Bake sales are always a popular way to fundraise, whether at home, school or in the workplace. Over the past couple of years, Lucy has found that the more people you ask for help, the better it can be…….
Fundraising for CLDF is important to me as a way of honouring the memory of my baby son, Noah, who passed away in Kings College Hospital in 2018, aged just shy of six months. Running was a natural first choice. I had previously enjoyed it and got back into it to help with my mental health and dedicate time to process my loss and think about Noah. I was soon running half marathons to raise money for CLDF and other charities who had supported us with Noah.
I also enjoy crochet and did some stalls selling crochet items such as baskets and cushions. And then towards the end of 2021, I was approached by a family friend who asked if I would be interested in taking a stall at the monthly craft market in Laxfield, the village I grew up in, just a short drive from where I now live. I knew that the market was something of a focal point for the community, and as they only have one charity stall each time, I thought a stall selling cakes would be popular and could be a good way of raising awareness of childhood liver disease, as well as funds.
So I accepted the offer of the stall in the April 2022 market and, as the date drew near, set about baking, asked friends and family if they wouldn’t mind baking a few cakes too. Then the day arrived. I must admit that I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t have enough but there was no need. My mum lives in the village and she had told all her friends about my stall and with the help of the community news I had plenty of people turning up with goodies to sell!
It proved to be a really good day. If people weren’t bringing cakes, they were buying them and many people who couldn’t make it sent donations instead. It was nice to be able to talk about the cause and to be doing something so positive in Noah’s memory. And I was really pleased at the end of the day to have made £410.
When I got the opportunity to take a stall again in September of this year, I took it! This time I didn’t hold back in terms of asking for cake contributions, we had another good day and made £548.
It feels good to have raised so much for a charity which means a lot to me, and to have done so in a way which involves so much contact with the community. For anyone who gets the chance to take a stall in similar circumstances, I would say take it. It may seem a bit daunting but you won’t regret it – you’ll most likely enjoy it!
