Have to organise a summer fete for nursing home - help!

loulou123

Hello, firsty sorry if this is in the wrongplace, couldnt decide where to post it!

Im quite new in my job and one of my tasks is to organise a summer fete. Ive never done anything like this before and dont know where to start.

I work in a nursing home, with residents who mostly have dementia and the fete will be for them and their relatives.

Im planning to organise a raffle, and a name teddy comp (unorginal i know but apparently goes dow well.) but what else can i do? I also have to arrange a barbeque and all the decorations etc as well as inviting everyone and advertising.

Any ideas very welcome as i only have 9 weeks and im starting to panic.

Thanks

PS i have booked an entertainer for a hour, so at least have this part covered!

Emzycal

Why not ask some of the residents?

boiler_man

Is this to purely entertain residents & guests or to raise money as well? Have you an idea of numbers? Will there be young children coming?

I'd keep it simple as possible. A barbeque and cream teas go down well in the summer. A cake stall is usually popular. Bouncy castle for children if there will be a few attending. Then you will need to ensure there is seating and cover from the elements.

Good luck

twentypenceoff

why not have something they can take an interest in?

many people with dementia cant cope in the present but they vivdly remeber the past, so why not have old photos of the area in the past and they have to guess/remeber where the photo was taken? library books have old photos in.

karren

Id have a theme ie the war and get people to dress in character,
ring around a few craft fairs to get contact numbers
advertise in the paper that you need people to do stalls and get them to do a feature about your (remanicence therapy) fete., asking people to bring alone thier war memories and atrifacts etc.
Askt the library to photocopy some images from books about the war, and put them up around the home,
use plenty of bunting, you could get the activities co ordinator to make them with the residents
get the cook to make up ration food cakes etc for the bake stall, and charge per slice,
Stawberry teas were always popular, and huge moneyspinner
scones and cream use the dining room to serve them, and if you can put a tv in the corner to play a good war film.
hope that these are of use to you xxx

happyathome_2

Used book stalls- most people have paperbacks taking up space.

Write to local shops for support ; ie butchers for barbecue tray, supermarket for vouchers, hairdresser for free style etc

When we fundraise each member of staff chooses nice grocery item from a list (usually M+S) and make up a hamper.

It'll be hard work,good fun but delegate!!

Good luck- pray for sunshine.

Liz33

You could try and get supermarket or a bakery to donate a cake and do guess the weight of the cake that often goes down well, a tombola with things the residents would like as prizes

loulou123

Thank you to eveyone for all the suggestions We currently have 31 residents, and obviously their family will hopefully attend too. Have asked about the amount of children likely to attend and apparently theres not too many likely, so cant really justify the cost of bouncy castle etc.

The idea of asking the residents is a good one, but not entirely appropriate as they are mostly in the very late stages of their illness and get easily confused by what is said to them. Although obviously i will let them make desicions where appropriate.

Karren-i am the activities coordinator ! So that will be part of my job too, am definately hoping to encourage the residents in the making of the decorations etc, as hopefully this will encourage them to feel involved.

Unfortanetly i cat delegate anything - its all up to me to sort out.

Reminance type photos/activities is a good idea and one i have already implented into the lounge setting.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

mhagster

what about a bottle stall, ask for donations of bottles, can be alcohol, lots of soft drinks eg; small bottles of lemonade or cartons of juice, shampoo, tomato sauce etc. Put raffle tickets ending in 0 or 5 on them and then all the other raffle ticket numbers go in a container. If customer gets a 5 0r 0 they win something if not they usually have another go and another go......

What about face painting? Charge £1 a go to get kids face painted. If you have no-one on staff who can do this ,you may be able to hire someone from your local council. the leisure development team at our council do this. Yes you have to pay them but hopefully make more money by having someone good at their job.


Is this a fund raising fete? or just an annual event for friends and family of the home?

Mrs_Boo_Boo

Is there a local branch of the Alzheimer's Society? I am a committee member of our local branch and we are very good at organising events, got lots of contacts too,especially the press. It would be an awareness raising opportunity. What about students? nursing,OT etc are there any colleges locally who could help out?
This would be the opportunity to make practical links with other organisations who could assist further. Is there a memory service within the NHS locally.I know now with the new dementia care pathway coming in there will be more awareness.
Perhaps a local celeb could open it?
Good luck

rainmac

Make sure you have lots of willing helpers

For food I would keep it really simple, burgers and sausages, rolls and a few other bits.

Has the nursing home arranged a fete before? Find out what they did, who helped etc.

Ask businesses locally for donations of raffle prizes - a restaurant could offer a meal for 2, florist a bouquet of flowers, food shop a box of chocs etc.

For an idea for another money raising idea how about guess how many items in a jar - could be buttons, pennies, beads, sweets etc.

Good luck x