Best Tips for school fundraising in the UK

In this country we are fortunate to have a great tradition of school communities, and an enthusiasm for the value of school fundraising.

The challenge, however, is to continually think up new and exciting school fundraising ideas that will really work!

This is where it's great to have advice from the experts - and listen to the hints and tips provided by school fundraising veterans such as PTA long-termers and teachers.

Below are just some great tips to get your school fundraising plans started:

• Get down with the kids! Ask children for their ideas - they are imaginative, unafraid of being thought ‘silly' and they are the heart of the school.

• Invite suggestions - let everyone know you are on the lookout for ideas, from parents to local businesses to teachers. Somebody will come up with a cracking idea before long.

• Make it creative - if people, especially kids, can have fun getting involved and being creative, whether through art, performing, music or games, they will be more motivated.

• But keep it simple - overly complicated ideas will never work and turn people off. Simple ideas such as games nights, school Christmas cards and a school fete are always popular.

• Make your idea marketable - Don't rely purely on people having a sense of community spirit, think like a business and make sure you are offering something people really want or need. Take school Christmas cards as an example - most people will need or want to buy Christmas cards regardless, so you have a certain market for your product. Families and other locals in the community will almost certainly be happy to buy Christmas cards in the knowledge that they are supporting their local school.

To make the school Christmas cards really special, give the children a chance to design the card. You could even choose a few of the best designs to make so there are many for ‘buyers' to choose from.

To allow even more children the chance to get involved, ask kids to write a message, or devise a ‘business plan' for marketing and selling the cards.

This will allow as many children as possible the opportunity to feel part of the school fundraising initiative, and celebrate many different gifts such as artistic skills, writing talent and business acumen. Plus, everyone will have a lot of fun in the process.

My name is Ben Camelas a teacher who normally writes in newspapers and magazines about school fundraising and schools fundraising ideas, don't hesitate to get in contact.