A Guide to Fundraising for a Charity Hospice

Hospice charity fundraising is a highly worthwhile method of contributing to your community, providing essential support for people living with a terminal or life-limiting illness and their loved ones. Hospice care, like that supplied by Hospice in the Weald, provides compassionate, specialist care free of charge. To continue and develop these essential services, though, hospices are very much dependent upon their donors’ generosity and successful fundraising.

Whoever you are – a person with a dream to change the world, a corporation seeking to enhance its relationships with the community, or a community organisation seeking to give something back – this step-by-step guide on how to fundraise for charity gives you the information, inspiration, and legal expertise you need to raise the funds you need.

In 2023-2024 alone, Hospice in the Weald assisted 2,610 people through its various services, 413 of whom were patients who were looked after in comfortable hospice beds and over 1,686 people were supported in their own homes.

In general, funds donated to a charity can be used as either unrestricted or for a specific purpose stipulated by the donor. At Hospice In The Weald, fundraising is treated as unrestricted, meaning the funds can be used for any of the charity’s chosen purposes, allocating resources where they are needed most. This kind of allocation is especially helpful for outreach services, which support thousands in the community. This shift of focus ensures care is provided more widely instead of being limited to a few beds.

Money raised guarantees ongoing access to quality care, whether enabling professional counselling (£100 can purchase four sessions), or making nursing care achievable (£5,000 can assist in the provision of two patients’ dignified end-of-life care). 

Getting Started with Fundraising

Choosing how to fundraise is your first step. This means considering methods like sponsored events, online campaigns, or peer-to-peer fundraising. Clear, realistic targets encourage supporters, and whether you’re holding a marathon run, a local cake sale, or even a coffee morning, clearly articulate your purpose and the hospice’s mission. This means explaining the ‘why’ of the hospice, but also sharing your own personal motivation for supporting.

Hospice in the Weald’s charity platform of choice is JustGiving. They are secure, simple to use, and offer trusted ways for individuals to donate. You can also personalise your fundraising pages with heartfelt stories or videos to inspire your audience.

When it comes to those that respond, Hospice in the Weald recognises that most of our fundraisers are often driven by personal connections rather than by events alone. We encourage face-to-face fundraising events like plant sales, friends’ groups, and community events at a local level. We find that trying to establish more active relationships with businesses, nurturing relationships instead of transactional sponsorship, yields positive results and engages them more. Face-to-face community activities encourage donors to discuss individual stories and motivations, which have a powerful effect. 

The team has also noted that many supporters or businesses only contact the hospice once their fundraising page is live. Reaching out earlier means you can receive better support, materials, advice, and even promotion on Hospice in the Weald’s channels. This proactive contact can improve turnout, increase donations, and create a more meaningful experience for everyone involved.

Hospice in the Weald aims to develop more proactive partnerships with businesses, building relationships rather than transactional sponsorships. They encourage businesses to align with their values, fostering mutual benefits and long-term collaboration. Whether you’re a local café or a regional enterprise, connecting your cause to compassionate care can enhance your brand and deepen your community roots.

Hospice in the Weald actively enables community events by providing banners, leaflets, donation buckets, and even Ambassadors to speak at larger events, which helps to add credibility and attendance. 

Community fundraising is a big area of growth for the hospice, especially outside Pembury, where there is potential to be tapped. School assemblies, WI groups, and friends groups are all gratefully received, and the hospice can offer to send representatives or ambassadors with a personal experience to talk.

The hospice has identified strong local networks, such as their Friends Group in Lamberhurst, as excellent models to replicate in other areas. These groups host low-cost, high-yield events like plant sales, panto nights, or supper clubs—simple initiatives that bring people together while supporting a vital cause.

Hospice in the Weald is also investing in downloadable fundraising materials to support individuals and schools across their wider catchment. They hope to make community fundraising easier, more sustainable, and more accessible to new supporters in the years ahead.

Digital Fundraising Ideas for Anyone, Anywhere

Online fundraising has widespread reach, and your supporters, wherever they are, can easily contribute. Think about hosting virtual events for special days such as birthdays or commemorations. Share your campaigns with interesting content on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn.

Hospice in the Weald is already active on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook for fundraising promotion and creating new modes of approach to audiences’ knowledge and involvement. QR codes are standard for JustGiving pages, and downloadable materials (like letters and posters) are in the process of being revamped to be consistent with current campaigns. 

Supporters can also request custom QR codes linked to their JustGiving pages. These codes can be printed on flyers, email signatures, or event invitations, making it easier for potential donors to give on the go.

