Celebrate 20 years with your own fundraiser
Help us celebrate twenty amazing years by doing your own fundraiser for The Message – or joining in one of ours!
Here are twenty inspiring ideas to get you started:
1. Swishing
Graphic designer Bethan Wilson is organising a Swishing (clothes swapping) party in April. Guests pay a small entrance fee and bring clothes they no longer want to swap for fabulous new ones – meaning you get to save money and raise money for The Message at the same time. Fabulous, darling!
2. Three Peaks Challenge 
Conquering Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis and Snowden within the space of 24 hours is no mean feat (in fact it’s about 11,178 feet in total!) Josh and Ryan from Twelve24 will be part of a team of Message friends who will take the endurance challenge on during 2012. You could too!
3. Cider, cheese & comedy night
Message:Creative manager and part-time cider maker Dan Hasler is hosting a night of cider and cheese tasting with a special performance by Manchester-based comic Andy Kind. Keep an eye on our website for ticket information.
4. Family Fun Quiz
Reflex volunteer Les Hutchinson is organising a family quiz in Poynton where every question has something to do with the last 20 years. Teams can be up to six people and there’s something for everybody. The event takes place in June.
5. Photography for Sale
Multi-talented Twelve24 singer Christina Otoo-Anakwa will be selling limited edition prints of spectacular scenes captured around our beautiful city. Snap one up yourself during February.
6. Big Band Concert
Bus manager Julie Mason and trust fundraiser Helen Murphy are hosting a night of big band music in November to raise brass for The Message.
7. Running
Lots of our health-conscious staff will be attempting sponsored runs during 2012, including the Sheffield 10k (Sept), the Great South Run (Oct) and the Wilmslow half-marathon (March). Video specialist Bruce Marshall will outrun them all with five consecutive 20ks over the May bank holiday. Phew!
8. Sponsored
Ironing
Pressed for time? In March, Reflex team leader Simon Sullivan will be auctioning 20 two-hour slots of ironing. Simon will come to your home, drink your tea and do all your ironing for you. All you need to do is make sure you’re one of the highest bidders as the totals in-crease (geddit?).
9. Bake sale
Lots of Message friends
including administrator Ruth Barker will be baking up a storm in aid of our work during the year. Why not put on your pinny and join them, selling batches of delicious muffins, cupcakes or other sweet treats in your school, office or workplace?
10. Twelve gigs in 24 hours
Twelve24 are undertaking a gig-a-thon with a planned twelve performances in one day during May. Sponsors will be able to book the band to perform a private gig anywhere around Manchester. Let’s make them sweat!
11. Canoeing down the Thames
Missions director Ian Henderson will travel from Oxford to London down the Thames by canoe, taking in the sights as he goes.
Which epic voyage have you always dreamed of taking?
12. Coast to Coast Bike Ride
A team of six Message staff will ride from the Irish to the North Sea in July, completing a mammoth journey
of 147 miles. Sore bums are guaranteed, but so is loads of cash for The Message. Don’t forget your cycling clips.
13. Car washes
In Yer Face team member John Dean will put down his script in favour of a sponge in April as he aims to clean 20 cars in two weeks. We think it’s a wheely great way to raise cash fast for our crucial work in schools, communities and prisons. Why don’t you join him?
14. Zumbathon
Zumba is the latest dance and fitness craze to hit Britain – and anyone can do it. Give it a try by joining our massive two-hour Zumbathon taking place this summer in Cathedral Gardens. For more info, keep an eye on the Events section of our website.
15. Sponsored
Evangelism
Message prayer coordinator James Aladiran is leading a team who will attempt 20 straight hours of evangelism in Manchester City Centre during the spring. If that sounds like good news to you, why not join them in March.
16. Fashion Show
Kicking off the year, Emma Owen and Emma Kizlauskas hosted a fashion show at The Message with bargain-priced fashions in Janary.
17. Plank for Glory
Genetik course leader Mat Walls is very good at lying still in odd places. It’s called Planking – and it’s much harder than it looks. Sponsor him to do 20 increasingly outrageous ‘planks’ over the summer.
18. Oil Paintings
Eden national
director Matt Wilson
will paint 20 Manchester landmarks in oils and aim to sell them all at an exclusive invite-only exhibition. Why not put your artistic skills to good use raising money for our vital work?
19. Dinner Jazz
Message staffers Dev Lunsford and Andre Adefope will team up with Reflex’s Tim Mycock to put on a sit-down dinner with live jazz. As well as cooking up a memorable night out, the gang hope to raise hundreds of pounds
for The Message.
20. Your own idea
If you think it could raise money for The Message, give it a go! For more details about these ideas or for advice on setting up your own event, contact Lauren Mangold on 0161 946 2304 or by email.
Keep track of all our fundraising endeavours during 2012 here on our website.