With the festive season not all that far away, we wanted to provide you with some fun and creative fundraising ideas for your Christmas challenge this year.
Drive Through Santa Visits
Bring some Christmas joy to the little ones this festive season and invite families to a Drive Through Santa Visit. With the same principle as our National Car Wash, but without having to wash a car! Decorate the appliance bay, get the Christmas music on and have the Crew dress up as elves, reindeers and, of course, Santa. Families can drive through the appliance bay and visit Santa from their car. Register your Drive Through Santa Visit here.
December Ascender
It’s simple – one ladder, one team, one hour!
When public street collections had to be cancelled in December 2020 due to lockdown, a group of managers from Glasgow came up with the idea of the December Ascender Challenge, to get stations competing against each other and raising money for our Charity.
Now, we’re asking stations across the UK to take part in their own December Ascender event. The concept is simple: one 13.5m ladder, one team of ten, and one hour. Set up your fundraising page and get climbing to raise vital funds for our Charity. Register your December Ascender event here.
Santa Dash
Dust off your red suit and dash your own distance on station, in your community, around a local park or back garden. You’ll certainly give your neighbours a laugh!
For fundraising advice and support, get in touch with your Community Fundraiser.
More fundraising ideas to try…
Hold a Christmas Collection
One of the most successful Christmas events is a Christmas Collection. To run one, just follow the steps below:
- Contact the manager of a local venue and request to hold a Charity collection on their premises. Supermarkets and shopping centres work well. If you want to hold a street collection, then you will need a license from the local authority. Contact your fundraiser for details on how to apply
- Recruit your volunteers
- Get buckets ready – if you don’t have any buckets contact our Customer Care Team on customercare@firefighterscharity.org.uk / 01256 366566 to be directed to your local supply.
Breakfast with Santa / Christmas Grotto
Format of the day:
- Have a room dressed up with Christmas decorations
- Recruit a Santa – make it extra exciting by having him arrive by fire engine
- Each child attending to receive a personal present
- Create a festive playlist and arrange some games to make it extra fun
- Have some snacks and drinks available for a donation
- Talk to a local supermarket or business to see if they can donate some food, decorations or presents
- Charge each child an entry fee
Boxing Day or New Year’s Day Dip
- Brave the icy waters and take part in a local, pre-organised event in the sea, river or lake near you
- Get sponsored by friends, family and colleagues
- Set up an online giving page on www.justgiving.com and promote on social media
Christmas Hat / Jumper Day
- Wear a novelty Christmas hat or jumper in exchange for a donation
- Prize for the best hat / jumper
- Encourage local businesses and schools to get involved
Santa’s Sleigh
If you’ve been good this year, ask Santa and his reindeers to help collect donations for The Fire Fighters Charity on his sleigh around your town or village.
Please contact your Community Fundraiser here if you would like to run a public event.
Elfie Challenge
On the 1st of December when Elfie is back, watch out for him causing havoc on Station. The more you raise the naughtier he becomes. Post updates on social media of Elfie’s antics and share your JustGiving page to raise funds. What will your Elfie get up to?
Grotto Break Out
Create your very own grotto and challenge the CFO, CEO or Senior Member of Staff to break out by raising money. Give them a phone and set up a JustGiving page and they need to call on support to get them out. To make it doubly challenging, set up an alternative page that people can donate to keep him in! Give them a phone, set up a JustGiving page and challenge them to hit a target amount to secure their release.
Virtual or face-to-face Carol Service
Call on your local choir to support with a Carol Service that can either be organised facer-to-face, or be recorded in advance or streamed live in December with a JustGiving Page asking people to pay what they can.
Letters / Video from Santa
Keep the Magic of Christmas alive for the kids by asking families to submit their request for a letter or video from Santa for a small donation, then spend a day collating letters or recording personal videos to be sent in return.
Festive Quiz
Host a quiz over a video call or face-to-face, invite your friends and family and ask them for a small donation to take part. You can either find template questions online, write your own, or ask your contestants to submit a question each to mix it up a little!
Baking Class
Do all your friends and family think you should apply for Bake Off? How about literally dusting off your rolling pin and hosting a festive baking class?
Unwanted Gifts
Ask people to donate unwanted Christmas presents for a future raffle. Or hold a festive eBay sale of unwanted gifts donating the proceeds. You can do this by going to eBay for Charity and searching for The Fire Fighters Charity: charity.ebay.com