Putting the fun in fundraising!
The Bretton Centre raise money for Children in Need
People who use services at the Bretton Centre got stuck into raising money for Children in Need by organising a special day full of fun and prizes. Prior to the event, people who use services at the centre held meetings to gather ideas on the best and most effective way of raising lots of money.
They managed to get local business on board including The British Oak pub and The Oasis take-away both of which kindly donated meal vouchers as prizes. The local Cost Cutters store also donated plenty of sweets to make up a prize too.
All the fundraising team had to do next was decide the best way to secure donations, using the prizes as incentives. In the end they decided to run competitions like ‘guess how many sweets are in the jar’ and ‘how long is the piece of string?’ with the person with the nearest guess winning a prize. They also set up a game of bingo using a basic bingo machine. People were asked to release a ball from the bingo machine and if it ended in a zero they would win a prize.
The day was a resounding success with a total of £319 being raised for Children in Need.
Unit manager Christopher Nolan said, ‘People who use services at the Bretton Centre were largely responsible for the day and felt a real sense of achievement as a result. They helped to plan the event and were involved in making the props and posters too and had a great fun in the process. As well as raising money for a good cause this day was important because it engaged people who use our services and helped break down the stereotypes and preconceived ideas some have about people with mental health problems.’
He continued, ‘A big thank you goes to Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust, The British Oak pub, Oasis take-away and Cost Cutters supermarket not to mention all the people who gave us a donation.’
The Beaumont Unit do something ‘funny for money’ on Red Nose Day
This year Comic Relief gave its biggest ever U.K. grant (£2m) to the Time to Change campaign, which is England’s most ambitious attempt to improve the nation’s wellbeing and end the discrimination faced by people with mental health problems.
People at the Beaumont Unit at St Luke’s Hospital in Huddersfield did something ‘funny for money’ to raise funds and thoroughly enjoyed themselves in the process. Staff and people on the wards, along with visitors took part in all sorts of fun and games including a special red nose day raffle, a ‘red’ quiz and a Nintendo Wii tournament!
There was also a cake stall on the day selling a range of delicious cakes that people who use services at the unit had baked especially. Overall the unit raised £150 and were thrilled to be able to contribute to such a great cause.
Occupational therapist Katy Bishop helped organise the day and said ‘The day was a huge success and we all had a fantastic time. It was important to us to raise money for Comic Relief, especially as this year it is working to end the stigma attached to mental health, but it was also a good opportunity to engage people who use services here in something constructive and meaningful. Not to mention fun!’
One person who took part in the day’s events said ‘I’d been looking forward to Red Nose Day for ages and it’s been loads of fun. Competing on the Nintendo Wii was the best bit, and knowing that by having fun we were supporting a good cause was an added bonus!’
Want to make your own donation?
It’s not too late, visit the Comic Relief website and make a donation now!
Staff at Castleford Normanton & District Hospital go all red for Comic Relief
Staff at Castleford, Normanton and District Hospital dressed up in red and had a fun-filled Red Nose Day. Everyone wore red noses and took part in various games, quizzes and competitions including a space-hopper race! Home baked cakes were on sale at lunchtime and all in all over £400 was raised in aid of the charity.
Director of finance Malcolm Featherstone (who has since left the Trust) who joined in the fun said ‘Today has been full of fun and games and has given staff a real boost. It was a brilliant opportunity for everyone to get together, have a laugh and raise some money for a great cause. Supporting Comic Relief is particularly important to the Trust this year because it is helping to raise awareness of mental health problems. Comic Relief does some great work and we’ve had a fantastic time raising money for the cause today.’
People at Newton Lodge bake cakes for charity
People who use services at Newton Lodge donned their pinnies and dug out their rolling pins in a bid to raise money for Christian Aid. The group baked 6 cakes and 48 buns to sell and despite a few baking blunders, managed to raise over £60.
‘Initially there was a bit of confusion about the settings on the oven’ explained Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) worker Angela Barker. ‘We could smell something burning and realised we had been grilling the cakes, instead of baking them! So, we cut off the burnt bits and replaced them with chocolate icing. They were still delicious!’
In the end, all the treats literally sold like hot cakes and the bakers gave themselves a well deserved pat on the back.