How to build your own World Gifts virtual village

Create your very own virtual village to make a world of difference to a community in the developing world.

Whether it’s at church, in class, with friends or with your family, a great way to fundraise as a community is to create your own virtual village with World Gifts from CAFOD.

World Gifts give you the opportunity to fundraise for gifts related to CAFOD’s life-changing work around the world.

Choosewhat goes into your virtual village - maybe a few chickens, a vegetable garden and a water supply?

Createyour own display of your village in your parish or school hall.

Celebrate your fundraising by sending us () stories and pictures for the website!

Plan it!

  • Check out the World Gifts catalogue or look online at

the gifts to see what you can buy to create your village.

  • Get others to join you. Who is going to help you plan

fundraising events and help you create a display?

  • Why not speak to your parish priest or head teacher

for support and advice?

Create your display!

Get arty!

  • Invite your group to draw the different gifts you are

fundraising for, cut them out and decorate them. You

coulddo this as a classroom activity, or if you are in a

parish, youcould get your local primary school involved.

  • Use recycled paper, old newspaper or other materials

to make sure your village is environmentally friendly.

  • String the cut out gifts around your parish hall or

classroom, or across you display board and display

them somewhere prominent.

  • Create a mural with coloured paper, crepe paper, material, or rolls of wallpaper to form your village. You could use poster paint or fabric paints or pens, and then write on or around them when they’re dry.

Keep people in the loop!

  • Write a flyer outlining your virtual village idea – what it is and why you’re doing it. Don’t forget to let people know how they can get involved! Make lots of copies to distribute around the group and make a few World Giftscatalogues available
  • If you can, get a regular World Gifts virtual village slot in the parish/school newsletter, e-bulletins, announcements, website, or similar, to keep people updated and thank them for their support
  • Tell people what events or fundraising activity you’ve got planned and what they can do to support it
  • Don’t forget the Gift Aid! If people are making individual donations ask them to put it in a Gift Aid envelope and fill out the form if they are a UK tax payer. To order your Gift Aid envelopes contact CAFOD’s resources team on
  • After your event or activity tell people how much you’ve raised. Displaying photos from your fundraising activities is a great way of celebrating what you’ve done and encouraging others to get involved
  • Buy your World Giftsas soon as you reach your target, either by ordering online, by phone (0808 140 0014) or by returning the order form at the back of a catalogue

Fundraising ideas!

Get your whole community involved with World Gifts with some great fundraising events such as:

  • Book stall / Cake stall / Fairtrade sale
  • Sponsored activities eg. walking, running, cycling
  • Musical evening – charge an entrance fee
  • Clothes Swap night – pay to take part

Celebrate your village!

  • Celebrate your achievements! Why not display the World Giftscertificates that you receive when you fundraise for a gift and photos of your activities? You could send a big thank you to the group every time you meet your next fundraising target
  • We’d love to hear from you! Send a photo of your virtual village and/or fundraising activities, with a brief description of what you’re doing, to your local CAFOD office. By sharing your stories you can help inspire others to do the same
  • Tell others about your virtual village!

cafod.org.uk/groupgifts