How to run a quiz night

Holding a quiz night for Great Ormond Street Hospital is a great way of raising money and with our 'how to' guide it really is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Planning for your quiz night

Who will you invite?

• Decide who your audience is: adults; families; club members?

Date, venue tickets & timings

• Book a date

• Book an appropriate venue

• Will the price of the ticket include food and drink or will you encourage people to bring their own?

• How many tickets will you need to sell to make the event viable?

• Decide upon the duration of the event

• Recruit volunteers to help you run this event, e.g. a quiz master; scorers; photographer; catering team?

• Promote the quiz night: local press and radio; posters; news letters; emails

Your quiz

• Prepare questions to suit your audience

• Prepare equipment, some of which you may need to hire in advance such as a PA system (write a check list)

• Decide upon the rules of the quiz in advance, in particular - how many in a team?

Other activities on the night

• Will you run a raffle? Think about how you will obtain prizes

• If you're asking for donations on the night, make envelopes for people to place them in

• Prepare a three minute (no longer!) presentation on the cause  

2. Running your quiz night

• Remind your helpers a couple of days in advance
• Run through your equipment check list the day before
• Arrive early to set up, especially if you are supplying food
• Help people get into their teams as they arrive
• Remind them of the rules and the cause you are fundraising for
• Ask the questions, serve food and run raffle (optional) keeping to your time schedule as far as possible
• Invite people to make a donation (envelopes)
• If you can, take photos of the event, especially the prize giving
• At the end of the event take the opportunity to announce the date of the next fundraising event
• When the public have left, thank all your volunteer helpers

3. Following it up

• Count, record and bank the funds raised
• Consult everyone that helped to run the event and find out what they feel went well and what they feel could be improved upon
• Ensure the businesses and individuals that provided prizes are informed of the event's success and thanked
• Announce the amount of money you have raised from the event where those who attended can see it
• Send a short press release about the event to local media with the photos