Fundraising ideas on a plate
Howard Lake | 9 January 2026 | News
Sometimes we spot some similar fundraising themes adopted by different charities. Here are four recent examples of UK charities using the themes of food, plates and dining to raise funds and awareness.
These initiatives range from corporate school campaigns to collaborative charity dinners and awareness-driven festive appeals.
Russell Hobbs’ ‘Plates for Change’ School Campaign
Appliance retailer Russell Hobbs launched its nationwide ‘Plates for Change‘ initiative as part of its three-year global partnership with the charity Action Against Hunger. The campaign is designed to raise awareness of global hunger and inspire the next generation to “cook for good”.
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Targeting Key Stage 4–6 pupils (ages 7–11) across the UK, the programme provides a suite of curriculum-aligned resources, including lesson plans, presentations, and activity worksheets, to spark meaningful discussions about the realities of hunger, the importance of nutrition, and healthy eating in different countries.
A central component of the initiative is a nationwide competition. Registered primary schools are invited to submit their own ‘Plates for Change’ design, where students use their creativity to design plates that tell a story about hunger, showcasing what they have learned in the classroom. Prizes worth up to £1,750 aer on offer.
Chefs’ Whites and Paddy & Scott’s Charity Dinner
In a local collaboration, Chefs’ Whites Restaurant at Suffolk New College teamed up with Suffolk-based coffee company Paddy & Scott’s to host a coffee-inspired charity dinner. The event was a “mouth-watering culinary explosion” with a menu crafted and served by students undergoing their culinary training programs.
The evening was held in support of St Elizabeth’s Hospice. Guests included the General Manager of Milsoms Hotels & Restaurants and the CEO of Hotel Folk.
The night included a raffle, featuring gifts donated by various supporters, raising £480 for St Elizabeth’s Hospice.
WaterAid’s ‘The Driest Christmas Dinner Ever’ Appeal
As part of its winter appeal, WaterAid launched ‘The driest Christmas dinner ever,’ a campaign designed to highlight the fundamental importance of water in everyday life, especially during the festive season. The campaign’s premise is a dehydrated festive feast with all the trimmings, except for the one crucial ingredient—water—to show what life is like without clean water.
The “dry meal” features shrivelled-up versions of traditional favourites like turkey, stuffing, and Brussels sprouts, serving as a powerful reminder that nearly one in ten people around the world have no clean water close to home. New research by WaterAid, released with the campaign, found that the average Christmas meal for four people has a massive water footprint of over 15,000 litres, which is enough to fill 125 bathtubs.
To raise funds, WaterAid is selling virtual meals on its Shop for Life for £11, which is the average cost of a Christmas dinner.
The campaign, supported by celebrities like comedian Eshaan Akbar and TV chef Big Zuu, has been designed as a light-hearted take on a serious global issue to encourage the public to support the charity’s ‘Everything starts with water’ appeal.
Wooden Spoon’s ‘Pass the Plate Appeal’ to tackle child food poverty
******************************@**.png” alt=”Pass the Plate logo. A red fork and green knife plus a horizontal blue spoon across them are placed on an oval white plate” class=”wp-image-337256″/>Wooden Spoon, the children’s charity of rugby, launched its ‘Pass the Plate Appeal’ in November last year. It is aimed at raising £100,000 to combat the growing crisis of child food poverty across the UK.
Backed by rugby celebrities and Wooden Spoon Ambassadors Jason Robinson OBE and Tamara Taylor, the appeal seeks to fund eligible community groups and charities that are providing crucial meals and nutritional support for vulnerable children and young people. The charity has highlighted the stark reality in the UK, noting that over 4.5 million children are now living in poverty, and 1 in 3 children live in households below the poverty line after housing costs.
The appeal is being run in partnership with corporate supporter Young’s Pubs and has a dual focus:
- Fundraising: Appealing to supporters for donations to reach the £100,000 target.
- Grant-making: Inviting organisations already making an impact in this space to apply for a Wooden Spoon grant.
These grants will specifically support “innovative local initiatives” that deliver nutritious meals and snacks, focusing on essential provision through weekend, holiday, and school food programmes. This funding is intended to provide the nourishment children need to learn, grow, and thrive.
Organisations interested in applying for funding can find full eligibility details and application guidance by visiting the Wooden Spoon website.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.