There are so many wild and wonderful ways to raise money for charity. Whether it's bathing in beans for Comic Relief or doing a run for Cancer Research, there are all sorts of creative ways to raise money for good causes. There's everything from lavish networking events to car boot sales. Your fundraising project could require all sorts of equipment, from portable staging to folding tables, or perhaps just a pair of running shoes and a sponsorship form.

One popular type of fundraising event is a talent show. It's a great way of getting a whole community of people involved, and could be hosted at a local school, community centre or even recreational ground. Get people involved by contacting local schools, churches, religious groups, youth clubs and local businesses.

If you intend to put on a talent show then you will need some equipment. Portable staging might be a good idea, to help the audience be able to see the talent show contestants. You will also need a sound system and at least a microphone. Often a venue will be able to provide this type of equipment. You might also want to consider providing some furniture for your guests, and lightweight aluminium folding tables and chairs make ideal temporary furniture for fundraising events.

Promoting your event is really important. If you have the support of a local council or network then ask them to promote the event on your behalf. Social media is a great way to reach specific audiences and build awareness for a charity event. When they arrive you can charge them a small entrants fee to come and watch, and that forms your charitable donation. To try to increase ticket sales, you could offer a prize to the person who sells the most tickets. If your competition needs a prize then you could consider offering sponsorship deals to local businesses if they can provide prizes.

Alternatively you could consider a charity fashion show, a fundraising bingo game or even a disco. There are loads of ways to raise money for charity. Smaller events can be equally successful and require far less organisation and investment. Selling cupcakes to office workers always works well, as does selling on old clothes and other items. You can promote an event like this easily on Social Media networks like Facebook or Twitter.

Many people take the sponsorship route to fundraising. If this is you; consider doing something a little bit more extreme or surprising. Combine it with something you've always wanted to do - swim the channel for breast cancer, climb Ben Nevis for Barnados or abseil for Children in Need.