Charities Aid Foundation Fundraising Poll

A survey of the British public on behalf of the Charities Aid Foundation.

Date Published: 02 Oct 2012

Categories: Public and communities | Social | Third Sector | UK

Description

Get fundraising to find love, boost self-esteem and achieve a lifetime ambition, finds poll
 

Many Britons would be prepared to embarrass themselves for charity and think fundraising is a good way to try something new or even meet single people, according to a new poll.
 
Research by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), which promotes charitable giving and provides financial services and social finance to not-for-profit organisations, found that raising cash for good causes boosts self-esteem, gives people an incentive to get fit and helps them try something new.
 
A ComRes poll, commissioned by CAF, found raising money for charity helps people realise a lifetime ambition said 52% while 61% believe fundraising was a good way to visit a place they had  not been to before.
 
The findings include:
• Nearly half of people (46%) believe fundraising is a good way for single people to meet other single people
• 47% of people  believe fundraising is more rewarding than many other kinds of hobbies
• 40% are prepared to embarrass themselves for charity
• 63% say fundraising is a good way to increase self-confidence
• 70% of people believe fundraising is a good way to try something new
• 61% think fundraising is a good way to visit new places
• 52% believe fundraising is a good incentive to achieve a life ambition
 
The survey comes as CAF publishes a list of 25 fundraising challenges for people to try, ranging from primary school classics like the sponsored silence to long distance journeys, cooking and mountaineering challenges.
 
Paul Rees, Executive Director at the Charities Aid Foundation, said: “Raising money for good causes makes people feel good, helps them meet new people and try new challenges.
 
“Britain has an army of committed fundraisers and volunteers working tirelessly for charity. Giving to causes people care about is a reward in itself, but this shows people get so much more from supporting their favourite charities.  In these tough economic times, charities need support more than ever. Fundraising challenges are a great way of engaging people of all ages with charities.”
 
 
CAF’s 25 charity challenges to try before you die
 
1. Abseil down something – like Prince Andrew who descended The Shard in London.
2. Host a cow pat bingo game – mark out a field and see where the cow goes.
3. Host a snail race – or a river rubber duck race.
4. Sing on a mountain top – One man raised £45,000 in sponsorship for trekking to sing on a Nepalese mountaintop.
5. Go on a sponsored sky-dive
6. Host a charity bake-off – a cake sale will bring out everyone’s inner domestic god or goddess
7. Take part in a sponsored silence – tough if you’re eight.
8. Christmas Day dip in the sea
9. Organise a charity concert
10. Hold a fundraising street party
11. Host a sponsored curry challenge – challenge yourself to eat the hottest concoction.
12. Declutter your home – and sell your junk for charity
13. Break a World Record – take part in an organised record attempt.
14. Shave your head (or grow a moustache)
15. Wear fancy dress to work
16. Show off your garden in an open day
17. Be a sponsored slave for a day
18. Take the charity trip of a lifetime
19. Go on a long distance cycle ride
20. Run a marathon
21. Sponsored diet
22. Climb a mountain (or a hill)
23. Host a ‘Come Dine with Me’ dinner party
24. Join a car rally across Europe
25. Host a charity pub quiz
 
 Methodology: ComRes interviewed 2001 British people online between 22nd and 23rd August 2012. Data were weighted to be demographically representative of all British adults. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.