MAKE IT HAPPEN

10‑16 APRIL 2024

You’re at the right place for resources and tips to help with the practical aspects of organizing your Big Cream Tea event.

We will add suggestions and comments from Big Cream Team members here as we get them by email, WhatsApp and social media.

ORGANIZATION: Countdown to the big day

Of course every event is different, but based on our experience with Cream Teas for a few dozen people we would suggest you plan around this kind of timetable:

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

• Apply to Cream Tea Society for a chance to get free cream and jam

Week beginning 4 March - SIX WEEKS TO GO

• Speak with your local Parkinson’s UK contacts to discuss obtaining information material, leaflets, collecting tins, banners.
• Decide roughly how many guests you will cater for, and book your venue
• Check your local group’s meeting timetable to decide when and how you can contact and recruit volunteers

Week beginning 18 March - LESS THAN 4 WEEKS TO GO

• Recruit your volunteers - bakers, tea-makers, front-of-house helpers, setup and clear-up teams
• Check your venue’s arrangements for chairs, tables, crockery, cutlery, boiling water and washing up. Make alternative arrangements for these things if venue can’t provide them.

Week beginning 1 April - LESS THAN 2 WEEKS TO GO

• Agree quantities and delivery arrangements with volunteer bakers
• Agree quantities and delivery arrangements with volunteers buying supplies. Bear in mind clotted cream only lasts about 10 days even in the fridge.
• Confirm availability of other volunteers for front-of-house, raffle, cake sales etc
• Decide pricing of cream tea and other food and drink. Create price labels or menus.
• Check availability of laptop or smartphone and volunteer to run the Zoom hookup

Week beginning 8 April - LESS THAN A WEEK TO GO

• Purchase cream, jam, tea, milk if not already arranged
• Final check on access arrangements for venue, urn or kettles, teapots etc
• Check with all volunteers that they are still available. Keep in touch with volunteer bakers.
• Create detailed volunteer rota/timetable for the event and share with all volunteers

THE BIG DAY

• 2 hours before opening: get cream out of fridge to soften (unless very warm weather)
• An hour before opening: meet at venue with all equipment and supplies, begin setup
• Opening time onwards: ENJOY THE EVENT!

PUBLICITY: Let everyone know about your event

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

• Contact all your supporters (local group members etc) with a "hold the date" message
• Invite any local VIPs you would like to attend (MP, mayor, healthcare professionals, etc)
• Prepare flyers and any other printed publicity material

Week beginning 6 March - 6 weeks before event

• Announce full details of your event to local supporters (at group meeting if possible)

11 March to 23 March - 4/5 weeks before event

• Leaflet drops, posters put up
• Contact local media to ask how they can help
• Publicity email to group members, supporters etc
• Announce the event on your social media channels (Facebook, Twitter etc)

18 March to 30 March - 3/4 weeks before event

• Contact friendly local organizations (university, hospital, care homes, charities such as AgeUK, etc) to encourage attendance
• Occasional posts on social media to encourage interest

1 April to 10 April - LAST FEW DAYS before event

• Final reminder email
• Phone calls to VIP guests and other essential participants
• Vigorous social media activity (perhaps one post per day)

THE BIG DAY

• Posters/banners set up outside venue

The Big Cream Tea is an initiative of the Oxford Branch of Parkinson's UK and is encouraged, supported and publicised by our national charity. We’re very grateful to everyone in the charity who has helped.

Parkinson's UK is the operating name of the Parkinson's Disease Society of the United Kingdom.

A registered charity in England and Wales (258197) and in Scotland (SC037554). Registered office: 215 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 1EJ.