Don't be baffled by a raffle

Raffles are a fantastic way to maximise your fundraising and get everyone involved in your wear it pink event. Every penny counts, so the more you raise, the more life-saving breast cancer research and support you can help make happen. 

Follow our 5 easy steps to hold the perfect raffle:

1. Get planning

Although you can set it up quickly on the day, it may take some time to collect enough prizes, so make sure you get going early enough.

2. Better prizes make more money!

The most important part of any raffle is the prizes. This could be anything from a voucher, tickets to see a play, or a food hamper. Think about asking your employer, local businesses, or even friends and family to donate fabulous prizes that will get your guests reaching for their wallet.

3. Get in touch with us

Some businesses you try and collect prizes from may ask for a letter confirming that you’re holding it for Breast Cancer Now. Just pop us an email at wearitpink@breastcancernow.org and we can send you a letter.

4. Tickets please!

Tickers are an essential part of any raffle. You can buy raffle tickets online, or at most stationery shops. Then, it’s up to you how much to sell your raffle tickets for – single tickets must be sold at the same price, but you can offer discounts on multiple purchases, such as buy 1 get 1 free.

5. Keep it legal

Make sure your raffle complies with gambling requirements, by following these steps: 

• Organise the raffle as part of an event (e.g., a quiz, party, or as part of your wear it pink day) 
• Only spend less than £100 of the proceeds on organising the raffle, and less than £500 on prizes (which is why we suggest asking for donated gifts as much as possible) 
• Only sell tickets during and at your event 
• Make sure people know when the draw is – if it’s after the day of the event, let people know when it’ll be 

You can find out more information by reading the Gambling Commission’s advice on how to run a fundraiser with lotteries or raffles at events. 

Here are our top tips: 

• Don’t just think about material prizes. How about raffling experiences like dinners for two or pottery classes? 
• Target your raffle to your audience. Try to get prizes that your guests will love and want to buy even more tickets for. 
• When asking for prizes, think about businesses you use regularly. They may be more willing to donate prizes to regular customers. 
• Some companies get a high volume of raffle requests, so make yours stand out by making it personal. Try and get a name for the person who deals with charity requests. 
• Don’t just rely on emailing businesses. Where possible, approach local shops in person, so you get a response straight away. 
• When collecting prizes, you may be asked questions about Breast Cancer Now. So, it’s a good idea to know about our work before you start asking for prize donations, or direct people to email us at wearitpink@breastcancernow.org. 
• Remember to spread the word. Make sure everyone knows about your raffle in advance so they can bring cash. 
• Be sure to announce the top prizes before the day, to get everyone excited. 
• On the day, don’t be afraid to go around to everybody and sell your raffle tickets. You’ll be amazed how many people didn’t buy, just because they weren’t asked!