Returning runner Mitzy, who ran for #TEAMVICTA in the TCS London Marathon in 2019 and is running again in 2025, is a solicitor based in Norwich, Norfolk. She organised a fundraising event in October at a social Club in Saxlingham Nethergate.
“I wasn’t expecting this amount of success, we raised £921, raffle tickets alone fetched £358.”
Can you describe the event?
We ran a fundraising night for 64 people at Saxon Club, which was provided for free. The club had a licensed bar with subsidised drinks. We played a video describing VICTA’s work, served food (chilli con carne/jacket potatoes with cheese, homemade cakes, scones and brownies for dessert) and hosted a quiz and raffle. Raffle prizes were donated by friends and local businesses and people bought £20-30 worth of raffle tickets. Prizes included an afternoon tea for two, worth £100, luxury ice cream vouchers, beauty treatments, free sports massages, wine and chocolates. My partner and a friend’s partner ran the bar.
What surprised you?
The generosity of people! I would like to give a special thank you to a friend of mine – who bent over backwards to support me at the event. She works full time, has children, and I was really humbled by her effort and the generosity, she brought the quiz master in. She’s a selfless person. She took the day off and cooked chilli and jacket potatoes for 60 people and two trays worth of cakes. She even donated the prizes for quiz winners which were scratch cards and chocolate. The venue are planning to have a committee meeting to see whether they can donate some of the £1000 worth of takings from the bar which is lovely.
Would you do organise this type of event again?
Yes!
What’s your advice for other team members?
- Try to get as much as you can for free – don’t pay for things, try and get others to get onboard and donate a room/the venue for free and things for free, it’s a fundraiser not an event that’s costly to you. The local Scouts loaned us extra tables and chairs. If you don’t ask – you don’t get!
- People aged between 18-80 came and they were all incredibly generous so don’t make assumptions and restrict your tickets to a certain age/type of person. I invited guide runners and put them in different quiz teams to show the value of vision impaired people getting involved in sports.
- Pull on heart strings – tell them they are making a difference to someone’s life not a charity manager’s pocket.
- Play a video which describes VICTA’s work – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfe-cRGCEV8
- Use the QR code inbuilt in your Enthuse fundraising page, print it off, it works.
- Consider planning a thank you event after the fundraiser to those who helped with the planning, on the day, or donated generously and for people who couldn’t make it. My partner’s a musician so we’ve organised a jazz trio performance at our home for 30 people.
Leave A Comment