Make 2026 the year you give something back; the year you do something totally amazing - like organising a charity bake sale - for your local cancer and bereavement charity.

Each month, we’re giving you a fun, easy and impactful fundraising idea that you could take on in aid of CancerCare. There’s something for everyone!

The concept of fundraising can be daunting if you’re new to it, but CancerCare’s friendly and experienced team of fundraisers are here to help you every step of the way.

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September: Have a bake sale for CancerCare

Whether you’re a keen baker, a cake enthusiast, or simply looking for a fun way to bring people together, a charity bake sale is an easy and enjoyable fundraising event that everyone can get involved with.

You can keep things simple with a selection of homemade cakes, biscuits and sweet treats, or make your event even more exciting with a bake-off competition, prizes and a raffle. The choice is yours!

Plan ahead

The first step is to decide where you’d like to hold your bake sale. There are lots of possibilities, including; your home or garden, a local café, a church or community hall, a workplace or school or at a local community event.

If you’re using a venue, remember to check its availability, any costs involved and whether you need permission to hold your event.

If you’re hosting your bake sale at home, make sure you have enough space for your guests and think about how you’ll safely serve and display your cakes.

Choose your cakes

Now comes the fun part – deciding what you’re going to bake!

You could simply ask friends and family to bake their favourite cakes and then sell the treats at your event. Or, why not turn your bake sale into a fun bake-off competition?

Invite friends, family, colleagues or members of your community to each bake something for the competition and then have a judging session.

You could create different categories, such as:

• Best-looking cake
• Best-tasting cake
• Most creative bake
• Best decorated cake
• Best overall bake

You could even have a small prize for the winner of each category!

Once you’ve decided what your bake sale will look like, it’s time to spread the word. Send invitations to your friends, family, colleagues and neighbours and encourage them to come along and support your fundraiser.

You could create an electronic invitation and share it by email or on social media. Social media is a great way to let people know about your event and encourage more donations.

If you’re holding your bake sale at a private residence, however, be careful about sharing your home address publicly on social media. Consider sending the address directly to invited guests instead.

Fundraise with ease

There are lots of ways to raise money from your bake sale, so why not combine a few different ideas?

• Sell your cakes - The simplest option is to charge people for the cakes and treats they choose. You could price individual cakes or create a selection of different-priced treats.
• Charge an entry fee - If you’re running a bake-off competition, you could charge each participant an entry fee. Everyone gets to enjoy taking part, and the winner can receive a small prize at the end.
• Hold a raffle - Why not add a raffle to your bake sale? Ask local businesses, friends or family if they would be willing to donate a prize, then sell raffle tickets alongside your cakes.
• Encourage donations - You could also have a CancerCare collection tin available throughout the event, giving people the opportunity to donate a little extra if they wish.

Every donation, big or small, can make a difference.

Celebrate Your Success

Once you've completed your challenge, let us know! We'd love to celebrate your achievement and, with your permission, share your story and photos on our social media channels.

Thank you for supporting CancerCare through your bake sales.