Why the raffle earns its place on the fixture list

Every bowls club has a few dependable fundraising tools, and the raffle is one of the most reliable. It costs almost nothing to stage, it works in a draughty clubhouse or beside the green on a sunny open day, and it gives members and visitors who would never bid at an auction a simple way to contribute. It also fills the gaps between matches and turns a quiet Tuesday evening into a proper social occasion. The difference between a raffle that raises £40 and one that raises £400 rarely comes down to luck — it comes down to organisation, visibility and a bit of showmanship.

Get the prizes right before you print a thing

Prizes drive ticket sales, so think about what your members would actually want to win. A single grand prize is good for headlines, but a spread of smaller prizes often sells more tickets, because more people feel they have a realistic chance. A good balance is one headline prize, three or four mid-range prizes and a handful of smaller ones to bulk out the table.

Sourcing is easier than new organisers expect. Approach local businesses for a voucher or a hamper, ask members to donate unwanted gifts, and use the club itself where you can — a free rink booking, a Sunday lunch, a set of bowls towels, a bottle of something decent from the bar. Be specific when you ask: "Would you donate a £20 voucher for our open day on 14 June?" works far better than a vague request. Keep a note of who promised what, and chase politely a week before.

• Label everything. Write what each prize is on a card so nobody has to guess.
• Avoid clutter. Ten odd single items look like a jumble sale; group them into hampers.
• Check the rules. Alcohol and cash prizes can carry licensing or charity conditions, so check before promising them.

Keep the tickets simple and the price clear

Simple tickets sell. Choose one price, decide whether you are selling strips or singles, and stick to it. A common and effective structure is a strip of five for £5, with singles at £1, plus a "roll" for the keen. Make the price visible on a poster at every table and at the bar.

Printed books with tear-off stubs remain the most practical choice, because the buyer keeps a stub and the club keeps the matching one. Number everything in advance in a single sequence so the draw cannot go wrong later. Keep a cash tin with a float, a pen pot and a bag for the stubs, and nominate one person to be the money — nobody else handles the cash. If you can take card payments, put up a sign saying so; plenty of people no longer carry coins.

Warm sellers beat clever posters

The selling team makes or breaks the night. Two or three cheerful members working the room will outsell a static table every time. Give sellers a simple script: what the club is raising money for, the price, and a thank you. Being able to say plainly where the money goes — new mats, junior coaching, green maintenance — gives people a reason to buy an extra strip.

Time the selling well. Catch people on arrival, again at half time, and once more before the draw. Don't pester. If someone says no, smile and move on. Ask your sellers to wear a club shirt or a badge so they are recognisable, and remind them to keep their own money separate from club takings.

Run the draw in the open

Transparency is what protects the raffle's reputation, and it takes only a few minutes to get right. Announce how many tickets were sold, or at least how many stubs are in the drum. Ask a volunteer from the opposing team, or a visitor who has bought a ticket, to draw the winning stubs. Read each winning number clearly twice, then hold the stub up and name the prize before moving on.

Display the winning numbers where people can see them, whether on a whiteboard, a printed sheet taped to the bar or a quick photograph posted in the clubhouse. If the winner is not present, agree in advance how long they have to claim — and write that on the poster so there is no argument afterwards. Never let the same person sell tickets, hold the drum and draw the winner. That single rule keeps everything above board.

Thank the donors, then bank the goodwill

Thanking people is not an afterthought; it is how you get prizes next time. Name donors over the microphone during the draw, put a list on the noticeboard, and follow up with a short handwritten note or a thank-you message to the businesses that helped. Members who donated a prize should hear their name just as clearly.

Afterwards, record three things: how much you raised, roughly how many tickets you sold and which prizes performed best. Do a quick debrief with the sellers while it is fresh. Then put the cash somewhere safe the same night and reconcile it against the stubs within a couple of days. When the next event comes round, you will have a template that works, a list of willing donors and a room full of people expecting to enjoy themselves again.