Fundraising Ideas

[EvianBaby]

My brothers friends have a an adorable little boy who suffers from Muscular dystrophy which leaves him unable to walk.

He's spent many of his 8 years using an adapted toy horse (with wheels) as his main method of getting about and it's been great because he doesn't look different to other kids, he just looks like he's playing.

But he's outgrowing it now he needs a buggy to move around in and also one for a car and they are so expensive. The family needs to raise about £8k and we want to come up with some ideas to help raise the funds.

Anyone got any bright ideas?

[MadMen]

:-( Aww.

How about a sponsored something or other? Something no one would ever expect you to do. Jump out of a plane? Shave off all your hair?

Or, how about getting everyone together and holding some kind of 'night'? Like a quiz night?
You could contact local businesses, and ask them to donate prizes for a raffle. Get the local paper involved as a way of advertising too.

[EvianBaby]

I was thinking some sort of wheel chair challenge, participated by able bodied people.

But I don't know how easy that would be to organise.

[EvianBaby]

Sorry, should also add it probably won't be me doing any of this. I don't know the family that well, they live in Leeds (and I'm in Bucks) but my bro is trying to help them out.

[woofgang]

have you also talked to the mobility charities? Whizzkids is one, I am sure there are others. I think that they loan their stuff so that as the child grows out of it, they retrieve and recondition it and pass it on to a younger child.

http://www.livingmadeeasy.org.uk/scenario.php?csid=172

[DSJ]

Publicity in their local paper would be a good idea. Local firms may well decide to sponsor the little boy or, at least, come up with some ideas.

[vodkancoke]

My Godmother has raised millions for breast cancer by doing things like sponsored bungee jumps/parachute jumps, sponsored wingwalking, bake sales, fashion shows, quiz nights, auctions, dinner-dances, selling a cookbook we all created and a Mini Olympics at a local sports hall and loads more.

[EvianBaby]

I know they are getting some funds from a charity towards it (not sure which) but still have to find the above amount themselves.

[vodkancoke]

Sorry pressed submit too soon!

They could organise a sponsored walk or run (with wheelchairs/buggys)

[honeydip]

I am not sure how a wheel chair challenge would go down so well. The participants might not take it seriously and laugh or something which would look really bad. Maybe you could do a sponsored bungee jump? I once did bungee jump for charity and managed to raise enough to pay for the full price of the jump. If you start well in advance you might actually raise more than the price of the jump. If you can get a few people to do it even better obviously. You could even go directly to a hire company and hire the crane for 1500 pounds and get other people to get sponsored to do it and pay you. Hold the event at a pub car park. Any profit goes to the buggy.

[EvianBaby]

I'm sure they'll do all the normal sorts of things but I think they want to do something a bit unique as there are so many other (worthy) causes asking for donations too.

[mallyh]

could your brothers friend get his local to put a bottle on the bar to collect money or hold quiz nights dart matches etc .I think its awful that these poor children aren't given these things by NHS ,my friends son had this horrible disease.I hope it doesn't take them too long to raise the money

[woofgang]

have they only approached one charity? Have they talked to anyone in their NHS paediatric team?

[MadMen]

I went to something similar last year. A local pub was holding a fundraising day for a local disabled kid and they raised a fair amount.
They had different bands playing, raffles with prizes from local businesses, and an auction.
Definitely get local businesses and the local rag involved.

[EvianBaby]

I'm really not sure Woof, as I said I don't know them overly well (though they are good friends of my brother). I'm sure they've approached many places.

He's such a great little lad Mally, it's horrible to see them in that position isn't it. Every time I've been with him he's the life and soul of the party. In fact, I didn't realise he even had a problem the first time I met him until his Dad picked him up to take him to the car at the end of the night.

[woofgang]

just checking Evian. Its amazing how many people don't "like to" go from charity to charity or feel embarrassed to do the research. 8k is a lot for something that he probably wont wear out as he will outgrow it.