How to hold a bake sale

Hosting and organising your own bake sale can be a fun and delicious activity, whilst racing much needed funds for The Children’s Trust.

Here’s what to do in preparation

  1. Find a suitable venue or decide to hold it at your house. You could even hold it at your school or work, if you get permission. 
  2. Set a date and time. Perhaps there’s already an event happening that you could set up a stall at, such as a sports day or church fete.
  3. The Cakes: Ask for help – Lots of people like to show off their baking skills. You could ask your family, friends and work colleagues for contributions but make sure to ask them far in advance.
  4. Make sure you advertise far in advance. You could: 
    • Post about it on your social media pages
    • Put up posters in your offices/school – with permission!
    • Make flyers and put them in places near you, such as cafes and shops, with permission!
  5. Decorations – Make your stall appealing by having colourful bunting. Contact The Children’s Trust Community Fundraising team for some fundraising materials from The Children’s Trust such as balloons, information packs and more.
  6. If you can, put together a raffle. It can be as little as 3 items in a hamper but adds an easy boost to how much money you can raise. Remember to get some raffle tickets!
  7. If you can’t put together a raffle, maybe you could hold a guess the number of sweets in the jar competition. Remember to get a prize for the winner!

TIP

If you organise it for at school, work or even the high street, place your bake sale in a location where there is a lot of people traffic and during a busy time of day. 

THE TREATS

Make sure you have a variety of cakes, such as whole cakes, cupcakes, brownies, even rice krispie treats, and who doesn’t love a pie?

TIP
Make sure to send a reminder about the sale on the day. 

REMINDER
Ensure you have dairy-free options for vegans, and gluten-free options. We recommend 20% of your options to be dairy-free and 20% to be gluten free. 
 

On the day

  1. Set up your prices. Choose between three or four price points, for example £1, £3, £5, and £10
  2. Set-up for your bake sale: Put up the decorations, set out napkins, set out paper plates and forks/spoons (if you see the need), put out the signage for each food item name, allergies and dietary requirements, set up the cash box and float, display the price list and set up the cakes. 
  3. Draw the raffle prize winner or announce the ‘guess the number of sweets’ winner
  4. Send / transfer the money raised to The Children’s Trust. 
  5. Give yourself a pat on the back! You’ve just provided your family and friends with a fun day of treats and helped make a difference to The Children’s Trust. Thank you!

TIP
Have as many sellers as possible ready for the first 20-30 minute rush.

£200

If you raised £200, then this could fund a music system to help the children have fun and give them added stimulation.

£500

If you raised £500, then this could provide 4 children with music and movement sessions vital to their rehabilitation.

Health and safety

  • Allergies: Try to avoid the use of nuts, but if there are you must make it known with clear warning signs. Ask customers if they have any allergies or dietary requirements and make sure that if they do, they stay clear of them.
  • Dairy-free, gluten-free and any food that could contain nuts must kept apart from each other, in their own section and clearly labelled. 
  • Hygiene: Make sure everyone washing their hands before preparing food and doesn’t use any out-of-date ingredients. Wash your hands regularly before setting up and on the day. Don’t touch the food, use tongs or a cake slice instead. Store cakes in a clean, airtight and sealable container, away from foods after preparation and for transportation. If a cake contains cream, it must be stored in the fridge. 

Legal information

  • If you wanted to hold a bake sale on a high street, you would need to make sure you have your local council’s permission by contacting them.
  • You are required to have clear, eligible signage when selling food products. You must have easily accessible signs with clear warnings if any food could have traces of nuts. You must have signs for different dietary requirements. You must have. It would be helpful to have a list of what ingredients has been used in each product for knowledge of allergies.
  • Make sure you have someone who has first aid training with you. 
  • All profits must go to where you have declared they will be donated to, i.e. The Children’s Trust. However, deductions of expenses that have been part of the organising of the event, such as the purchase of napkins, venue hire, are allowed. 
  • Don’t block any fire exits