Coffee mornings are a great way to catch up with friends over a cup of coffee and a slice of cake while also raising money for a good cause. Are you new to the world of fundraising? With these helpful hints and tips, you'll be able to pull off your first coffee morning with style.
Choose a location.
To begin, choose a location for your coffee morning. This will determine the size of your event and the number of people who can attend. Many people prefer to host at home or in their gardens, which creates a relaxed and cosy atmosphere ideal for socializing with friends, family, and neighbors. If you've set a lofty fundraising goal, you might want to consider hosting your coffee morning at work or renting a space so that more people can attend. Village halls and community centers are typically well-equipped for this purpose, and hirers may be willing to donate their space for free if it is for a good cause.
Choose when
Make sure your coffee morning doesn't conflict with other events in your social circle or community when choosing a date. Avoid public holidays and times when many people will be away, such as school holidays or the holiday season. You'll also want to make sure you leave enough time to plan and promote your event.
Send invitations
When it comes to creating a guest list for your coffee morning, note that the more people you invite, the better – just make sure you give everyone plenty of notice. Text messages, emails, and social media are all effective ways to spread the word. Many charities also have free resources on their websites that you can use to make invitations and posters, which is especially helpful if you're planning a public event at a local village hall or in the office canteen.
Be creative and original in the kitchen.
Without a cake, it's not time to roll up your sleeves and put your pinny on and get baked! Make it even more fun by wrestling with friends and families and compete by baking off the style of Mary Berry. Cupcakes, sandwiches and show-stop-sponges are the order of the day and many recipes are available online. Recall that coffee is not everyone's cup of tea when it comes to beverages, so have a selection of hot and cold drink.
Earn more money
It's entirely up to you if you want to ask your guests for a donation for coffee and cakes or have fixed rates. Prepare a donation box to accept generous donations and brainstorm creative ways to increase your fundraising amount. You might, for example, have a raffle or games at the end and auction off any remaining cake. Similarly, if you or someone you know has a skill, such as jam-making or crafting, why not invite them to sell some of their wares at your case, with a portion of the proceeds going to a charity of your choice? Remember that the more reasons people have to come to your coffee morning and the longer they visit, the more money you'll make.
Following up
Don't forget to express gratitude to your guests as well as anyone who helped you on the day. Following up after the event to let everyone know how much money was raised is always a good idea. When your coffee break is over, make a concerted effort to deposit the funds as soon as possible. The sooner you send your contribution, the sooner the charity will benefit.
