The nights are drawing in, our bobble hats are out, and suddenly, diaries are starting to look very full. This can only mean one thing - Christmas is on its way!
With the festive season just around the corner, there’s no better time to get creative with your fundraising!
We’ve magicked up some of our best festive fundraising ideas to help you have fun with your colleagues and get in the Christmas spirit, whilst raising all-important funds and awareness for Meningitis Now.
Here are our Corporate Team’s top 10 festive fundraising ideas for 2023:
Festive dress up day
An oldie, but a goodie! This is a simple, fun way to fundraise and help us to rebuild the lives of people who have experienced meningitis! Crack out your Christmas jumper or dig out your matching pyjamas and host a festive dress down day. Charge a donation for the privilege and go one step further, by creating awards for the best/funniest Christmas outfit. Better still, why not involve your clients, by posting photos of your team across your social media pages and ask them to cast their votes? Don’t forget to tag us!
Take on an Advent challenge
Take on a daily challenge in the lead up to Christmas. This could be anything from running 5k every day, to playing your favourite Christmas song! Once you’ve decided what your daily challenge will be, set up a fundraising page and start gathering those all-important donations! Post videos or pictures of your challenges and ask people to sponsor you. If you prefer to have challenges set for you, check out our downloadable Advent Challenge sheet.
Host a Christmas movie marathon
There’s nothing quite like a festive film or two, to get you in the Christmas spirit and there are so many fantastic ones to choose from! Stock up on mince pies, get the mulled wine in, and put your feet up for a cosy movie night in with your colleagues, friends or family. You could send out a poll with film suggestions. From The Grinch to The Holiday, there’s a film out there for everyone to enjoy, in return for an entry fee or donation.
Wreath making challenge
From a Christmas wreath made up of your favourite festive foliage and embellishments, to pom pom and paper flower wreaths, there are so many ways to craft a beautiful, unique wreath to brighten your office or home.
Why not host your own wreath making afternoon or evening and let your festive creativity flow? Ask your colleagues for a fee to cover materials. Don’t forget to add a little on top as a donation to Meningitis Now!
Host a Christmas bake off
There’s no denying, one of the best things about the festive season is the delicious festive treats. Plus, every team has at least one aspiring Mary Berry. So why not host your very own team bake off? Who can bake the biggest Christmas cookie; the sturdiest Gingerbread house; the most melt-in-your-mouth mince pies? You could step this up a level and have a cake eating contest! Invite your clients over to join in the fun, too – yule love it!
Deck your desk!
Raid your Christmas decoration box and let your creative juices flow! Hold a desk decorating contest across the office and see how competitive it gets (which in our experience at Meningitis Now, is highly!) Go classic with tinsel and lights or go all out, creating your very own Winter Wonderland. Ask for donations for entry or ask people to donate to vote for the best-dressed desk.
Set up a gift wrapping station
Christmas gift wrapping can be a chore, for some. Make this task easier for your colleagues and set up a gift-wrapping station in your office. Select some jazzy wrapping paper, ribbons and gift tags, and ask for a suggested donation per gift wrapped. You could even see if local businesses or Christmas fairs will let you offer gift wrapping services to their customers.
Organise a Santa dash!
Help raise funds to ensure Meningitis Now can provide support and care for those who need it now and in the future. Invite your colleagues, friends, family, neighbours, and everyone you know, to don their Santa hats and costumes, and take part in a fun run. It can be as long, or as short as you like. The main aim is to have fun before everyone heads ho-ho-home!
Crazy Christmas hair day!
Spark some festive fun in your office and host a crazy Christmas hair day. Dig out your hair accessories, get sprinkling that glitter and let your imagination run wild. Ask your colleagues to vote for the best creation in return for a donation.
Host a carol-off
Release your inner Mariah Carey and host a Christmas open mic night! Bring some festive cheer, warm up your vocal cords and get practicing those Christmas classics. Consider your location and where you’ll publicise your event. Raise funds for Meningitis Now by selling tickets on the door, asking for a suggested donation or by selling food and festive tipples.
Alternatively, you could host a team v team carol-off over a lunch break and let your CEO decide the winner. Why not record it and create a team Christmas carol video and share this on your social media pages? If you do, be sure to tag us!
Bonus ideas for fundraising in 2024
We know the festive season can be a hectic time of year so if you’re too busy to get involved in the lead up, fear not!
Here are a few ideas to help you hit the ground running and fundraise for us in 2024:
8,000 steps a day in January
Help us step out this January to support people affected by meningitis in the UK! Pre-Covid, we estimated 8,000 people per year contract bacterial or viral meningitis in the UK – that’s 22 people, every day. To help kick the New Year off, we are launching a Facebook Fundraising Challenge – 8,000 steps a day in January.
Sign up and you’ll get:
Your very own Meningitis Now t-shirt.
A super useful steps tracker to help you keep on top of your daily steps.
Support from our friendly team throughout the challenge, via our exclusive Facebook group.
The challenge is free to take part in, and we ask that everyone raises what they can. As it’s a Facebook fundraising challenge, we encourage participants to set up a Facebook Fundraising page to get their fundraising kickstarted. If you’re not on social media, we have an alternative option. Email the Partnerships Team for more information: partnerships@meningitisnow.org
Be a headphone hero and join us at our silent disco!
Meningitis Now are excited to be hosting a silent disco and everyone is invited! Taking place on Friday 26 January, at Stroud Subscription Rooms, Gloucestershire, this event is a fun, unique opportunity to beat the January blues and enjoy a night out with your team! Tickets are just £15 each. Contact the corporate team at Meningitis Now to reserve your tickets: partnerships@meningitisnow.org.
Firewalk
Overcome your fears and walk over hot coals for Meningitis Now!
We are hosting a firewalk on Saturday 17 March, at Silhillians Sports Club & Conference Venue, Solihull.
This is an excellent opportunity to come together with your team, whilst raising vital funds to help us rebuild lives. We are also on the lookout for corporate sponsors for this event. If your company might be interested in this exciting opportunity, please email our Senior Corporate Fundraiser, Laura, at: LauraW@meningitisnow.org.
Give it up for January
We all have habits or indulgences we enjoy a bit too much, so January is the perfect time to challenge yourself to give something up and kick start your motivation. It’s down to you to decide what you’ll give up and for how long, but the tougher the challenge the more you could raise!
Some popular things to give up, include: takeaways, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, and social media. Don’t forget to set up a fundraising page for your challenge and share updates with your team, friends and family!
Unwanted Christmas present bring and buy sale/raffle
Unwanted gifts - we all get them! Instead of banishing them to the back of your cupboard, why not host a bring-and-buy sale or raffle at work? This is a great way to move on items to people who'd like them more, whilst raising vital funds for Meningitis Now!
However, you choose to support Meningitis Now, we will be truly grateful for your support! Together, we will save lives and rebuild futures.
To find out more about the ways your company can support Meningitis Now, please get in touch with Mark and Laura in the Partnerships Team, at: partnerships@meningitisnow.org.
