Five Reasons to Fundraise

Fundraising is essential to many charities and businesses. Without the help of regular donations, they wouldn’t be able to function and continue their good work. And the Anna Fiorentini Performing Arts School knows this to be true! 

The pandemic created an unprecedented challenge for our school. Operations had to close for several months. This meant that we didn’t know if we would be able to reopen our doors. But thanks to donations from the public and small firms like Web-Labs (along with large grants from the Arts Council and the National Lottery’s Coronavirus Support Fund), the school was saved.

We’re so grateful for the support from the public so far. We believe that by providing children access to the performing arts, they will develop important life skills. This can include teamwork, self-expression, communication, and discipline. But to continue to provide disadvantaged children access to the world of performing arts, the Fiorentini Foundation still needs vital funds. The money raised will make a tangible difference through initiatives like our bursary scheme. This scheme provides free places at our schools to students who may not be able to afford it or to students with and/or affected by cancer. As we celebrate our 21st anniversary, the Anna Fiorentini Performing Arts School is asking for fundraisers to help continue to support local children and young people for the next 21 years!

Fundraising for causes that you care about not only benefits the charities themselves, but it can be deeply rewarding for you too. Here are our reasons why:

Check out our other blog: Post-lockdown fatigue: Let’s Lose Lockdown Lethargy!

Give back to a good cause and feel good about yourself

When you fundraise, you are giving up your time to help make an impact. It’s a great way to say thank you to a charity for their efforts. Knowing that you’re supporting a worthwhile cause and making a change can have a powerful effect on your sense of self-worth. Don’t just take our word for it, though. Fiorentini Fundraiser Claire recently completed her first-ever 5k on behalf of the Fiorentini Foundation. Here’s what she said about the event:

“This year I decided to run my first ever 5k, having thought I wouldn’t be able to run again after an injury. It was an emotional experience, and the idea of running for a charity made it even more special. I believe the Fiorentini Foundation is a wonderful way of allowing children from less privileged backgrounds to be able to experience all the benefits of learning dancing, singing, and all the other fantastic skills learned at Anna’s schools. It was so lovely to be able to raise money for these kids and to know that I’ve made a difference in some way.”

Challenge yourself and get motivated

By supporting a good cause and raising money for a local charity, you are giving yourself a sense of purpose. It can give you the boost you need to get up and move, no matter the event. Whether it be committing to a marathon or something less physically demanding like a bake sale, fundraising can be a way to achieve a personal goal. All fundraising efforts are important, no matter the size. Challenging yourself can get you focused and help you gain confidence while garnering a sense of achievement.

Learn some new skills

When you get involved in fundraising, you’ll often find yourself learning new skills. To fundraise, you’ll have to promote, plan, and prepare for your event. Using communication skills, you’ll learn how to attract people to support the cause. You’ll develop your organisational and team-building skills too.

Fundraising raises awareness and strengthens relationships

While the ultimate goal of fundraising may be to raise money, another big benefit of fundraising is that it gets the word out. Every social media post or event you do, big or small, will help raise awareness. The charity’s message will reach new audiences and enable them to inform the public. In turn, this will help raise even more valuable funds in the future. Additionally, your fundraising efforts can inspire your closest friends and family to give to causes important to them. Likely, many of your family members, friends, and colleagues are already giving to charity, so working together could help you make even more of a positive impact. A shared goal of fundraising can help strengthen your relationships and can be a great way to boost office morale.

It’s fun!

It’s not called a FUN-draiser for nothing! When you combine fundraising with a hobby you enjoy, like running or baking, it’s a great way to have fun while raising money. It can be a very enjoyable and social experience. You might get a taste for it and want to do it all over again! Our Fiorentini Fundraiser, Ed, participated in the London Marathon on behalf of the Fiorentini Foundation back in 2011. After the success of that, he went on to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and is now taking part in the Hackney Half this year! Watch the video below to learn more about why he fundraises for us.

Without the help of fundraisers, the Fiorentini Foundation and the Theatre & Film School would not be able to provide our vital services. If this blog post has inspired you to start fundraising for us, we have a number of ways you can help. We are looking for all kinds of support, whether you want to make a one-off donation, set up a donation page or run a half marathon. Click here to find out more.

And if you’re looking for a challenge, why not sign up for the next Sponsored Lip Sync Dance which will take place at the Hackney Empire in March. It’s sure to be a  fun event with lots of laughter! Click here to register your interest.