The sweet glow of the successful fundraiser
Fundraising, like anything involving earning or raising money, is not a piece of cake. Or at least not often. A successful fundraising programme requires planning, good organization, commitment and above all personality. You need to make family, friends, companies, your old headmaster, your university college, your local football club all believe that what you are doing and the causes that you support and worth a financial leg-up.
Our advice is to focus on the things your good at and the contacts you might have: football, mate's dad works for city top 100, drama, breakdancing ñ whatever, and then base your ëevent' around said talents or interests.
Development Travel specialists Madventurer have been helping students fundraise for summer projects and adventures for years, even running events like the Three Peaks Challenge to help. See what they have to say on the matterÖ.
Fundraising With Madventurer
All of Madventurerís overseas development projects are financed by the charity, the Mad Foundation. Building materials, local labour, teaching resources and school sports equipment are paid for by funds from this foundation. Part of your expedition cost is paid directly to the Mad Foundation. Firstly, once you join a Madventurer project you will receive a fundraising pack that contains a personalised letter of support and a fundraising ideas pack. This letter can be used to send off to organisations, your old school, and other funds that may be able to support you.
'The fundraising pack really helped me to get started being a little apprehensive at first. I wasn't sure who I was going to contact and the best way to approach it. The pack suggested that I approach my old school but stressed the need to offer something in return. I sent the covering letter to my old school to explain what I was doing and what I could offer them and they were really keen to help me out. I organised a slide show and information talk to the sixth form for when I got back showing the work I had done with mad and my school were brilliant and managed to secure £586 funding to help me with my expedition."
Emma Singh, Mad Medic, Kenya 2000
Successful past fundraising activities have included head-shaving (Jess Watts raised £1200 when her blond locks were cut off in Newcastle Student Union), skydiving, cake baking, naked calendars and marathon running.
Secondly, Madventurer societies (madsocs) organise fundraising events for groups of people going away on mad expeditions. These madsocs are usually made up of past Madventurers and those about to go away on expeditions. Past events have ranged from fancy dress bar crawls to African themed nights to the now famous ëMad Three Peaks Challengeí.
For more information on any of our fundraising events email team@madventurer.com and for information and fundraising forms on the ëThree Peaksí click here.
Good luck!
