Any community group around the country will be able to tell you; the key to running a successful charity event is all in the planning. ‘Fail to plan, plan to fail’ is the old adage, and there’s more than a grain of truth in it. 

This year, The Irish Cancer Society have launched The Big Championship and if you are involved in any sports club or group then you’re invited to organize a competitive fund raiser of any sort, register the event with the Irish Cancer Society and the money raised will be split, with 30 per cent of what is raised going to your club. We’re offer our services to help out a little too!

Any club or group that registers for The Big Championship in July or August will be put into a draw. The winner will get a package that should make your fundraiser fly. One of the bosses here at Her.ie, Jerry Flannery, aka Munster and Ireland legend, will pop down for the day but that’s not all. As well as having Fla on hand, our event manager will be there to co-ordinate everything, and we will send our videographer and photographer down so that the whole day is captured, and presented in just the right way. We’ll even give you a hand doing the posters and flyers for the big day.

So now that that’s on offer, we’re got some tips on how you can make the best of you big event in advance, with five key areas to concentrate on.

1. Form a committee

No man is an island, so get a group together and divvy up responsibilities accordingly. Take responsibility for your aspect of the project, and leave others to theirs without looking over shoulders. If someone needs help, they’ll ask!

2. Location, location, location

Planning the venue is one of the most important aspects of your event. If it’s outdoors, the Irish weather will always be a factor, so consider shelter and contingency plans. Indoors, and you’ll need to have a rough idea of the crowd you will attract so you can kit it out.

3. Save the Date

Plan the day of your event so it doesn’t clash with any big local events already in the calendar. Even a local wedding can have a big impact on the turn out for a small community event. Talk to a sample of the community before you lock down a date, then make the date known so people can plan to be available.

4. Promotion on Pennies

One of the difficult parts of fundraising locally is raising awareness without spending too much of your precious budget. Contact local radio stations and newspapers to ask for the opportunity to speak about your event, and create event notices on social media that won’t cost you a thing.

5. All hands on Deck

On the day, you’ll more than likely need more than the committee working to keep your event moving. Call in favours from friends and family. It’s all for a good cause, and there’s nothing like some community spirit to lift the whole day for everyone.

 

The Irish Cancer Society are running their Big Championship campaign, Clubs vs Cancer this year. Find out more about it here; www.thebigchampionship.ie