Organising a charity cake party {guest post}

Baking has become an increasingly popular activity, and it is an excellent way to raise money for a charity. A charity cake party can be easy to organise, relatively cheap to provide for, and thoroughly enjoyable for all that take part. People love to bake, and people love to eat cake. It is a sure winner.

First things first

The first thing to decide upon is which charity the cake party is going to raise funds for. Once decided, a member of the organising party needs to contact the charity to advise them of their intentions, get their approval and support, and most importantly, find out where to send the money raised.

The charity may already have some promotional material they can send to decorate the cake stall, but if not, then it is a good idea to create some. A pamphlet or even a flyer, providing a brief description of the charity and its causes, is easy to create on a computer and will serve to advertise the event.

However, the cake party might be for a new charity that an individual wants to set up, and if so, it may need to be properly registered with the Charity Commission. They will review an application to ensure it meets with certain criteria, such as the ability to raise more than £5,000 every year. People are always happier to make a donation if the charity has a registered number.

Gathering a workforce

Whilst baking can be fun and inexpensive, it can be labour-intensive, so invite family members and friends to help out, either with the baking or serving on a stall. It may sound a little exploitative but kids are great to have as sellers on a stall, as people find it difficult to refuse them. Make sure helpers do not disappear once the cake party is over, as there will be plenty of packing away and clearing up still to do.

Finding a venue

Popular venues for charity sales include church halls and schools, as publicity is easy to generate amongst a congregation or parents, and it allows the children connected with either organisation to really get involved.

It is a good idea to have an outdoor and inside space for the sale, so that if it rains, potential buyers need only step inside to carry on buying. Make the stall attractive with a tablecloth and cake stands, and it is also a good idea to provide some seating, such as diningtable sets, especially if teas and coffees are also on sale nearby. Nothing works better than a cup of tea and a slice of cake, so give buyers somewhere to sit and enjoy them. They may even come back for more.

Taking the money

Ensure that there is a cash box or other container to hold the money, and that there are plenty of coins available as change for notes. Some people may not want to buy the cakes, but may still want to make a donation, so have a large jar available on the stall for donations. 

~ Cheryl