Hospice in the Weald’s online capacity is expanding, with the vision to adopt a more sophisticated platform that will deliver more tools for online fundraising campaigns like wedding fundraisers or anniversary donations.

Charity-of-the-Year partnerships can direct business efforts clearly, increase employee satisfaction with volunteering and fundraising opportunities, and create positive PR, community goodwill, and better employee retention for involved businesses.

The hospice also aims to secure bigger business partnerships through staff votes and formal schemes, while empowering smaller businesses with off-the-shelf resources to allow them to support the hospice in their own manner.

A new business fundraising pack has been introduced and is now available on our website. It includes sponsorship opportunities, commercial partnership guidelines, and resources to help businesses get started. This initiative reflects a broader shift towards sustained partnerships rather than one-off engagements.

Hospice in the Weald also encourages businesses to align their support with their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals. Corporate social responsibility can be enhanced through fundraising, volunteering, or offering professional services. These collaborations not only raise funds but also build long-term goodwill within the community.

Inspirational Fundraising Stories

Every Moment Counts: £406k in 36 Hours

In a powerful display of unity and urgency, 1,380 supporters came together in a bold 36-hour campaign, smashing a £400,000 goal to raise £406,750. Thanks to the generosity of matched donations, their gifts doubled in impact.

Ian Glascott, raising £11,395 in memory of his late wife Marion, shared how her joy in “Living Well” and hospice counselling continues to comfort his family – a profound testament to the ripple effect of giving.

Steve’s Story: Triathlons for a Beloved Cousin

Steve, inspired by the loss of his 19-year-old cousin Richard (cared for by the hospice), channelled grief into action. Beginning with local events in 2015, he progressed over years to Ironman races, marathons, and in 2021 completed the “world’s longest single-day triathlon” (a 5 km swim, 200 km bike, 50 km run), plus multiple marathons and a 100 km walk. He’s raised over £19,556, soon expecting to top £20,000.

Moonlight Walk: Steps of Remembrance

Every participant walks with a story, each one a powerful reflection of love, loss, and hope. Together, they show how deeply this event resonates across our entire community. It’s a fun, inclusive and meaningful way for the community to join together. Thanks to the support of the Freddie Green and Family Foundation, for every donation our Moonlight Walkers raise, up to £75,000 was matched pound for pound in 2025.

Practical Fundraising Tools

Hospice in the Weald provides support for fundraisers in the form of banners and publicity material to collection buckets and running vests. We recommend using tools such as JustGiving to track donations with ease and publicising employer-sponsored match-funding to help raise funds to the next level of success.

We are also creating new downloadable community packs and school fundraiser kits so that supporters can conduct successful campaigns with minimal hassle.

Payroll Giving

Payroll giving provides a regular stream of income through fundraising, with employees making donations straight from their wages before tax, thereby rendering donations affordable. Companies enjoy improved CSR image and staff morale.

Hospice in the Weald promotes payroll giving to companies, with the potential for this to achieve Payroll Giving Quality Marks and national awards, which can add to the reputation of a company.

Supporters are asked to inform the hospice in advance so that they can be given maximum support, including sharing of stories, literature, and possibly featuring in appeals or social media coverage.

Raising funds to support hospice care is a meaningful way to have a real effect in your community. Your fundraising, regardless of its size, makes a very real difference in enabling the delivery of comforting, quality care for families and patients when it matters most.

Hospice in the Weald is still committed to supporting you with your fundraising, offering expert guidance, practical support, and genuine gratitude for any donation.

Top 3 Tips for Fundraisers – from an Expert

While fundraising for a charity hospice, it’s helpful to remember inspiring and support advice from those with experience. Here are our top 3 tips for fundraisers, as recommended by the fundraising team at Hospice in the Weald: 

• You’re not alone – Lean on the charity for materials and moral support, they’ll have your back.
• Talk about it – Word of mouth does work. Bring up your fundraiser during your daily conversations and generate a buzz and practical support.
• Make it personal – If you’re okay with it, let people know why you care. A personal story makes every contribution meaningful.

Start Your Fundraising Journey Today!

Together, we can ensure that compassionate hospice care continues to be available to all those who need it. To begin, see our fundraise for our hospice page or have a look at upcoming hospice charity events and our hospice volunteering page to see how you can join in.

Need help or guidance? Contact the fundraising team or, pop in and talk to us at the Hospice in Pembury. Together, we can make a difference.