Giving Day is just around the corner and is an important fundraising appeal facilitated by The Common Good. Together, we’re aiming to raise as much money as possible to support important patient-focussed projects across both The Prince Charles Hospital and Caboolture Hospital to help get our older patients home from hospital sooner, and reduce the likelihood of them having to return.
We’re encouraging everyone across the hospital to get involved and make the greatest impact for these patients and the community by fundraising for Giving Day during November.
Giving Day will be held on November 30 this year and any money raised in the lead up to it and on the day will be doubled thanks to our generous matched givers. That means that every dollar you raise with be matched!
In saying that, we understand it may seem daunting to raise money and organise a fundraising event if you’ve never done so before.
That’s why we asked Madonna Dalton from Ward 2D – one of the top fundraising teams in 2021 – to share some fundraising tips.
How the Ward 2D Team Raised Money in 2021
The staff in Ward 2D are passionate about their patients, so when they were given the chance to improve hospital surroundings for them, they jumped in feet first.
Their process began with a ward meeting where they brainstormed fundraising ideas.
They knew they’d have a better chance to reach their goal if they held more than one fundraiser, so they settled on the following:
- Multicultural Lunch: The workforce in Ward 2D is culturally diverse so they hosted a lunch showcasing cuisine from numerous countries. To ensure the day was a success, staff made the food – which consisted of main course meals and dessert. They also borrowed bain-maries and other cooking utensils from The Café for The Common Good.
- Sweet Sale: 2D utilised the skills of a team member who used to be a professional baker in Croatia. She baked a range of treats which were boxed up beautifully and sold to raise money.
- Trivia night: The hospital team gathered with members of the broader community for a trivia night. They were able to raise money as the venue (a coffee shop) and prizes were donated and participants paid an entry fee.
- Raffles: Numerous prizes were raffled off over the fundraising period. Those prizes were donated so all money raised was put towards their final total.
Fundraising Tips from Ward 2D
Ward 2D’s success was thanks in part to the passionate staff who were eager to see their project realised. They also set out on their fundraising journey early and didn’t limit their efforts to one event.
Here are their top tips:
- Get the whole team involved – When you’ve got a project that your whole team is passionate about, it’s easy to get all hands on deck. Have a group huddle to discuss project ideas and potential fundraisers and once you’ve settled on achievable tasks, divide and conquer.
“Get in and just start talking to your teams and you’ll be really surprised. The ideas out there are endless, and they don’t have to be big,” said Madonna Dalton, Nurse Unit Manager, Ward 2D.
“It’s great for the team culture,” she added.
- Plan a few, manageable fundraising initiatives – Charitable endeavours don’t have to be complex to make a meaningful difference. In fact, every dollar that is raised counts. Come up with a few initiatives that aren’t too big or overwhelming, then plan them out properly.
- Start planning early – Don’t leave it too late to start thinking about how you’re going to make an impact this Giving Day. The sooner you begin, the more time you’ve got to fundraise.
- Promote your event/s – It’s vital to ensure people know your fundraiser is happening. The team in Ward 2D connected with other people in the hospital to spread the word, displayed posters and shared details of the events on social media.
Giving Day 2022
Hospital projects funded in part by the teams at The Prince Charles Hospital or Caboolture Hospital can bring smiles to patients and make their days significantly brighter. For example, there are therapy dogs now making regular rounds in the adult mental health ward plus improved sensory gardens in the CAMs unit thanks to funds raised at Giving Day last year.
This year our focus is on initiatives to improve the hospital stay for elderly patients and their families, encourage movement around their wards and keeping them active and socially engaged once they’ve returned home.
We are hoping that all hospital teams will get involved in Giving Day this year in some way.
Looking for other fundraising ideas or further guidance about the process for planning your fundraiser? We’ve compiled lots of helpful ideas and inspiration in this blog.
If you can’t organise a fundraiser of your own, perhaps you can donate a couple of hours to make calls on Giving Day. Alternatively, you may know someone who can donate a prize for a raffle or a venue for an event.
The Common Good are here to support you on your fundraising journey, so please reach out to the team at events@thecommongood.org.au to discuss your ideas!
Click here to register your interest in volunteering for Giving Day!
