Abseil

Scale the dizzy heights of a local landmark or office block.

Aerobics

Organise a sponsored aerobathon with the help of gyms, leisure centres and sports shops.

Afternoon Tea

Put the kettle on and get baking. Entertain guests with raffles, auctions, tombolas & live music.

Art exhibition

Stage an exhibition for local artists. Charge entrance fee and commission.

‘As New’ Sale

Ask everyone you know for unwanted belongings and hold a sale evening

Auction

Auction off original items, taking a percentage of sales.

Auction of Services

Auction services of people and businesses - anything from singing lessons to dinner for two.

Badge Making  

Make badges to sell at work, to friends or at craft fairs.

Bad tie day

Charge your colleagues a pound to come in wearing their loudest tie.

Baked Bean Bath

Get sponsored to spend the day in a bath of baked beans.

Barbecue  

Add stereo, football and rounders bats and make it a whole day's event.

Barn Dance

Swing into action by hiring a caller and traditional country band.

Battle of the Bands

Contest for unsigned bands, where audience votes on the winner.

Beat the Goalie

Footballers pay to enter.

Bed Push

The 'bed' can be anything from a hospital bed to a four-poster or even a 3-piece suite!

Beer Festival  

Stock up on international beers, food and music. Remember to check licensing laws.

Bingo  

Hold a one-off evening or regular morning sessions.

Board Games Evening

Monopoly, Cluedo and more. Charge entrance or game fee

Boat Race  

Teams build model boats and race them. Alternatively, use real yachts, dinghies or canoes.

Boat Trips  

Organise a cruise down a nearby river or canal. Include refreshments and entertainment.

Book Sale  

Sell old books, collected from everyone you know. Book dealers may buy leftover stock.

Bungee Jump  

Raise sponsorship by flying in the face of fear.

Burns Night  

Theme evening with Scottish dancing, Haggis, Nepes and Tatties. Admission fee.

Bus Pull

Gather a team and get sponsored to heave a bus through town.

Cake Stall

Hold a traditional cake stand at fetes or fairs. Check health and safety regulations.

Calendars

Design & sell a pictorial calendar for your company. Departments/suppliers may sponsor pages.

Candle making

Make and sell candles at craft fairs or coffee mornings.

Car boot sale

Cash in your old belongings, or sell pitches. Raise more with bouncy castles, raffles, etc.

Car treasure hunt

Drive from clue to clue in search of the 'treasure'. Teams pay to enter.

Car wash

Wash cars at shopping centre or office car parks.

Carnival Arrange a colourful carnival for your town, charging for each float entered.

Carol concert

Host a festive concert for your community. Earn extra by selling minced pies & mulled wine.

Carol singing

Get a group to go door-to-door singing. Bigger public displays may require a licence.

Casino evening

Hire gaming tables and a hall for the evening.

Charity ball

Raise sponsorship the sophisticated way. Organise a themed ball with DJ or live music at a hotel or nightclub. Charge for tickets, but boost your earnings with games and raffles.

Charity push

Get sponsored to cover a set distance in a bed, shopping trolley, bathtub, wheelie bin…

Children's party

Organise children's parties or activities, but be sure to check relevant childcare practices.

Christmas draw

Sell tickets and ask local firms to supply prizes. Check regulations about public draws & raffles.

Classic car show

Well-organised classic car and bike shows are great crowd pullers and fantastic fundraisers.

Coach trips

Coach trips to London, Blackpool, flower shows, etc, are popular. Sell tickets and hold a raffle.

Coconut shy

Easily arranged game for traditional fairs. All you need are a few coconuts and wooden balls.

Coffee morning

It's open house for the morning. Make extra with raffles, bring and buy sales and cake stalls.

Concerts  

Entertain the crowds with your own recital, or hire bands of musicians.

Cookery demo

Invite well-known chefs to share the recipe of their success with a ticket-paying audience.

Copper collection

Ask people to donate their collections of one and two pence pieces.

Craft fair

Make necklaces, dried flower arrangements, stained glass mirrors, etc, to sell on a stall.

Cricket match

Assemble a team and challenge your county team to a match. Charge spectators.

Crossword contest

Compile huge crossword, so punters pay per clue. Each number hides a ticket for prize draw.

Barn dances, tea dances, disco dances, salsa dances - whatever rocks your boat.

Darts tournament Challenge all the pub teams in the area to compete for cash prizes, or a barrel of beer.

Dinner and cabaret

Hire a popular and spacious restaurant. Entertain ticket holders with music, comedy and magic.

Disco

Spin the decks or hire a DJ to stage a themed disco night.

Dog show

Charge proud pet-owners to show off their pooches. Ask pet shops to sponsor the event.

Duck race

Sell numbered plastic ducks and launch them from a bridge. The duck to finish first wins.

Eating marathon

Get sponsored to stuff your face with as many baked beans/grapes/pies etc. as possible.

