01
Sponsored walk
Friends, workplaces and community groups
Choose a manageable route, check access and weather, and offer a volunteering or seated alternative. Say whether pledges depend on completing the route.
WORKPLACES · SCHOOLS · COMMUNITIES
Charity fundraising ideas your group can put into practice
Choose a shared activity, make it accessible and give supporters a clear way to help fund care or emergency relief.
Download the free fundraising pack Quick answer
Practical UK fundraising ideas include sponsored walks, coffee mornings, skills sessions and community events. Choose an activity that fits your group, budget and access needs, then agree the appeal purpose and create a staff-approved WAN fundraising page. Use the free fundraising pack for posters, invitations, event checks and records.
Which activity suits our group?
Start with the people taking part. Consider their interests, time, travel and access needs, then compare the likely costs with your target. Giving should be voluntary. These are ideas to plan and check; no income or level of participation is guaranteed.
02
Coffee morning
Small workplaces and local groups
Keep costs manageable, check food safety and allergen information, and distinguish an item price from a voluntary suggested donation.
03
Skills lunch
Teams and professional networks
Invite a colleague to teach a useful skill. Use the approved fundraiser link and keep donations optional; check employer and venue permission.
04
Craft gathering
Clubs and community venues
Make or share crafts together. Agree material costs and whether any sale proceeds go to the appeal before advertising.
05
Team movement challenge
Remote or mixed-ability teams
Choose an inclusive challenge with personal goals. Avoid publishing individual health or activity data without permission.
06
Reading challenge
Families and schools
Use age-appropriate activities and adult supervision. Explain the sponsorship conditions and offer participation without a donation.
07
Community meal
Faith groups and neighbourhoods
Check food hygiene, allergens, venue capacity and access. Be clear about fixed ticket prices and the amount that will support the appeal.
08
Music or spoken-word evening
Local performers and community groups
Check venue and performance permissions, sound arrangements, accessibility and any licensing requirements.
09
Birthday fundraiser
Individuals and families
Invite optional gifts through your approved page. Explain the programme you have chosen without promising an individual patient result.
10
Online workshop
Distributed communities
Choose an accessible platform, test joining instructions and keep payment on the approved donation page. Respect contact preferences.
11
Employer matching campaign
Companies with an agreed budget
Confirm the sponsor, rate, eligibility, dates, cap and payment terms in writing before advertising a match.
12
Volunteer-led awareness event
Professional and community networks
Share current WAN appeal information and invite optional donations. Use approved materials and give visitors a clear contact for questions.
How do we organise the fundraiser?
- Choose a programme. Read the Gift of Sight appeal, cancer appeal or current emergency appeals. Agree any special restriction with WAN first.
- Set an affordable plan. Name an organiser, budget for costs, check venue permission and plan accessibility, first aid and safeguarding where relevant.
- Request your page. Submit your fundraising page for staff review. Check the purpose, target, dates and payment link before publishing.
- Prepare the invitation. Use the editable fundraising templates and posters. State any prices, voluntary suggested donations, costs and conditions clearly.
- Record and report. Separate donations received, costs, transfers and unpaid pledges. Thank supporters with confirmed figures and avoid counting a donation twice.
What does a fundraising target mean?
A target is the amount you hope to raise for an agreed programme. It is not evidence of care already delivered. Around £200 is the cataract-surgery planning estimate supplied to WAN by Mr Mohamed Mohyudin; actual provider costs, patient needs and clinical outcomes vary.
For example, “Our team aims to raise £1,000 towards WAN’s eye-surgery programme” describes a financial goal. Do not promise five completed operations by dividing that target by an estimate. Read how donations are used and agree any restricted gift before launch.
Gift Aid is not currently available; future claims require HMRC recognition and eligibility checks. Check WAN’s current registration status before reusing old materials.
How does employer matching work?
Ask your employer whether it can make a matching commitment, then record the sponsor, rate, eligible gifts, start and end dates, total cap and payment deadline. A proposed offer is not live until agreed. Stop promoting it when it ends or the cap is reached, and record an unpaid match as a pledge.
The employer fundraising pack contains a matching request and announcement draft. For wider support, discuss a corporate partnership.
What permissions and safeguards should we check?
Requirements depend on the event and its location. Check venue permission, insurance, collections, food safety and any regulated activities. Raffles and lotteries require separate consideration. The Gambling Commission explains the relevant categories, while GOV.UK points to local street-collection licensing.
Use informed permission for identifiable people in images, give donors access to privacy information and respect a decision not to give. The Code of Fundraising Practice provides standards for responsible fundraising. These resources do not provide event approval or insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Which fundraising idea is best for a small workplace?
A coffee morning, skills lunch or optional team challenge can be manageable. Compare the time, cost, venue and access needs before choosing. A small event with clear costs can be more suitable than a complex challenge.
How much should our fundraiser aim to raise?
Set a financial target your group can reasonably work towards. Around £200 is a surgeon-supplied cataract planning estimate, not a fixed procedure price. Do not convert a target into a promised number of operations or people helped.
Can we add Gift Aid?
Gift Aid is not currently available; future claims require HMRC recognition and eligibility checks.
Does a raffle need special permission?
Raffles and lotteries have specific rules. Check the Gambling Commission guidance and any relevant local requirements before promoting or selling tickets. A general fundraising pack does not provide a licence or approve your event.
Ready to plan your fundraiser?
Download the materials, agree your programme and share your event proposal with WAN.
Make an informed donation
Check what the organisation offers, understand the conditions and choose a way to give that suits you.
- Compare ways to donate
Card giving, monthly gifts and other routes, with current availability.
- Gift Aid eligibility explained
Understand donor conditions and the current status at WAN.
- Where your money goes
Read how funds are allocated and how estimates differ from results.
- Check our registration status
Distinguish the application reference from a registered charity number.
- Practical donor resources
Find answers, useful tools and giving options.