4

ENTERTAINMENT 

Charity Gigs and Festivals - get your favourite band

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Take Me Out - no likey, no lighty...

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xxxx Got Talent! - singing, dancing, comedy

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Come Dine with Me – in you flat or team?

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Bingo - Line, 2 Lines, FULL HOUSE!

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Sports Tournaments- Lecturer vs students football, netball etc

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Speed Dating/Mating - hit it off!

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Charity Lectures – persuade someone interesting to speak for charity and collect donations

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Film Nights – collect donations, sell sweets and popcorn

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Scavenger Hunt – hunt around Bristol, the South-West, the UK or Europe?

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Murder Mystery - theme it and dress up

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Comedy Night

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Dance Off

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Open Mic Night/Karaoke

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Quiz Night

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Baking Leagues – inspired by the Great British Bake Off, The Great Societies Bake Off

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Quiz Nights

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Race Nights - horses, dogs, snails...

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University Challenge – go head to head with other societies or departments, try and get your lecturers involved

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Barn Dance - show off your country moves

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Battle of the Bands - the prize, eternal glory?

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Dinner and Cabaret - Go Moulin Rouge Style

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Seasonal Nights - St Patricks, Valentine’s Day, Christmas…

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Charity Auction - favours, promises, skills...

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Quiz Show - Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Pointless, Weakest Link 5

TURN UP AND DO 

Busking – music, dancing, juggling, diablo, painting…

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Bake Sales – Krispy Kremes, homemade cakes and biscuits, cupcakes, international confectionary, shop brought – you choose!

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Pick and Mix – retro, classic, weird and wonderful

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Face Painting and Henna– Varsity, theme weeks/days, club nights

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Seasonal – St Patricks Day, Christmas, Divali, Easter merchandise, games, activities

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Tombola & Raffles

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Guess How Many…sweets in a jar, balloons in a car

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‘Guess the Name of the xxxxxxx’ Competition - or amount or weight

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Penalty Shoot-Outs

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Mini-Golf - bring it to campus

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Inflatables - slides, assault courses, bucking bull... 

Charity Games Nights - board games, electronic, computer...

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Society and Sports events – are you part of an orchestra or performance group? Capitalise on your talents and collect donations at your events!

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Chilli Eating Competitions - or pizza, hotdogs, or wings.

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Car Boot Sale

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Clothes Sales- - Vintage, Retro, 80’s, Second Hand, Upcylced

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Plant Sale - buy some seeds, grow some plants and sell the produce

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Lecturer Dress Up - don’t forget to get staff involved.

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Get Crafty – if you’ve got the skills sell your papercraft, cards, clothes, jewellery, badges, Christmas wreathes and decorations – anything!

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Sell Unwanted Items on EBay, Amazon, and Play.com

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Gunging or Sponging - lecturers or committee members

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Cleaning Services - Shoe Shine, Car Wash, Flat Wash Up, Flat Clean 6

PERSONAL OR TEAM CHALLENGE 