Looking to measure interest (appreciate your time in reading)

Hi All,

I apologise in advance for the long post but appreciate any input from you friendly people.

In my spare time I currently volunteer for a one to one mentoring scheme for teens and young adults who require a little extra help with motivation and self help skills. My young lad is an animal mad 13 year old who is very keen on become an animal welfare officer. We currently spend our weekly sessions doing a range of things from wondering round farms to (when money is tight) wondering around the pet and fish shops of Swindon.

For obvious reasons I cannot elaborate more on his personal circumstances but as part of my time with him we have to choose some goals and targets to which we can work towards.

Currently, rescued from a variety of unwanted homes, he has a pair and single a rabbit in his garden but due to no funds (his pocket money goes on the hay and treats) they are currently in unsuitable hutches and have to rely on him letting them out and sitting with them for their daily exercise.

For all his troubles he is very dedicated to the buns and realises that their homes are unsuitable so we have set our target as raising funds for a shed and run as well as getting the girly rabbits 'done' in order to bond them all and give them a better life. His mother is onside and will allow us to encroach on her garden.

With that in mind, and as this is all part of a self motivated project for him (and me) I was wondering whether any of you would have any ideas of things we could do (car wash, gardening, anything manual is out of bounds) or create that we could then sell.

Our primary idea, and what we will be working towards over the next month or so, is a calendar of his buns, my buns and other animals that we see on our travels. Is this something that anyone here would be interested in and what kind of prices would you be willing to pay.

Anyone who has the time to read this and reply I would really appreciate as he is a top kid with a few problems and I think if we could do this then it would not only be the Buns with a better life, but he will learn what it is like to work towards something and achieve it.

Thanks for you time

Have been thinking but not come up with anything, it's a tough one! Would he be able to do a sponsored something or is that not allowed? Have you looked on Freecycle or similar? I would be willing to pay around 5-10 pounds for a bunny calendar depending on quality but would probably buy one regardless to help this lad - he sounds great! Sorry not been much help but good luck x

NJK said:

Have been thinking but not come up with anything, it's a tough one! Would he be able to do a sponsored something or is that not allowed? Have you looked on Freecycle or similar? I would be willing to pay around 5-10 pounds for a bunny calendar depending on quality but would probably buy one regardless to help this lad - he sounds great! Sorry not been much help but good luck x

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Thanks for getting back to me. I am scouring freecycle, gumtree, ebay etc.

We have set a target of £75-100 as all would be all be second hand and as much do with a practical project (putting shelves in it, using tool, learning skills) as buying the shed. Also, he is at that age where the most expensive is best (Hutch from P@H must be great, Adidas Trainers) so i would like to try and get a bit of value into him too

I was thinking of £5 as long as I could get it to an acceptable level which is good to hear thankyou.

I am applying for some funding for the charity but that would be donated for a wider cause to help more than one of our kids. I have also mooted the sponsorship route but that is going to take some more convincing especially if it was anything to do with physical exercise :roll:.

A calendar would work.

Would he be able to start some fundraising at school? If his form tutor or head of year was on side, they could help. I know it's a bit girly, but cake sales at school at break time always go down well. He could perhaps split the takings with an animal rescue and so get others e.g his tutor group on side so they could bring in buns or cakes etc.

could you do a car boot sale with him, if he asked friends and family if they could donate something? Or a tombola?

not sure if that's what you were looking for...

MichelleBee said:

A calendar would work.

Would he be able to start some fundraising at school? If his form tutor or head of year was on side, they could help. I know it's a bit girly, but cake sales at school at break time always go down well. He could perhaps split the takings with an animal rescue and so get others e.g his tutor group on side so they could bring in buns or cakes etc.

could you do a car boot sale with him, if he asked friends and family if they could donate something? Or a tombola?

not sure if that's what you were looking for...

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Thank you so much for your time.

Unfortunately his situation with schooling wouldn't allow for that as not in mainstream. We are just getting through the 'too cool' stage where he realises he can be different with me and drop the front that he has to at his place of education.

Although, biscuits cooked be baked and sent via the post couldn't they??

You could bake bunny biscuits and sell them on here, they are generally popular.

You would need to get approval from the mods for anything that you sell on here though because you are not a forum supporter.

Kermit said:

You could bake bunny biscuits and sell them on here, they are generally popular.

You would need to get approval from the mods for anything that you sell on here though because you are not a forum supporter.

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Ok thanks,

Sorry, what is a forum supporter. Used to be v regular but not for last 18 months

Stufi said:

Ok thanks,

Sorry, what is a forum supporter. Used to be v regular but not for last 18 months

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Just spotted the big sign at the top of my page , thanks

Stufi said:

Ok thanks,

Sorry, what is a forum supporter. Used to be v regular but not for last 18 months

Click to expand...

It's where you pay to help with the forum costs, should be a wee icon up the top right of your screen.
Means you can sell items without mod approval.

Hi,

How creative can he be? How about making some bookmarks, perhaps animal themed? Good photo's can make lovely bookmarks to sell. Or maybe make some pet toys to sell? How about writing a small book, animal story book? Make a Rabbit Rap and hit the Top 40 with it
Hmm erm, how about washing people's muddy boots after their visit to the farms I'm not so good with these ideas am i :roll:

Tidgy said:

Hi,

How creative can he be? How about making some bookmarks, perhaps animal themed? Good photo's can make lovely bookmarks to sell. Or maybe make some pet toys to sell? How about writing a small book, animal story book? Make a Rabbit Rap and hit the Top 40 with it
Hmm erm, how about washing people's muddy boots after their visit to the farms I'm not so good with these ideas am i :roll:

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Actually you are, bookmarks could really work as he is quite creative with the right motivation.

I have got him making toys/treats for his own so maybe we could look at that. We have been stripping and drying veg for mine and his which i suppose we could market at 'natural treats'

Thanks

How about making Christmas cards with his bunnies and other animals on and selling them online/locally where he lives.

Try getting in touch with the Rabbit Welfare Association - www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk sometimes they'll fund neutering (though I'm not sure on the exact criteria). It's also worth checking with local welfare groups like RSPCA branches as they'll sometimes do discount neutering. Obviously if you can get them together that saves a lot on housing.

To be honest, things like calendars, I think you'll find you won't make much at all on the costs - many rescues put these out and most people are more likely to buy from them. Unless you can save by bulk printing I doubt you'll make anything.

I would look more at this you can sell on local selling groups - there are ones on facebook for most areas. This saves you one of the big expenses - postage! If we weren't heading into autumn I'd suggest sowing seeds and selling the plants. You could try some handmade Halloween decorations or sweets.

Check out the Royal Mail postage rates now - you need something that's quite thin and small, in order to make it worthwhile on the postage. I like the bookmarks idea myself, as they could be sold and sent cheaply, and would be fun to make.

I would buy a book mark or two especially if they had cute rabbits on (like your two).