Supporters fundraising stories

Retro-themed disco nights

Find out how Tracey and Gemma’s idea for an ’80s-themed disco night took off and why it has become an annual date in many people’s diaries.

Name: Tracey and Gemma Newman
Event: Retro-themed disco nights
Venue: Various in Banbury
Amount raised: £3,672.44 at the last disco

Why did you choose to support Katharine House Hospice with your fundraising?

My mum was diagnosed with cancer in 2022 and, unfortunately, the diagnosis came in the late stages so we didn’t have much time. But Katharine House supported us with advice so that we were able to get everything we needed at home to care for her.

Our family is Bloxham born and bred, and like to keep supporting Katharine House now, not just because of Mum, but also because it’s our local hospice and we might need it again in the future. Katharine House provides such an important service for the people that live in this area.

Tell us a bit about your event or activity

We run an events business, so have a bit of experience when it comes to what needs doing, and so we thought about putting on a disco to raise money. The ’80s has a great vibe and so that was our starting point. We found a venue (but did have to pay for it) and booked a DJ (who gave us a good price) and reached out to lots of businesses for raffle prizes. We were inundated with over 60 items! People were so incredibly supportive of Katharine House.

Fancy dress was optional, but of course, Gemma and I have always dressed up. We even set up a bit of a photo booth area so people could have a laugh capturing their evening. The event went so well that as people were leaving they were asking about the next one, so inadvertently, it’s become an annual thing!

The second one took place in 2024 and had an ’80s vs ’90s theme and rather than a raffle, this time we did a 100-square grid fundraiser, where people pay to put their name in a square and have the chance of winning a lovely hamper.

We raised £3,672.44 at that disco! It was much more than our first event because we had the venue and DJ free of charge, which makes a huge difference. We are hoping to raise even more next time!

The next event is on 4 April and this time the theme is disco, so people can expect music from across the decades!

“Seeing everyone enjoying themselves makes it all worthwhile. Plus, it’s easier second time around because we’ve already done it once!”

What tips would you pass onto other fundraisers? What worked well for you?

The support of family and friends is so important!

Also, getting the word out early to build excitement! We sent out a save the date early on and then started to sell tickets in January and we were sold out within ten days! We use Eventbrite to sell our tickets, which works really well and is super easy to use. As for getting the word out there, Facebook does the job perfectly! We share news on there and it is spread widely by family and friends.

We have been overwhelmed by people’s support. Because Katharine House is a local charity and so many people have been touched by what they do, there is no shortage of offers of help, support and donations. We have been able to get a free venue for the last couple of years, and we even managed to get the DJ to do it for free last year. It means so much to us that everyone is so kind and generous. I have a great time!

Is there anything else you would like to tell us?

We will keep going as long as people want the event.

Let us help you to help us

If you’ve been inspired by Tracey and Gemma and think you would like to set up a fundraising event for Katharine House Hospice, we have created a set of website pages to help you with: