Fundraising tips
We know marathon training can take over your life to a certain extent. That being said, it’s important to stay on-track with your fundraising, which is also a huge part of your marathon journey.
You might have everything planned out already, but if you’re still looking for some tips, your fellow marathon runner Sophie has given us her top tips on how she got started.
Q: How did you get started?
First of all I broke the £2,000 target into manageable chunks, to help me plan how I would reach the target. I could then start to plan my fundraising activities, e.g. £150 from a cake sale, £400 from bucket collections, £600 from sponsorship on JustGiving, etc. I booked activities early on so I secured my spot. I planned one big activity a month which is really manageable.
Q: What has been your most successful piece of fundraising so far?
I was amazed at how much I raised from bucket collections at my local train station and supermarket. Over three collections I collected £650, which is a big portion of my overall fundraising target! It was also great because it gave me the chance to expand who I was asking for donations, instead of always asking the same people! If you do go down the bucket collection route, don’t forget to ask the right people for the correct permissions.
Q: Do you have any advice for first time fundraisers?
It’s not all about raising hundreds from each fundraising activity. You can also add in smaller fundraisers that help you creep towards your target. Sweepstakes, a swear jar, orplacing a collecting tin at a local pub are all small, quick and easy ways to bring in a few pounds which all help edge you closer to your target. Keep an eye out for these smaller opportunities and make the most of them.
You can also keep sharing your JustGiving page, especially around payday. Make sure you’ve written about why you’re running for Marie Curie and how important the cause is to you. People often need two or three prompts (or sometimes more!) to sponsor you, so raising awareness of your marathon early on will make them more likely to sponsor you come April.