Hosting a fundraising event for Plateful
A couple of weeks ago, we hosted an Iranian meal private fundraising event for 18 people to raise funds for Plateful. It was such a pleasure to work alongside this charity and enjoy having people round our table that all shared a desire to help refugees in the UK. It was held in our house in Brockley. The idea originated from a conversation with Iolanda a few months ago following a small party they had catered for at Christmas. We had previously attended a similar event in the café in Hilly Fields Park and then thought why not do the same at home. We thought it was such a great idea and in retrospect we feel that it was a lovely evening and little effort on our part. Not only that, but we raised about £700. Once we’d decided we wanted Iranian vegetarian food for about 16 people, Iolanda and I agreed the menu and then a volunteer designed a lovely poster with the invitation including the details, menu, cost etc. We were offering a 3-course meal at £35 to start at 7pm. We decided to offer drinks; however, it is also possible to ask people to bring drinks. Furthermore, we sent the poster invitation to friends and family, our street What’s App group and other potentially interested people. On the day, we just laid the table (although if you don’t have a big table, a buffet style would work well). We borrowed some crockery and cutlery and some chairs. Of the 18, some were neighbours (some of whom we barely knew), family and friends. We even received a donation from 2 people who could not attend. We asked people to pre-pay via our own bank account and then sent the donations to the Plateful account. Our lovely Iranian refugee arrived at 10am with Iolanda and the ingredients. She cooked and chatted and prepared fantastic food (aubergine and egg dish, samosas and bread to start, bean and herb stew with rice and salad, and fruit, dates and nuts to finish). We were able to offer pans and dishes, although again, this is not essential and can be provided by the charity. The cook left in the early afternoon. At 6.30 another refugee came with Iolanda to heat the food, cook the samosas and serve the food once the guests had arrived. Everyone came on time and was very friendly. We decided to go round and introduce ourselves during the meal, however again this is not essential. Iolanda had left some crafts and non-perishable foods to sell in aid of Plateful. Almost all the goods were taken, and Iolanda trusted people to pay afterwards by bank transfer. After the guests left, our job was to clear up and discuss the success of the evening. We had caught up with old friends and met new ones. We had some very positive feedback and loads of food left over that we shared with our family. Altogether, this was a lovely experience, and we highly recommend you offering to host such an event. Iolanda is very flexible and full of great ideas. She is lovely to work with and wants to make these events both popular as a fundraiser and to publicise the charity.