Do I have to come right flat out and tell you everything?

Having confirmed my place on the expedition with Raleigh International, I'm now awaiting a pack which will include fundraising ideas, an equipment list, and a vaccination list.

The main thing on my mind is fundraising.  I need to donate £1950 to Raleigh, eight weeks before the expedition begins, or I won't be allowed to go.  My current job isn't very well paid, so it really will be a big fundraising effort for me to get that.  That's also just to be allowed go on expedition - I'll have to pay for my flight to Costa Rica on top of that, as well as make sure I have enough in my account to cover my bills whilst I'm away.  This means that the actual amount I have to  raise is £4000.  If I can save half and fundraise half, that will be fine.

In terms of fundraising, I have a few ideas.  I've done fundraising for charity before, but this is something else.  I instinctively go towards music-related fundraising activities.  I've run plenty of gigs before, I know plenty of musicians and venues, and I know some venues will let you have the place cheap/free if it's for charity.

Another fundraising idea that I've previously seen is auctioning songwriting on eBay.  I'm in a band, and I'm a pretty good songwriter, if I may say so myself!  I can auction writing a song, working with the winning bidder to have it in the style they like, with the themes they want included, as well as arrange for recording the song.

My birthday is in May.  Instead of having birthday drinks like everybody else does, I'm thinking of asking people to donate the price of the pint they'd normally buy somebody for their birthday to my fundraising.  This helps me by raising money, and helps them by not having to give up their time or health for yet another birthday drinking session.

I'll probably also put on a pub quiz.  I think they're pretty reliable fundraisers.  I'll include raffles at the quiz, and also at the gigs, to help bump up the fundraising a little bit more.

I'm awaiting my pack from Raleigh with information about the fundraising, so I'll have their guidance on branding and key messages for advertising fundraising events.  I don't want to do anything that might upset their marketing people.

I've worked out that I need to raise £194 per month between now and November to be able to pay Raleigh International for the expedition.  I'll also need to save £181 per month to cover the cost of flights and bills while I'm gone.

I haven't even factored in spending money for Costa Rica.  I may just have to give my credit card a good thrashing, and hope to get a job to pay it back when I return.

It's just as well I enjoy a challenge!

Also, in case anybody is wondering about the title of this post, it comes from a Spinal Tap song called Gimme Some Money.