Fundraisers help many worthy causes, so it’s important to plan the details of this type of event well to encourage people to donate. The food you serve at a fundraising day or evening can help to make your event a success. Here’s how.
Setting the Event Theme
Well-chosen themes can help raise interest in your fundraiser and should reflect the objectives for the event. Once you know what your theme will be, it’s important to tailor everything from your marketing to the event décor around this, ensuring the theme is appreciated and your messages are conveyed more easily. You can even select themed food menus to help with this, whether it’s a summer party vibe you’re looking for, a specific cuisine or even through the food’s presentation. Experienced caterers will be able to suggest different ideas for formal sit down meals or more relaxed serving styles often seen with street food style catering. Having a theme can also help you to sell tickets to your event if this one of the main ways you’ll be raising money, especially if you promote the food they’ll receive as part of the price.
Encouraging Guests to Donate
One way to encourage fundraiser attendees to donate big is to make them feel they’ve been treated to a great time. Most people will expect to be fed, so create a talking point with the food you serve, making guests feel really well looked after. Some may opt for a champagne reception with canapes and a multi-course dinner, whereas for other events, a buffet feast where you build your own plate is a great idea, depending on the tone of the night. Grazing stations have also become popular for events, where you can select themed stations – think a ‘hog roast corner’ or a ‘sweet treat station’. Whatever style of catering you choose, the food experience provided is always important to create the wow factor at your event, from the presentation and aroma of the food to the actual taste of the dishes.
Using Live Cooking to Create a Great Atmosphere
As well as creating a buzz through delicious dishes, live cooking can be used to define the atmosphere of the night. By choosing caterers who prepare, cook and serve food in front of guests, it can add an air of excitement, especially if using elements such as whole meats, smoke and fire. Creating this type of atmosphere always helps people to relax and mingle, whether it’s through breaking the ice by discussing the cooking with fellow guests or providing more informal serving choices. Even if guests don’t donate on the day, the feeling they had at the event can create lasting memories, so they’ll remember your cause and may even help spread the word when they talk about the night.
Find a Caterer for Your Charity Event or Fundraiser
At With Fire, we specialise in live event catering, adding theatre and excitement to your day or night by cooking using smoke and fire. We love creating an amazing atmosphere, helping guests to enjoy themselves whatever the cause. For all London and South East events, call our team now on 07825 533440.