The Stoke based Gingerbread Centre, a charity that supports homeless families in the city and surrounding area, is seeking teams from local businesses, groups and clubs to join their Swansway Gingerbread Enterprise Challenge which starts on 1st September.
“The premise for the Challenge is really, really simple”, said Chris Belyavin, Fundraiser at the charity. “We’ll give each team £50 seed money and they have until 15th October, 2021 to turn it into as much money as they can! They can use the full six weeks, a few days, a weekend or whatever.”
As long as it’s safe, legal and ethical, there are no limits as to how teams grow their cash. It’s a great way to get people working together as a group, develop creativity and entrepreneurial skills and have loads of fun. The only restriction is that there can only be up to 6 people in a team. There could even be a bit of friendly competition with friends and colleagues by getting a few teams to compete against each other to see who can raise the most money. What a way to get over lockdown!
“The Gingerbread Centre has been very fortunate to have Swansway Group sponsor this event and we are very grateful”, added Chris. “This means that there is even more potential for raising funds for the charity, so the more teams we can sign up, the better!”
Swansway Group is a family owned and run business in the area that has a number of car dealerships across Cheshire and Staffordshire.
“We are delighted to sponsor the Swansway Gingerbread Enterprise Challenge, as entrepreneurial spirit, great team work, and giving customers a wonderful experience is at the heart of all we do”, said David Smyth, Director of Swansway Group.
“We are also very grateful for all the support we have received from the people of Stoke and Stafford for our various businesses over the years. Supporting The Gingerbread Centre in their valuable work, is another way we can give back to one of the areas where we do business, as a gift from our family to local families in need.”
Participants could use the seed money to buy some fantastic raffle prizes and then simply hold an office raffle either weekly or as a one-off. They could buy supplies for a BBQ and charge people to come along and also hold a raffle at the event to raise further funds. A further option is to run a car wash or buy the ingredients to bake some cakes and hold a bake sale at work, either as a one off or weekly during the Challenge. Or what about setting up and stocking a tuck shop!
Money can be reinvested as it grows. It’s what has been raised by the end of the Challenge that is important. There will be prizes including for the most successful team and the most innovative.