Eyebrows

Get sponsored to shave them off - they grow back eventually!

Get creative with face paints at fetes, fairs and children's parties.

Fancy dress

Jazz up your event with a fancy dress contest. Charge entrance fee.

Fashion show

Ask businesses to sponsor venue, outfits or catwalk. Charge admission and sales commission.

Fete

Reach the whole community by holding a fete, or team up with organisers of an annual event.

Film evening

Recreate an evening of vintage cinema by showing classic films and musicals.

Flower arranging

Make your own fresh, dried or silk arrangements to sell at craft fairs or fetes.

Flower show

Always popular. Boost funds with competitions, advice corners & side stalls.

Football tournament

Schedule fixtures and charge teams to enter. Ask local businesses for prizes.

Foreign coins

Ask people to donate their leftover holiday coins. Change into sterling once you have enough.

Fun day

Arrange games, music, competitions and stalls at a nearby hall or sports club.

Host mock version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire or The Weakest Link. Otherwise adapt board games for big audiences, and get prizes donated.

Garage sale

Sell off all your unwanted belongings.

Garden party

Sell tickets or invite guests to make a donation.

Gardening

Offer your gardening services to friends and family.

Glamorous Gran

Go in search of your area's most glamorous gran. Charge contestants to enter, and ask local hair and beauty salons to donate prizes. Invite the local press.

Go Kart Grand Prix

Hold a Go Kart Grand Prix at the nearest track. Drivers pay entrance fee.

Greeting cards

Make and sell cards for every occasion. Find out about selling Christmas cards for your charity.

Guess the???

Competitors guess how many sweets in the jar, a cake's weight, etc. The closest answer wins.

Guest speaker

Invite a guest speaker and sell admission tickets. Boost funds with raffle & refreshments.

Guided Tour

Take tourists and visitors on locally guided walks or trips.

Another excuse to dress up and party. Charge entrance fees and raise money trick or treating.

Head shave

Sick of bad hair days? Go bald for charity.

Hook-a-duck

Fete and fair game. Ask local companies to donate prizes.

Hoopla

Fete and fair game. Ask local companies to donate prizes.

Household sale

Sell off all your unwanted belongings.

Rent out stalls to local traders, or take cut of profits.

Inflatable

Put a bounce into your summer fete with an inflatable fly wall, boxing ring or gladiator court.

Ironing

Offer your ironing services - at a cost.

It's a knockout

Revive the 80s game show by inviting teams to compete in silly games in silly costumes.

Dump teams in the middle of nowhere. With no money or transport, see who gets back to base first.

Charge entrance fees and offer prizes.

Jazz festival

Play your own brand of jazz, or stage a show for local musicians. Sell tickets and refreshments.

Jewellery making

Buy your own beads and get threading. Sell your products at markets and craft fairs.

Junk mail

Collect all your junk mail and sell it to a recycling company.

Arrange your own Pop Idol contest. All you need is a machine, a room and a well-stocked bar.

Try doing everything with your left hand for the day.

Line dancing

Just make sure you have a caller and plenty of drink!

M

Marathons

Get sponsored to run a traditional 26-mile race.

Medieval Evening

Themed evening of medieval food, jousting and entertainment.

Mile of Pennies

Make a mile of pennies in your town centre. Ask shoppers to help by donating their coins.

Mini-Olympics

Invite everyone you know to compete in traditional & silly sports. Charge entry.

Music Concert

Entertain the crowds with your own recital, or hire bands of musicians.

Offer guided walks to natural beauty spots.

New year resolutions

Open your garden to visitors. Sell tickets, refreshments, plants and vegetables.

Opera night

Stage an opera evening in your area, or arrange a trip to see a big London production.

Ornament sale

Set up a market/fair stall. Alternatively, plan your own event and charge for pitches.

Outward bound

Go climbing, hiking, camping, etc, in preparation for your trip. Seek sponsorship.

Paintballing

Organise paintballing challenges at locally run centres. Players pay to enter.

Pancake race

Get flipping on Shrove Tuesday. Charge teams to enter, and spectators to eat.

Pantomime

Your chance to play the ugly sister. Stage a production with friends, family and colleagues.

Parachute jump

Daredevils only. Get sponsored to take the plunge.

Parties

Pick a venue, a date, a theme… and party on. Sell tickets and charge for extras like food.

Pet show

Charge proud pet-owners to show off their cats, hamsters, bunnies, mice, etc.

Petrol tokens

Trade in petrol tokens for gifts, which can be used as raffle or competition prizes.

Pick a cork

Fair game. Pick a numbered cork out of a board. If the number's a winner, claim a prize.

Pick a ticket

Fair game. Pick a numbered ticket from a bucket. If the number's a winner, claim a prize.

Plant a tree

Seek sponsors for a "plant a tree" scheme.

Plant sale

Sell donated plants or rent out pitches to traders.

Playstation play-off

Organise a league of players and compete on a certain game. Charge entrants.

