Setting Up A Support Group
This can be as simple as you and a few friends getting together to promote or raise money for SIR/Mary’s Meals in your area.  However we are beginning to hear of organized groups, so far all in parishes, who have set themselves up with the express purpose of supporting Mary’s Meals.  They will get together to pray for the work but also undertake fundraising events. 

Fundraising Examples
Heather from Glasgow produced a newsletter that included information about the work of Mary’s Meals.  This enterprising youngster then sold her magazine around her community and raised £40 for Mary’s Meals to say nothing of raising awareness of the campaign.  Brilliant!

Peter from London organized a sponsored climb of the Three Peaks Challenge that raised over £8 000 for Mary’s Meals.  This ambitious event involved persuading friends and colleagues to join one of the climbing teams, persuading other friends and colleagues to sponsor them and a great deal of aching muscle.  There must have been some fun involved too as they are thinking of repeating the event next year…

Other ideas :
Request a Mary’s Meals collection box and suggest friends and family do the same.
Would your town support an SIR charity shop? Is that something you would be interested in becoming involved with?  We usually open a shop where there is a group of people who have expressed a real interest in getting one up and running.

Give As You Earn is a way of donating to charity direct from your pre-tax wage.  Sometimes an employer will match what is donated by their employees.  Perhaps your place of work would consider SIR as the nominated charity

Tell people about SIR and Mary’s Meals! 
We cannot emphasize too strongly just how effective telling other people about SIR can be.  You never know where that conversation can lead!

Fundraise



There are many ways someone can fundraise for SIR and we are constantly amazed at the generosity of supporters who fundraise for us.  Whether their endeavors raise £10 or £1000 the funds are welcome and vital to our work. 

Interested in Fundraising for SIR?
If you want to organize an event to raise money we can provide; posters, leaflets, Mary’s Meals DVD's, T Shirts, speakers from SIR, sponsor forms etc.  If you are interested in turning a celebration such as a birthday into a fundraising event you will find more information under Alternative Giving.

Taking part in a sponsored event?
If you are organizing a sponsored event or an alternative giving celebration you can set up an online fundraising page through www.justgiving.com  This is easy to use and gives your supporters the opportunity to donate online.