Bake sales: Fundraising with food

While you should not be put off including food in your fundraising endeavour, remember that food at fundraising events will need to comply with regulations applying to specific types of food. The Food Standards Agency provides lots of really easy to understand guidance on what you need to do and when you are required to do it. Even if there is no legal requirement to label the food you are selling, you might want to do it voluntarily, giving the product name, a list of ingredients and details about ingredients that could cause an allergic reaction, such as nuts. Ensure the information is accurate and well displayed. If you don’t label make sure all the people who might be selling the food know exactly what’s in a product if asked.

Home-made cakes should be safe to eat, as long as the people who make them observe good food hygiene, and the cakes are stored and transported safely.

At home, people making cakes should follow these tips:

  1. Always rigorously wash your hands before preparing food.
  2. Make sure that surfaces, bowls, utensils, etc. are clean.
  3. Don't use raw eggs in anything that won't be thoroughly cooked, such as icing or mousse.
  4. Keep cheesecakes and any cakes or desserts containing cream or butter icing in the fridge.
  5. Store cakes in a clean, sealable container, away from raw foods, especially raw meat.

On the day, people bringing in cakes from home or running the stall should follow these tips:

  1. Transport cakes in a clean, sealable container.
  2. Make sure that cheesecakes and any cakes or desserts containing cream or butter icing are out of the fridge for the shortest time possible.
  3. Avoid handling cakes. Use tongs or a cake slice instead.

Risk Assessment:

A risk assessment doesn't have to be a complex document, but it is always a good idea to run through one at a level appropriate to your activity to ensure you are taking the appropriate health and safety measures. Overleaf you will find a sample Risk Assessment that we have created for you, but please take the time to personalise the risk assessment for your specific use.

Your charity:

If you are fundraising for charity, rather than for your group, please be aware for legal reasons the Union must give you formal permission to fund raise. In some instances this may not be possible. Please liaise with check about charity fundraising.

I have read and understood the above points and agree that my/our bake sale will conform to this guidance:

Name:  / Signature:  / Date: 
Date of event: / Venue requested: / Group funds raised for:
Activity / Bake Sale
Context of Activity / Fundraising for [insert club/society/group]
Name
Position
Signed
Date

Each activity organiser should nominate a person responsible for health & safety. The nominated person responsible for this activity is:

Telephone/ Mobile no.

Activity / Who is affected / Risk / Control precautions
Hazard Identified / Person/s at risk / Worst outcome
4. Possible death
3. Serious injury
2. First aid injury
1. Minor injury / Likelihood
4. Very likely
3. Possibility
2. Unlikely
1. Remote / Control measures
Contamination / Consumers / 2 / 3 / [insert here all numbered point from above, with ‘Will be’ statements included]
E.g.
  • Hands will be washed before handling food.

Allergens / Consumers / 4 / 2 /
  • Foods to be labelled where appropriate
  • All servers/sellers to be aware of all ingredients. Customers to be informed if a product contains any common allergen (peanuts etc.)
  • All sellers/servers to be aware of how to contact a first aider.

Choking / Consumers / 4 / 2 /
  • No food racing contests will be permitted.
  • All sellers/servers to be aware of how to contact a first aider.