Play your cards right

Fair game made famous by Bruce Forsyth. Guess higher or lower 6 times running & win a prize.

Pledges

Gather pledges of support, donations and services. These could be auctioned or raffled off.

Pop concert

Hire a venue and invite local bands to play. Sell tickets and set up stalls.

Postage stamps

Collect and sell foreign and unusual stamps to dealers.

Programmes

Get businesses to advertise in event programmes. Number programmes & use as raffle tickets.

Pub games night

Q

If your local doesn't run a pub quiz, set one up. Test the regulars on pop, trivia or sport.

The race is run on a large screen after all bets have been taken. A typical evening consists of eight races. Props (and film) are supplied by race operators. Some gaming regulations apply.

Raffle

Ask local firms to donate prizes and sell tickets. Check raffle laws with charity.

Raft race

Teams compete by building their rafts and racing over a set distance. Teams pay to compete.

Ramble

Take to the countryside for a mass walkabout. Throw in a theme (fancy dress, singles, three legged, Easter), and charge for entry and refreshments.

Recipe book

Publish favourite recipes from local restaurants and chefs.

Recycling

Collect paper, aluminium, glass, etc, and sell on to recycling companies.

Refreshments

Sell teas, coffees, sandwiches, biscuits, cakes, etc, at any fundraising event.

Roll-a-ball

Fair game where player rolls a ball through a hole at the end of a bowling-type alley.

Roll-a-coin

Fair game where player rolls a coin down a shute, aiming to land on a playing card.

Roll the dice

Roll six sixes and win a car! You need a big event… and car sponsor to make this worthwhile.

Travel from restaurant to restaurant, having a different course at each stop. Ask restaurants to support your efforts, but set cover charge to include all food and your cut.

Scavenger hunt

Variation on the treasure hunt where participants have a list of items to collect.

Shoe shine

Get down on your knees at your nearest train station or shopping centre.

Silver collections

Ask supporters to donate their loose change collections.

Sit in a bath

Get sponsored to spend the day in a bath of beans/maggots/tea, etc.

Skittles

Make an evening event out of this traditional pub game.

Skydiving

Free fall your way back to earth - for sponsorship.

Slimming contest

Arrange with local slimming clubs. Participants get sponsored £1 for every pound lost.

Sponge throwing

Players pay to chuck sopping wet sponges at whoever's in the stocks.

Sponsored silence

Mum's the word. Stay silent for as long as you can.

Sports competition

Whatever your game, organise a tournament. Sell tickets, and organise stalls, raffles, etc.

Stage play

Raise the curtain on a local Am Dram production.

Stationary cycle

Don't fancy the map reading? Forget cycling to Paris, but cover the same distance at the gym.

Swap shop

Put unwanted items in touch with loving homes. Charge swappers to participate.

Swear box

Spend a £1 for every $@*£$! uttered. Put a box at home, at work and at the pub.

Swimathon

Get sponsored per length, mile, minute, hour…

Indoor variation on the car boot sale. Charge for table hire.

Talent competition

Discover Britain's next big thing with your own talent show. Charge entry and offer prizes.

Ten-pin bowling

Bowling alleys often have special rates for big groups & charity evenings.

Tin can alley

Traditional fair game. Knock down the stack of tin cans and win a prize.

Tombola

Pick a raffle ticket out of a barrel and match it with a ticketed prize. Fair & fete favourite.

Toy sale

In the run up to Christmas, toy sales can be big fundraisers.

Treasure hunt

Sniffing out the clues, teams compete against each other to discover the 'hidden treasure'.

Arrange a post-Christmas sale of unwanted gifts. Ask traders to donate a cut of their takings.

Comedians, magicians, singers, dancers & musicians all under one roof.

Vehicle rally

Well-organised car and bike shows are great crowd pullers and fantastic fundraisers.

Visits

Organising visits to local places or tourist destinations.

Lead organised walks to historical spots and places of interest. Ghost walks are also popular.

Waste paper

Collect waste paper and sell to recycling companies.

Water sports

Let others splash out as you splash in. Teach water sports or get sponsored to take part.

Waxing

A hair-raising experience for the boys. Get sponsored to wax your legs or chest.

Weight of the cake

Fair game. Pay to guess the weight - and win the cake if you're right.

Welly throwing

Fun for every fete and fair. Throwers compete to see whose welly goes furthest.

Whiskey raffle

Charge a pound a ticket, and pick a winner for every 25 sold. Check licensing and raffle laws.

Wine & cheese

Ask supermarkets to donate the wine and cheese. Sell tickets, and produce to take away.

Wine tasting

Hold tasting sessions for wine companies. Charge commission on wine sold. Arrange a raffle.

Stock up on crackers, pudding and mince pies. Break with tradition by holding it in July!

Xmas hampers

Make up and sell your own Xmas hampers. Include food, drink, toys and gifts.

Participate in regional or national events. Seek sponsorship from local clubs and businesses.