Fundraising in schools
Fundraising is a chance for students to have fun, learn to work as a team, and pick up some new skills.
You can choose to plan activities that tie in with your school’s curricular and extra-curricular aims.
Get in touch!
Contact fundraising@derianhouse.co.uk
Call 01257 271 271
You are doing something incredible for children and young people – thank you!
How fundraising benefits your school
Fundraising is fantastic for...
Personal development
Awareness of social issues
Communication skills
And can benefit these subjects...
English – develop language and literacy skills.
Business – develop business skills
Maths – money management
Creativity – brainstorming
How we can help you
Fundraising resources
We can provide you with collection tins or buckets, as well as posters, leaflets, and any other materials you might need to host your fundraiser.
Attending your fundraiser
We are here to cheer you on – we can come along to your fundraiser as a Derian representative.
Our mascot – Derian Danni
Our mascot, Danni, can come to your event – just ask!
Media promotion
We can help you to promote what you do to fundraise for Derian House – whatever that may be.
Fundraising calendar
November - December
Help us to raise vital funding by buying and selling our Christmas cuddly plushes.
March - June
Our Junior £50 Challenge invites aspiring young business brains to create their own business empire in true BBC Apprentice style – who will top the leaderboard?
June
Celebrate Children’s hospice week with us.
All year round
We can come to your school assembly to showcase all the work that Derian House does.
If your class would like to find out more about the hospice, we can organise a tour for you all to come and visit us – just get in touch!
Your fundraising checklist
Choose your activity
Think of new and exciting challenges or ways to fundraise. Doing something different can capture people’s attention and help raise more cash.
Get in touch
Let us know what you’re planning so we can send helpful resources and share your story.
Set realistic goals
Every little helps… whether you are raising £10 or £1,000. Be ambitious but realistic with what is possible for you.
Set up a donation page
To make it as easy as possible for people to donate e.g. JustGiving, GoFundMe.
Spread the word
Make sure that all pupils, parents and even the local community know about your fundraising efforts. JustGiving provides QR codes which can be added onto your school newsletter. Children can also be encouraged to share it with family and friends.
From student fundraiser to Community Ambassador - Ryan’s Derian House story
After pushing himself to the limit to raise money for Derian House for over 10 years, 23-year-old Ryan Walmsley from Blackburn hopes to inspire the next generation of young fundraisers.
“I will never forget the first time I visited Derian House.” Said Ryan. “It completely changes the way you think of a hospice. I saw what it was all about – this incredibly happy place that does so much good for families.”
Ryan, who works at BAE Systems, began his fundraising journey for Derian House while at high school, Darwen Vale, when he was in year nine.
He started taking part in the school’s annual tradition that has seen hundreds of young people take part in an all-day, non-stop, army-style circuit training challenge to raise vital funds for Derian House.
But Ryan got the fundraising bug, and in 2018 then 18-year-old Ryan set himself a challenge to run at least 3 miles every day throughout the year for Derian House.
He raised more than £10,000 and helped the charity gain national coverage when BBC Radio One surprised him live on air to congratulate him for his amazing dedication to charity.
“I ran abroad on holidays, through illnesses, and every weather condition you can think of.” Said Ryan. “No matter what I was up to, I had to incorporate a run into my day. There were days when It would have been easy to say no, but I had to because I’d set myself that goal.”
As he reached the last leg of one of his final runs, which ended in Blackburn’s Witton Park, Ryan was surprised by the BBC Radio One breakfast show.
“I set off from my house and all of my family and friends were there, as well as school teachers and the cast of Peter Pan. Plus a brass band, a choir, and there was hula hooping for some reason.” Ryan laughed. “It was unique, but brilliant.
“At the end of the breakfast show everyone kept saying to me, have you seen your fundraising page? And it had gone from £1500 to £5,000 in that time and I remember thinking that’s crazy – I’d never seen anything like that before.
“And then I went into work and they told me that they were going to match it – bringing my final total to £10,220!
“After that I met up with Mick from the Derian House fundraising team again. We went for a brew, and he asked me if I’d like to be an ambassador for Derian – and of course I said yeah.
“You can’t really explain it, that feeling of giving – of helping others.” Said Ryan, “So I did it again.”
In 2020, during COVID, Ryan took just over 3 days to cycle 230 miles from London to Chorley on a child’s bike – which he dubbed the ‘Tour De Derian’. The challenge raised £2,165 for Derian House.
“I’m always thinking – what can I do next?” Said Ryan. “So this year I’m doing Ironman UK in July, which is the toughest physical challenge I believe that anyone can do. That’s a 2.4 mile swim and a 112 mile bike ride,
before finally completing a marathon.
“When I do something to raise money for Derian House, I can see the incredible work that they put the funds towards, and I want to encourage more people to help out and get involved.
“If you’re thinking about fundraising,” Said Ryan, “have a think about all the things you do in your spare time. Do they fulfil you?
“If you really want fulfilment, go out and do something out of your comfort zone. Go and challenge yourself – find something you haven’t done before. You’ll learn more about yourself on that journey than anywhere else.
“The skills you learn will most definitely help you in your career or job in the future, they don’t come from nowhere. And fundraising is a really great way to develop those skills – that’s what happened to me. It’s all life experience.
“I’m inspired by real life heroes, normal people doing extraordinary things. Dropping everything to help others – now that’s inspiring. When you do something for charity it brings something out of you – it’s not what you’re doing but why. You could do something small, so small, even ten minutes out of your day that could change someone’s life.
“I have been approached by parents whose children use Derian House’s services – hearing their stories really puts it into perspective. These individuals and their families are what it’s all about. It’s how special Derian House is for so many people. I’m such a small cog in the wheel, but I feel privileged to be a part of it.
“The exposure you gain, the thank yous, the well dones, they’re temporary. The things you learn from it will be with you forever.
“So go for it,” Said Ryan, “Do something amazing for someone else – and who knows, maybe you’ll be a charity ambassador one day.”
