28 June 2014

Cake stall fundraising

From Tabi Dale:  So I decided to try a cake stall at a local school 'fun day' today to see if I could raise some money. Last year I did a run for Invest in M.E. and raised a little bit so thought I would do something else aswell...

My Mum has been ill with M.E. for most of my life (27 years) and as the years have gone on she has gradually got worse but has never given in to this life robbing illness. Nor does she moan about how ill she is, so for many years I didn't know the extent of her suffering. Now as her main carer I want to try and show as much support as I can and fundraising for Invest in M.E. comes into that. I feel like its my turn to show the same love and self-sacrificing care that she has shown me my whole life and still continues to now, despite how ill she is. 

I do enjoy baking so i thought it would be fun to sell some cakes... well the weather didn't end up making it as fun as i thought. 
i had an idea in my head about getting a nice fruit cake (didnt fancy making one myself) and icing it nicely with 'Invest in M.E. written on it... i've never iced a cake before... sadly i dont have a picture of my first attempt (shame as it would have probably amused some). this was my final attempt

 I found a lovely website that do little cake toppers that print your picture onto edible paper (there are many websites but this one was cheaper and offered to post the next day at no extra cost). i was quite excite when they came!



my 3 year old even helped make some cakes by making his favourite...chocolate rice krispie cakes

This morning came and i checked the weather, not good for the afternoon, thunderstorms and rain predicted. I was informed by email that the fun day was still going ahead and would mostly be inside so all would be ok.
off we went to set up and i was quite hopeful when we set it all up. 


There was another cake stall that had their cakes priced a bit lower so i lowered mine but sadly as the rain and thunder started the people thinned out (although many came inside i think most went home). 
By the end of it i had sold just under a 3rd of the cakes, raising £25 and handed out a few leaflets. I think i'll stick to doing runs!
Although I didn't raise much perhaps at least I have raised some awareness and that is half the battle.

UPDATE by Let's do it for ME .. some sweet soul matched Tabi's fundraising with a donation to our JustGiving page for the Invest in ME / University College London (IiME/UCL) rituximab clinical treatment trial with this kind comment .. "Thank you to Tabi Dale & Son for your fantastic efforts on behalf of Invest in ME. Hope you don't mind if I match your fundraising amount as a thank you :) Donation by Anonymous on 29/06/14 £25.00 + £6.25 Gift Aid.  https://www.justgiving.com/ritux4meuk/ Big THANKS all round!