Tips on how you can reach your fundraising target!

Number one - get started AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! Whether you think its easy or hard to raise the £500 target, its much better to get started as soon as possible to give yourself time to plan and organise, and find new ways to raise the cash if you need to! 

Make sure you write a good fundraising page. Keep it updated, let people know who you are, what you are doing and why. Let them know what the charity is and add a bit of personality to your writing!

A great start for your fundraising is to speak to close family and good friends (who are the most likely to sponsor you a good amount!) and ask them to kickstart your donation page with a few good sponsorships (perhaps in the region of £10 - £20 if possible!). There is a good reason for this - People will generally look at past sponsors to get an idea of how much to donate. For example, if you go to a page and sponsorships are in the region of £2 - £5, you are likely to donate £2 - £10 (you don't want to look like the rich kid in town dishing out £20s!)... if you head to a page and the donations have been in the regions of £10 - £20, then you often wouldn't want to go less than a fiver - you might even get a few £25's thrown in! But do remember - every single penny counts and you should always been grateful for every donation made, however big or small.

Get your page out to all friends and family who you think maybe interested in what you are doing. Email, tweet, facebook, notes, newsletter? You may be surprised who decides to donate to the cause - as the most common hereditary life threatening disease in the UK, it is very likely you may know someone, or someone you know knows someone who is effect by CF. If you do, perhaps they might like to spread the news about your page and skydive too? Do you know anyone who blogs a lot? Or writes for the paper? Even if not, send a message to your local paper - they always love a good charity story and should be happy to include your fundraising page! 

Make sure you regularly (but not too regularly!) repost your page and information about what you are doing. You need to gently remind people so those people who think "oh I must get onto sponsoring them" or "I'll do that later" actually get round to doing it! 

Think of groups of people you are affiliated with. Are you part of any sports clubs? Do you go to the gym regularly? Are you part of a reading group or dance squad or play poker with a regular group of friends? Do you attend a church? Ask them to sponsor you, but also see if they have any ideas as to how you could fundraise! A group event? A press-up competition at the gym? A sponsored freeze with your breakdance crew? A collection box at church or on the bar at work? 

Also think of what you could do with your work. Is there anything you are willing to do that may earn your colleagues sponsorship? Could you offer to do the lunch run or coffee rounds for a week in return for sponsorships? Could you run a sweepstake for a sporting event or a lottery/bingo game during lunch? How about a quiz? Perhaps ask your boss if he/she has any ideas or to find out what you can/can't do! 

Finally, you can run an event. This could be a car wash or cake stall, a quiz night at the local pub, a posh dinner party (where everyone coming donates!), or even bigger events such as a music night or race night! 

Remember - there are probably a lot of friends and family who may be able to help out - not just with sponsorship but ideas, running/organising, contacts etc. For example, a friend who works in a bar might love to help out (charity box? Open mic night? Quiz?). Ask around, think of who you know, think out of the box!

If you have any ideas or need a hand thinking of how to get it off the ground, just ask - I can try and help where I can! Similarly, if you need any charity branded items, letters, sponsor forms etc. you can get this through me or directly from the CF Trust, and on the CF Trust website. There are lots more fundraising ideas on their website which you may find useful!

Please leave me a comment if you use this blog piece and what you think! Would be great to hear some feedback :)

Simple Steps to a Skydive...

Simply, follow the steps below to get involved in the CF Week Tandem Skydive 2013 on 29th June!

1. Set up your VirginMoneyGiving page:
a) You are part of an organised event
b) Search for "June 2013" and "Wiltshire"
c) The CF Week Tandem Skydive event should be top of list
d) You are fundraising "on your own"
e) Fill in your page and make yourself sound wonderful!

2. Register with GoSkydive
a) Call 01722568644
b) Speak to Holly or Becky if you can, but everyone should be able to help
c) Let them know you are booking on the CF Trust Skydive on June 29th
d) They will ask if you want to add on bits and pieces such as a higher jump, a video jumper (this is about an additional £160) – most people will say no to this, but if you would really like to do any of these things, feel free to do so (although you should really cough up the cash personally for any additionals)
e) Pay your £50 deposit via card over the phone

Great, you are set up! All you need to do now is start fundraising and get prepared for the jump of a lifetime!!!