This year, on 5 July, we are celebrating the NHS’s 73rd birthday with the NHS Big Tea. People up and down the country will be having their own tea party to celebrate their local NHS and raise money to support NHS charities like us.
If you’re interested in signing up, you can find all the details you need on our NHS Big Tea event page.
For those of you who have signed up and are planning your parties, here are some top tips from Ian, our Community Support Officer, on how to raise the most you can to support our local NHS heroes.
An online page is the best way to get people engaged with your fundraising. You can use it to keep everyone up to date with your progress and any exciting plans you have for your tea party, as well as gathering donations from people who want to support but can’t attend the event.
It also offers a great space to write about why you’re celebrating the Big Tea, and what your local NHS means to you.
Although online fundraising is the best way to get the word out there, don’t forget to collect some cash on the big day itself.
Having a collection tin or another secure container at your tea party is a great way to encourage your partygoers to give that little bit extra as they arrive, and you’d be surprised by how much it can add up to!
Gift Aid is a huge help for charities like us, as it allows your donation to go even further at no extra cost to you or your supporters. For every donation that is eligible for Gift Aid we are able to claim an extra 25% from the Government, meaning your money can help even more people.
Make sure you remind your donors to include Gift Aid if they are eligible, the online donation platform will do all the work for you so need to worry about counting it!
The best way to drum up support for your tea party is to share the message with everyone around you. Post your plans across social media and talk about it with your friends, families, colleagues or anyone else who might want to donate. Make sure to tag us whenever you do share, we’d love to see your parties and can help expand your reach.
We’re on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, so tag us on whatever platform you use.
WhatsApp or Facebook neighbour groups are a fantastic way to get the word out there, and might even help you get to know your neighbours better in the process!
The Big Tea is all about celebration and about how grateful we all our for our amazing NHS, so don’t forget to go all out with the decorations!
Why not try hanging some rainbow bunting, using food flags on your tasty treats or even having some fun screen backgrounds if you’re going down the virtual route. Make sure to share all the images of your decorations in advance to get your supporters even more excited for the big day.
A big tip for all fundraising in the last year has been to have a back up plan, and the Big Tea is no different. Whether it’s for coronavirus reasons or even just the classic British weather, make sure you have something to fall back on!
Hosting your tea party virtually can be just as fun, and can even open it up to more people. You could plan some virtual games like a tea bag throwing challenge, or maybe get your attendees to draw portraits of each other – the options are endless!
Our fundraising team are here throughout the process to give you any support you need. Whether it’s technical help on setting up your page, chatting through your ideas or anything else, we’re just a phone call away.
If you have anything you would like to discuss about the Big Tea or any other fundraising you might want to take part in, please get in touch with Ian.
