Hold a bake sale: recipes, tips and ideas
Let’s raise some dough for charity!
Looking for fundraising inspiration? Whether you’re organising something big or small, solo or with a team, this A‑Z list of fundraising ideas is jam-packed with creative ways to make a big difference.
No fundraisisng idea is ever to big, small or silly! The main thing is to do something that you enjoy. In fact, did you hear about how one CAP supporter discovered a Roman Villa and started raising money for charity?
A‑E
A
- Afternoon tea – Host a very British afternoon tea with finger sandwiches and plenty of scones.
- Abseil – Face your fears by descending a building or a cliff for sponsorship.
- Art exhibition – Showcase local talent and raise funds through ticket sales or art auctions.
B
- Bake sale – A tried and tested favourite. Sell cakes, biscuits or savoury treats at school, work, a community cafe or your local church.
- Birthday donations – Ask friends and family to donate to your cause instead of traditional gifts.
C
- Craft fair – If you have an event space, invite local makers to sell their handmade craft items. Fundraise for charity by asking for a stall fee.
- Coffee morning – Put the kettle on and gather together friends, family, work colleagues or your local community for a brew, chat and donation.
- Children’s fun day – Organise fun games, face painting, competitions and prizes that the whole family can enjoy. This would work well in a church to get the whole community involved.
- Car washing – Grab a bucket and sponge and shine up your community’s cars for a small fee.
- Cooking show – Why not host a live cooking demonstration or ‘MasterChef’ competition for foodies?
D
- Dog walking – If you’re an animal lover, offer to take pups for a stroll to help out people in your community and raise funds for charity.
- Dinner party – Host a meal at home and ask your guests to pay what they would in a restaurant.
- Darts competition – Hit the bullseye with a tournament at your local pub, community centre or home.
E
- Eurovision party – Celebrate the fun of the song contest and invite friends and family round. Serve up delicious food from across Europe and play exciting games like Eurovision bingo.
- Easter egg hunt – Hide treats around your garden or home and ask family members to give a small donation to charity to take part in your egg hunt.
Looking for more Easter-themed fundraising ideas?
Find our seasonal ideas hereF‑J
F
- Fancy dress day – Encourage work colleagues to show up in fancy dress for the day.
- Five-a-side football tournament – Get teams together for a fast-paced day of competitive footy.
- Football sweepstake – A simple way to raise money by predicting the winners of a major tournament or league.
- Firewalk – Brave the heat and walk across hot coals to prove your dedication for fundraising!
- Flower arranging – Host a workshop for people to learn a new skill and take home a beautiful bouquet. Adapt your workshop to different seasons, such as making a wreath at Christmas.
G
- Gameathon – Why not challenge yourself to a 24-hour gameathon with friends, family or colleagues? You could host your event online or in a community hall or church.
- Give up a habit – Get sponsored to ditch social media, alcohol or chocolate for a set period of time.
- Greeting cards – Feeling extra crafty? Why not make your own greeting cards and sell them to friends, family and people in your community?
- Garden party – Enjoy the sunshine with outdoor games, drinks and food in your garden. You could charge a small entry fee.
H
- Hiking challenge – Lace up your boots and conquer a local peak or a long-distance trail.
- Hour of earnings – Ask colleagues to donate just one hour of their salary to your chosen charity.
- Honesty box – Set up a treat station at work where people can grab a snack for a small donation.
I
- International food festival – Celebrate global flavors by cooking and sharing dishes from different cultures.
- Iron Man challenge – Test your limits with a grueling combination of swimming, cycling, and running.
- In memory donations – Honour a loved one’s legacy by collecting donations in their name.
Celebrate a life by bringing hope to others
Give in memory with CAPJ
- Jumble sale – Ask for donations such as clothes, toys and unwanted gifts and create your very own charity stall.
- Jumper day – Whether it’s festive or unique, create a jumper day competition and participate for a small fee.
K‑O
K
- Knitting – Knit scarves, hats or blankets to sell, or get sponsored for a ‘knit-a-thon.’
- Kiltwalk - With three walking distances to pick from – Mighty Stride (22.6 miles), Big Stroll (14.5 miles) or Wee Wander (approx. 3–5 miles) – you can choose a challenge that most suits you.
- 10K – Join an organised run or map out your own 10K route to raise money.
Ready to run for charity?
Find a local 5K or 10K near you
Take part in the Kiltwalk!
Find out moreL
- Loose change collection – Encourage people to empty their pockets and donate their spare coins. Every penny counts.
- Livestream event – Perform, teach, game or chat live on social media to collect digital tips and donations.
M
- Marathon – Take on the ultimate challenge and see your fundraising total soar.
- Murder mystery evening – Gather your friends, dress up and host a night of ‘whodunnit’ drama. Ask for a small donation to participate.
- Music concert – Organise a night of live performances featuring local bands or church choirs.
- Makeovers – Offer beauty treatments, face painting or hair styling in exchange for a donation.
Ready to take on the ultimate challenge?
Explore marathons near youN
- Netball tournament – Get on the court for a friendly but competitive tournament.
- Non-uniform day – A classic way to raise money: swap suits or uniforms for casual clothes in exchange for a small donation.
O
- Outdoor theatre – Hire a projector and put on a movie screening under the stars in a local park or church grounds.
- Open mic night – Give local poets, singers and comedians a platform to shine for a good cause.
- Office Olympics – Compete in chair racing or paper basket shooting for workplace glory (make sure to get permission from Facilities first!)
P‑T
P
- Pancake party – Serve up sweet and savory toppings on Shrove Tuesday (or all year round) for a tasty donation.
- Penalty shootout – Charge for three chances to beat the goalie and win a prize.
Q
- Quiz night – Test everyone’s trivia knowledge with a classic pub-style quiz and raffle.
R
- Raffle – Sell tickets for the chance to win prizes donated by local businesses.
- Read-a-thon – Challenge children (or adults!) to read as many books as possible in a month.
S
- Swim-a-thon – Dive into the pool and set yourself a swimming target to raise money.
- Sky dive – Experience the ultimate adrenaline rush by jumping from a plane for charity.
- Supermarket collection – Book a slot at your local shop to collect change from local shoppers, or pack bags for a small fee.
- Step challenge – Set a daily walking goal and update your progress to your sponsors.
T
- Teddy naming competition – Charge a small fee for people to guess the name of a teddy.
- Talent show – Discover hidden talents of people at work or in your community with a talent show.
- Tough Mudder – Get messy and push your physical limits on a famous obstacle course.
- Tombola – A quick-fire game of chance where players win a prize if their ticket ends in a certain digit.
U‑Z
U
- Used book sale – Refresh your bookshelves by selling pre-loved novels and non-fiction. This is a great eco-friendly way to raise money.
- University Challenge quiz – Host a trivia night based on the TV show. If you’re hosting at work, you could create teams based on departments.
V
- Village fete – Organise a traditional fair with stalls, games and local entertainment.
- Vinted – Clear out your wardrobe and donate the proceeds from your online sales.
W
- Walkathon – Gather a group for a long-distance walk to promote health and fundraising.
- Wedding donations – Ask guests to donate to your favorite charity instead of buying a gift.
- Wing walking – Take to the skies on the wing of a plane for a truly daring challenge.
X
- X marks the spot – Create a treasure hunt for families in your community.
Y
- Yoga class – Invite a local instructor to lead a session for relaxation.
Z
- Zumba class – Raise the heart rate and the donations with a high-energy dance workout.
