How to hold a street party
Ian Butler holds an annual local stret party in Hertfordshire to raise money for his NDCS challenges. Read on for some helpful tips about holding a street party in your area.
Ian Butler, a veteran participant with the NDCS, has been holding his annual 'Castle Street Party' for three years, and each year it gets bigger and better than ever! The challenge each year is to get as many people as possible, especially families with children, to the street party to enjoy games, food, music, stalls, jugglers, magicians and anything else that can be arranged! It's always a great day, and Ian has managed to part-fund several challenges with the NDCS, making over £2000 each year.
The street party is helped along by the support of lots of local businesses and residents. Sponsors are sourced for as many aspects as possible, this is a really important aspect of ensuring that Ian makes a good profit from the day. Insurance, the barbeque, equipment hire, printing of promotional flyers and other publicity material is sponsored each year. Ian offers reciprocal links from his ‘Castle Street Party’ website, and sells advertising space on the flyer. With sixteen spaces at £60 available for advertising on the flyer, this is almost £1000 from one avenue of advertising alone. This all helps to cut down costs pre-event, and make more money in the long run. It also helps give the street party a really local feel, and encourages businesses to get involved. As Ian says, ‘Sponsors’ praises will be sung from the rooftops’. The promotional flyer is delivered to around 4000 homes in his local area, as well as railway stations, reaching a huge potential audience.
Ian holds a raffle and an auction at each street party, and has friends use their considerable talents to help out on the day. DJs, Thai chefs and many more have all come along and helped out on the day for the past three years. By involving the local media throughout the street party preparation, Ian ensures that a maximum audience is reached, and the more well known (and notorious) the party becomes, the more media attention it receives each year.
Planning issues and permits are a big consideration, and when planning an event like this, you should always contact your local council as a first step. They can help you with everything from getting a permit to hold the party, to selling alcohol, to helping you contact local businesses. Planning, and running, a big event like this is always bound to have teething problems, but when it can help you raise £2000 or more towards your challenge, it is definitely worth it. Arranging for road closures, risk assessments and insurance 'can be irritating', Ian says, and he has admitted that if he had a pound for every hour he spent organising the party he wouldn't need to fundraise!
It may seem like a big job, but with the help of friends and family, local businesses, residents and the council, a street party can be not only a great money earner, but a fantastic and enjoyable day too. Have a look at Ian’s great website www.castlestreetparty.org.uk for more details, and if you live in the area, come along and have some fun on Sunday 20 August 2006!
If anyone is interested in organising their own street party, or wants to find out more about the Castle Street Party, Ian said that he is happy to chat to anyone. You can email him on ian@castlestreetparty.org.uk
The street party is helped along by the support of lots of local businesses and residents. Sponsors are sourced for as many aspects as possible, this is a really important aspect of ensuring that Ian makes a good profit from the day. Insurance, the barbeque, equipment hire, printing of promotional flyers and other publicity material is sponsored each year. Ian offers reciprocal links from his ‘Castle Street Party’ website, and sells advertising space on the flyer. With sixteen spaces at £60 available for advertising on the flyer, this is almost £1000 from one avenue of advertising alone. This all helps to cut down costs pre-event, and make more money in the long run. It also helps give the street party a really local feel, and encourages businesses to get involved. As Ian says, ‘Sponsors’ praises will be sung from the rooftops’. The promotional flyer is delivered to around 4000 homes in his local area, as well as railway stations, reaching a huge potential audience.
Ian holds a raffle and an auction at each street party, and has friends use their considerable talents to help out on the day. DJs, Thai chefs and many more have all come along and helped out on the day for the past three years. By involving the local media throughout the street party preparation, Ian ensures that a maximum audience is reached, and the more well known (and notorious) the party becomes, the more media attention it receives each year.
Planning issues and permits are a big consideration, and when planning an event like this, you should always contact your local council as a first step. They can help you with everything from getting a permit to hold the party, to selling alcohol, to helping you contact local businesses. Planning, and running, a big event like this is always bound to have teething problems, but when it can help you raise £2000 or more towards your challenge, it is definitely worth it. Arranging for road closures, risk assessments and insurance 'can be irritating', Ian says, and he has admitted that if he had a pound for every hour he spent organising the party he wouldn't need to fundraise!
It may seem like a big job, but with the help of friends and family, local businesses, residents and the council, a street party can be not only a great money earner, but a fantastic and enjoyable day too. Have a look at Ian’s great website www.castlestreetparty.org.uk for more details, and if you live in the area, come along and have some fun on Sunday 20 August 2006!
If anyone is interested in organising their own street party, or wants to find out more about the Castle Street Party, Ian said that he is happy to chat to anyone. You can email him on ian@castlestreetparty.org.uk
|
|