How do I make this charity idea work?

[Lovelifebethankful]

Posting for traffic.

I own a successful cake making business. I've been thinking for a while now that I really want to donate my cakes to terminally or severely ill children to have either for their last birthday or a birthday in hospital.

I absolutely have no idea how I go about doing this. I've googled it and it just keeps coming up with existing charities which are not in my area.

Does anyone have any advice?

Would it have to be a charity? Could you not just ask your local hospital?

Is there a childrens hospice in your area. Maybe they could help you put your idea into practice.

That's a really lovely idea.
I would try contacting local hospices and hospitals as a starting point. Your GP surgery may be able to with a list of locals hospices.
If you have a facebook page you could put something on there but I have no idea how it could be tactfully and tastefully worded.
I wish you all the best in your endeavour x

Its a lovely idea and very generous.
You could approach the Royal Voluntary Service, who have volunteers in most hospitals. Or contact your local NHS Trust.

www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/volunteer/volunteering-in-hospitals

Do you have to set up a new charity to do this? There are a lot of charities in the world. They have their own overheads and complications, so if you could do what you want without setting up a charity, I'd be inclined to do that.

So, for example, you could simply give your customers the opportunity to donate via your website or in your shop (if you have a shop), and use those funds for the cakes you're giving away.

Or you could have a 'cake for good' as part of your range, where a proportion of the profit is used to fund the cakes you're giving away.

And so on...

Sorry, my brain is asleep, and I've just seen you didn't suggest setting up a new charity. I'm so sorry.

I think you probably need to set up a link with a specific children's hospice or charity that works in your area. So you need to google that, and then get in touch to arrange meetings with whoever the best contact is there.

I would probably contact your local children's hospice if there is one.

I think start small, gauge demand and work with people who already work with the families.

Have you tried contacting the Ronald McDonald charity? They build and maintain furnished houses/flats next to children's hospitals for parents and families to stay in when their kids are in hospital so they can be close. They do loads of extra stuff like helping parents to bring the sick kids home or to these sponsored houses for special events like Christmas etc. Might be a good place to start as they are all over the country!

That's ok Rain Fantastic idea about the "cake for good" as I was struggling to think how I would fund it.

I think this is a lovely idea but sadly, be prepared for refusals unless you have a catering standard kitchen, undertake the relevant health & safety courses and are prepared for the local food standards people to check your premises regularly.

Great ideas, thanks everyone. mother I hadn't even thought of the Ronald McDonald charity that's a great idea

Alexa I'm already 5 star hygiene inspected for my cake making business and hold the relevant certificates so I'm hoping that will be enough

Speak to your local volunteer bureau, CVS etc. They should be able to put you in touch with someone who can help you set up a social enterpise or community interest company, or even a charity.

What a lovely idea. Good Luck!

Lovelife. Oh that sounds fine then. I just remembered a hospital near me banning cake sales by the WI because the cakes were made in the members kitchens.

There's a charity that has local 'franchises' that make cakes for impoverished children. Would that be something you're interested in?

I can't remember the name off hand. Hang on and I'll look.

Oh it's just called Free Cakes for Kids.

In my local hospice everyday at 3 they have tea and cake for everyone - I'm sure if you ring one and ask they will tell you if you can help.

There's a children's hospice called Demelza House that might be interested.

There's a group where I live called "cakes for kids". It's a network of volunteers rather than just one person but if you work for a charity like mine and you are supporting a child that would, for whatever reason go without a birthday cake you email them (in advance!) with the child's name, age and circumstance and they organise a cake. It's lovely.
And I'm not sure it's even a charity - becoming an actual charity is a bit of a pain and not essential to do good works. If what you want to do is donate your cakes then you can do just that, doesn't need to be a charity.
And if you know where you want to donate them (local children's hospice for example) just email them with an outline and ask to speak to someone about it. Or, if you want to find more, smaller organisations to get involved then find your local CVS organisation and they will have a newsletter that a lot of local charities subscribe to and they'll put your donations in that.
It's a lovely idea, the children we work with adore their birthday cakes!

It’s not that easy to set up an official charity. You need to start as a CIC or similar, open a bank account (in name of your charity -not easy and takes a while), get other trustees on board, and finally you won’t get charitable status ie actually become a registered charity with the Charity Commission until you’ve raised £5,000.

Plus - until you’re a registered charity you cannot solicit donations ie use a collecting tin. You’d need to fund raise by offering services.

Your best route is just to go directly to local hospices/hospitals and offer your cakes directly.