With the continuing financial challenges facing charities, community fundraising has never been so important to the future of many of our local support services. But with so many charities needing this type of support, they need to ensure they are putting the ‘fun’ in fundraising!

Over the years there’s been some fundraising campaigns from national and international charities that have captured the attention of people on a massive scale. The ice bucket challenge for motor neurone disease charity ALS is perhaps the most well-known. The 2014 fundraising phenomenon raised an incredible £41.8 million in donations from 729,000 new donors and engaged millions of people via social media, all from people filming themselves throwing buckets of iced water over their heads!

While small, local charities aren’t going to compete with this level of engagement, many are coming up with innovative ways for people to raise money for their cause. Take Saint Michael’s Hospice for example. This year they are offering so many different ways to support them simply through walking – a Sunrise Trail, Twilight Walk, Midnight Walk, Yorkshire 3 Peaks – all in the hope that one of them captures the imagination of potential fundraisers.

Quite often, the fundraising campaigns that do well are the ones that see people taking themselves out of their comfort zones with a physical challenge or something they might otherwise fear doing – New Year’s Day sea dip anyone?! Everyone likes to see people being authentic and human and these fundraisers often raise lots of money from people who enjoy watching friends and family ‘suffer’.

Some fundraising requires skills and training and many more don’t. Almost anyone could shave their head or take part in a dunk tank. And then there are people like Paul Ivison who is using his green finger skills to raise money for our own HELP project and Andy’s Man Club. Paul is the owner of the outrageously colourful and quirky garden on Mayfield Grove which is stacked full of kids toys which he is selling to raise money for our charities.

It’s also important for charities to recognise the value of engaging the fundraisers of the future – the younger generation. Take Daniel, age 9, an entrepreneurial young pupil from Harrogate, who raised much needed funds for local charity Open Country. Daniel spent weeks of his spare time making hundreds of bookmarks to sell, as well as collecting prizes for a grand draw which raised an amazing £177 for the disability charity.

Most importantly, small gestures can make a significant difference to local charities. You could join the Local Lotto for as little as £1 a week and choose which charity to support with the cost of your ticket. Workplaces, schools or groups of friends can organize fun and simple fundraisers, such as a bad tie day or a bake-off. These activities allow participants to collectively make a substantial impact on their community, while individually contributing just a small amount of time or money.