The best fundraising ideas for Bonfire Night

Bonfire Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, is celebrated on 05 November.

 

It commemorates the failure of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Roman Catholics were furious that King James I had refused to grant them greater religious tolerance. They planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament, during the state opening of Parliament, with the intent to kill the King who was going to be in attendance. 

 

The plan failed, however, when they were betrayed. One of the conspirators, Guy Fawkes, was taken into custody and the others were either caught or killed while resisting capture.

 

Today, Bonfire Night is celebrated in the UK with parades, fireworks, and bonfires where people burn effigies of Guy Fawkes. Looking to maximise Bonfire Night? Here are the best fundraising ideas.

 

 

Partake in a Guy competition

 

Traditionally, children would make effigies called ‘Guys’, which were made of old clothes stuffed with straw and paper – resembling a scarecrow. They would then carry them through the streets in the days leading up to Bonfire Night asking those passing for ‘a penny for the Guy’.

 

Tapping into this tradition, why not run a competition where people make a Guy and submit a photo or video of it to then be voted on by your Facebook or Instagram followers.

 

You can charge a fee to enter and ask a business to donate a prize for the winner.

 

 

Put on a Bonfire Night bake sale

 

Bake sales are a great way to raise money at work or at school. Theme the bake sale as a Bonfire Night one where the baked goods could be biscuits decorated like fireworks, red velvet cupcakes with sparklers, toffee apples or a cake designed like a box of matches.

 

 

Host a Bonfire Night party

 

One of the more lucrative ways to fundraise is to organise a big Bonfire Night party in a local park, school, or community centre’s outdoor area. You could have market stalls, game stalls and stalls selling food and drink. And of course, a big fireworks display at the end.

 

You can charge for entry as well as charge stall holders a fee for their stalls. To maximise income on the night you could run a raffle or even host a silent auction.

 

Be sure to check that you have the appropriate insurance, licenses, and permission to run this type of event. There are also lots of safety rules that you will need to abide by when organising a fireworks display. Consult the Health and Safety Executive website for more information.

 

 

Guess how long the fireworks display will last

 

This is a simple way to raise a few extra pounds if you’re already hosting a Bonfire Night party. Charge your guests £1 to guess how many minutes and seconds the fireworks display will last. The winner receives a small prize, such as a home-baked cake or a box of chocolates.

 

 

Do a bucket collection

 

If you’re unable to organise your own Bonfire Night party, why not ask if you can do a bucket collection at one? Chances are that a local school, community group, or your local council may be hosting one so get in touch and ask if you could send some volunteers with buckets and QR Codes to fundraise on the night.

 

 

Tell the story of Bonfire Night

 

A great way to get a school or community group involved in fundraising for your cause is to encourage them to put on a play that tells the story of Guy Fawkes and Bonfire Night. Money can be raised through ticket sales as well as by selling refreshments.

 

 

Run a quiz night

 

Everyone loves a good quiz. Create a quiz, with a Bonfire Night set of questions, for people to download for a donation or you could sell it at a set price. Encourage your supporters to run a quiz night at home, at a local pub or community centre. Teams pay a fee to enter, which is then donated to the charity.

 

 

Host a firework painting party

 

Host a firework painting party for children. For a small donation, children get some cardboard, black paper, paints and a paintbrush. They then get to design their own fireworks by cutting the cardboard and painting it and splattering it with different colours.

 

 

Guess the weight of the pumpkin

 

Bonfire Night takes place during Autumn and is only a few weeks away from Halloween. Buy a big pumpkin and then ask people to make a small, suggested donation of £1 to guess how much the pumpkin weighs. The winner gets to take the pumpkin home and decorate it for Halloween.