Fundraising 101!

You’ve probably already started your training plan (hands up those of you with colour coded spreadsheets). Fantastic! It’s never too soon to think about training. But how many of you have started to think seriously about your fundraising? It’s time to make a plan!

Here’s the big scoop:

The sooner you nail your fundraising, the sooner you can relax and focus on your training – particularly by the spring when your mileage will be much higher (and therefore your spare time will be less). Use the start of the year to make big inroads into your fundraising target nice and early.

And this is the perfect moment to remind you that you need to reach 80% of your target by the end of April. Remember – you won’t be able to ride without honouring your fundraising commitment. So let’s get the ball rolling:

First - Set up your online fundraising page

We ask all riders to use our brilliant WWMT website for your online fundraising. This link will get you started. Once set up, get your unique page url onto the bottom of every email you send. It’s worth using images and even video to make your page inviting. The site is very intuitive to use, but we if you’re really struggling, let Kate know and she’ll help to sort you out.

Next - Identify potential sponsors

There are 3 categories of donors:

Friends & Family
Colleagues & Clients
Local businesses & the General Public

1. Friends & family – If you don’t want to ask them (again?) to sponsor you with cash, why not ask them to support your fundraising efforts in other ways? Get them to have a good clear out and donate all their unwanted goods for a car boot sale or to sell on Ebay for Charity? Can they bake you cakes to sell at a cake sale? Would they give up a couple of hours to shake a collection tin while you do a supermarket sponsored spin? Get them to sign up to Easyfundraising and link to your ’cause’ – so that their shopping raises funds for your fundraising too. There are loads of ways family can support you that doesn’t mean they’re dipping into their pockets for another 20 quid.

If you’ve got a really big group of friends, can you organise a single evening of entertainment that will bring in a big chunk of funds? Ideas include a cinema night (talk to your local art house cinema about putting on a private showing for a film of your choice – maybe something relevant to your challenge, like Bellevue Rendezvous?), a big (French?) dinner party, a huge blind dating extravaganza, a silent disco or a really good pub quiz. There are loads of ideas on our Fundraising Ideas and Inspiration page.

2. Colleagues & clients – Many larger companies will support your fundraising ideas and even enable colleagues to donate from pre-tax earnings. They’ll also offer match funding on all those donations which starts to really make a big impact and makes workplace-based fundraisers a really profitable method. Talk to HR and ask for their support. Some tried and tested ideas include cake sales, sponsored spins in large company foyers and tapping into the office Christmas party with fun raffles, competitions etc that can all raise funds. You can even set up a winter sports league for competitive colleagues, with a weekly sub (donation) to pay or as one rider did in 2018, set up a weightloss/weigh-in club for a few months. HR will love it – anything to support ‘health and wellness’ in the workplace.

You may be in a position to tap into clients. Can you ‘sell’ advertising space (in newsletters, company publications etc) for donations? Perhaps you can offer advertising space on your Le Loop jersey in exchange for a donation? Can you bring them into your winter sports league?

3. Local businesses and the general public – Talk to local businesses to ask for donations for raffles, offer them advertising space on your jersey and where appropriate, get a collection tin on their reception desk/till.

It’s possible to tap into the wider general public too. A sponsored spin at a big supermarket or busy train station can bring in well over £600 if done really well. You need high footfall and get those friends and family along to help. Are you part of a bigger sports club who will help you set up a one-off event such as a 5 mile run, or do you play music with a band/choir who would put on a special evening of entertainment with ticket prices including a donation.

A brilliant recent example of this has been beautifully executed by 2025 Grand Looper Ivan Price. His wife works for the Scrap Car Comparison website. They sponsor a different charity every 2 to 4 weeks, inviting buyers to make a donation as part of their scrapping deal, raising funds for a variety of charities. Thanks to a pitch by Ivan, they’ve selected the William Wates Memorial Trust as their chosen charity for December … and all funds will go towards Ivan’s Le Loop fundraising target. Can you think of a way to do something similar through your business or clients?

Learn about the charity

Nothing beats visiting one of the charities supported by WWMT to gain a better insight into how your funds will benefit young lives. A charity visit will inspire you (and humble you) and empower you to talk to your supporters with passion and knowledge.

We’ll be hosting a big Rider Event, hopefully on 26th Feb (tbc) where (among other good things) one of the charities we support will explain more about their impact … details coming soon and we strongly encourage you to come along (there’ll also be a chance to meet fellow riders, Tour Manager Sarah, Wates Trustee Rick, lead cycling Ben and more).

If you can’t make that date, we’re always happy to organise a charity visit for individuals. Just get in touch with Kate and she’ll set a visit up for you.

Now make a plan

You know who you’re targeting – now decide what tactics you’re going to use.

If you’re hoping for donations in reply to email requests and are confident that will reach your target, use our templates to draft the emails (including the follow up reminders – you’ll inevitably need them) and get them ready to send no later than the Easter Holidays (remember – you need to reach 80% by the end of April).

If that’s flying a bit too close to the wind for you, or you don’t have A LOT of friends with deep pockets, you’ll need to be more creative. Check out all our fundraising support pages in your Rider Account, decide what method will be most fun and effective for you, and start to pin down the details of how and when you’re going to do it.

Don’t leave all this to chance. Make a plan!

Got questions about Fundraising?

Check out our Fundraising Q&A in the Fundraising Essentials page under the Fundraising tab in your Rider Account.

In summary:

So – having realised that you’re not just restricted to asking your ‘Aunty Irene’ for a tenner – now start to think as fun and creatively as possible. It must be said that the more you’re enjoying the fundraising, the more successful it is likely to be.

Don’t fall into the trap of leaving this to the last minute. Explain to your fundraisers why you’re asking for their donations well in advance of your Tour – they’ll understand.

If you’ve followed any of the links above, you’ll have realised just how much support we offer on the Fundraising pages you can access from your Rider Account. Not just ideas, but resources too. But if you need any more support, just get in touch with Kate and she’ll be delighted to help.

GOOD LUCK!