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Fundraise in your community with Maria's tips and ideas

10 September 2025
Maria community fundraising

Maria Carter has been going above and beyond in her community as she trains and fundraises for the London Marathon in support of CAFOD. From village fairs to hospital foyers and supermarket car parks, Maria has found brilliant ways to share CAFOD's mission and raise vital funds for communities around the world.

Buckfast Abbey summer fair

Maria first spotted the fair advertised on Facebook and quickly got in touch with the events team. "They kindly offered me a free stand since it was for charity. I brought along fundraising materials from my local CAFOD group and also ordered some extras from the CAFOD shop. I even had a sign made with a QR code so people could scan and donate directly to my fundraising page!"

Local hospital

Next, Maria took her efforts to Derriford Hospital, where the foyer regularly hosts charity stands. "Some friends who work at Derriford mentioned that the hospital foyer often hosts charity stands, so I contacted the Site Services team, and they let me book in for the day. I set up a small table with materials about CAFOD's health programmes and had a donation bucket. Lots of people stopped by for a chat – patients, staff and visitors. External charities can visit up to six times a year, so I'm definitely planning to go back!"

Maria fundraising at Derriford Hospital

Maria's stall in her local hospital

Morrisons supermarket

Maria also got in touch with her local Morrisons. "I often see charities outside supermarkets and thought it would be a brilliant way to promote CAFOD. I popped into my local Morrisons and spoke to the community champion, who booked me in. I had a table with CAFOD information, stickers and a pot of sweets to help draw people over!"

Maria fundraising at Morrisons supermarket

Another CAFOD stall in Maria's local supermarket

Other activities and future plans

Her creativity doesn't stop there. "I'm also planning a car boot sale soon and have been lucky to receive loads of donations from friends and even strangers. I posted on some local community pages asking for clothes, household items and anything else people were happy to give. So far, I've raised £677 and I'm really grateful for all the support. More events are in the pipeline, and I'm excited to keep going!"

CAFOD is incredibly grateful for Maria's generosity and determination. We'll be cheering her on every step of the way at the London Marathon – good luck, Maria!

Join #TeamCAFOD

Inspired by Maria's story? Whether it's running a marathon, hosting a coffee morning or organising a parish fundraiser, there are so many ways you can use your talents and passions to support CAFOD's work.

Find out more about joining #TeamCAFOD and register your interest today. Email us at events@cafod.org.uk to get started.