Now you have decided what event you are going to organise, you need to decide how to go about it. Here are a few tips that should help you on your way.
You could hold a coffee morning either at home, work, mother and toddler group or church.
If you normally meet friends for coffee in a cafe, why not invite them to your house and ask them to donate what they would have spent.
See if you can hold a charity coffee morning at work
Or if you attend a club, church, mother or toddler group, why not see if you can host a charity coffee morning before, during or after the meeting.
Perhaps a friend would volunteer their home. You could even charge a nominal entrance fee and by inviting a guest of honour and an opener to the event, you could raise further revenue by asking them for a donation for the privilege.
How about having a stall selling homemade cakes and biscuits? Alternatively, a small shop may be interested in selling their goods and giving you a percentage of their takings .
Ask friends and family to bake their favourite cakes or biscuits to sell or you could even sell refreshments such as bagels.
Think about what you will need to make your sale a success. For instance,
If you are planning to sell cakes and other snacks consider whether any special storage or handling is required.
Don't forget to tell people why you are holding your event. If you tell them that all proceeds will be donated to The H R Trust, they are likely to be more generous.
If you need any written information, then do not hesitate to contact The H R Trust office or alternatively you can download information from the website. Let people know that we are reliant on fundraising in order to finance vital research and support patients and their families.
Always aim to raise at least three times as much as you need to spend. For instance, if you spend £10 on ingredients, try and raise a minimum of £30 from sales.
If you plan to organise this type of event on a regular basis, you might want to think about sponsorship - perhaps, your employer or a local supermarket may make a contribution to the ingredients or even match what you raise.
And don't forget that on the day, you will need a float - work out how much you plan to charge for the cakes and ensure you have the right coins for customer's change.
Make sure you have a secure system for handling money and a lockable box in order to keep it in. Ensure that you have two people together to count the money at the end of the event.
Make sure you carry out a risk assessment before your event, for instance checking out all the exit routes. Also, it is important to adhere to appropriate health and safety measures.
If you are planning to sell food, check out the Food Standards Agency website www.eatwell.gov.uk for advice. There are certain regulations that have to be adhered to for specific types of food.
If you are selling cakes, it would be a good idea to list the ingredients, in case of allergy sufferers, and the date it was baked. It would also be a good idea to suggest how long it can be stored for.