Ideas for your fundraising event

You may already know what you want to do, and if so - fantastic! Tell us about it so we can send you out a fundraising pack so you can get started.

Not sure what you want to do? Browse some event ideas below.

Coffee Morning. Organise a coffee morning in your home, community or office. Set a date, bake some treats, put on the kettle, and invite your family, friends and colleagues to join you for a few hours. Collect donations from your guests and lodge them with the Irish Cancer Society online, in-person or through the post.

Spotlight: Spa GAA Club in Co Kerry hosted their very 1st coffee morning in aid of the Irish Cancer Society and the response from the local community was phenomenal, raising an incredible €2,500 was raised towards the Irish Cancer Society’s work in the southwest.

The club opened its doors to the community, and in addition to the coffee morning they also set up a children’s playroom and a TV room to make sure the visitors had a chance to watch the big rugby match too. A number of businesses in both the Kerry and Cork region got on board to sponsor the event and many people brought along some delicious home baking and treats on the morning.

Table quiz. Organise a table quiz in your local pub or hang out. Nothing excites people more than the spirit of competition! Charge admission and test your friends' knowledge on different subjects.
Fundraising raffle. Source a fantastic prize by speaking to your work or local businesses in your community and sell raffle tickets. The winner gets the prize and you lodge the funds raised from the ticket sales with the Irish Cancer Society.
Bake off. Great for workplaces! Get all the wannabe Master Chefs together in your community or office and see who can bake up the sweetest treats! Invite your colleagues or neighbours by to sample and buy the goods. After your event, lodge funds raised online, in-person, over the phone or through the post.
Golf tournament. Represent the Irish Cancer Society at your local club. As a Golf Champion, you can help promote our services and awareness campaigns and help raise funds for our vital cancer services.
Sponsored cycle, spin-a-thon or other physical challenge. Put your stamina to the test by challenging yourself to a marathon cycling or spinning event. You could even recruit your friends from your gym or leisure centre to take part. Collect pledges from your friends and family and then make your event happen!

Spotlight: In 2019 20 year old Nathan Holding organised his own fundraiser, challenging himself to prone paddleboard around the coast of Ireland starting from Cork. Nathan raised an amazing €6,000 from his friends, family and people he met along the way.

Sponsored walk. If fresh air is more your thing, consider organising a sponsored walk in your local community. Set a date and a location and invite your friends and neighbours to join you. Ask them to collect pledges from their friends and family leading up to the event. After the event, lodge your funds through the Irish Cancer Society website, through the post, or in-person or over the phone.

Spotlight: Retired pensioner Marty wanted to do something in the fight against cancer. Having lost multiple friends and family to the disease, he decided to walk around the entire coast of Ireland, fundraising along the way by organising coffee mornings and other events. Marty gained fame as the "couch-surfing pensioner", depending on the generosity of locals along his way to provide a place to sleep and eat. After his epic walk, Marty released his Coast for Cancer calendar to raise additional funds for the Society.

Sky dive. Not for the faint of heart... Take your fundraising idea to a higher level by challenging yourself to a charity sky dive. Set a fundraising target and collect pledges from your family, friends and colleagues. Once you've reached your target, we can help you make your sky dive happen!
Fashion show. If jumping out of an airplane isn't your thing, you can try the more sophisticated approach! Organise a fashion show or artsy gala in your community. Work with local businesses to sponsor the event and raise funds by charging admission. Invite your local community heroes and celebrities and make your event a smash hit!

Spotlight: For over 6 years, staff at Kilronan Castle Estate & Spa have organised their Top2Toe Makeover to raise funds for breast cancer services in Ireland. Since the event began, these amazing supporters have raised over €25,000 for breast cancer research, supports and services! This year's event was a spectacular afternoon where ladies enjoyed pink champagne and canapes on arrival, followed by a delicious 3-course luncheon prepared by Head Chef David Porter and his team.

Whatever you would like to do, it's up to you! Big, small, at home, at work - you decide!