Hosting a Charity Quiz Night: A Practical Guide

Why a Pub Quiz Night Is the Perfect Fundraiser

A charity quiz night is one of the most reliable fundraisers you can put on. There's no stock to buy, no catering licence to chase, and no risk of a marquee collapsing in the rain. The pub does the heavy lifting — it provides the room, the tables, the staff and the atmosphere — while you provide the questions, the crowd and a good cause. If you get the basics right, a well-run quiz in a busy local can raise several hundred pounds in a single evening, and everyone leaves having had a genuinely good time.

The trick is to treat it as a proper event rather than an afterthought. Set a clear entry fee, gather prizes people actually want to win, and advertise through the networks you already have. Here's how to do it well.

Pick the Right Night and Have a Word with the Landlord

Approach your chosen pub well in advance — six to eight weeks is sensible. Midweek evenings are usually the sweet spot. A Tuesday or Wednesday is traditionally quiet, so the landlord gets a boost on a night that would otherwise be dead, and you get a room without competing with the weekend regulars.

Be straightforward about what you're asking for. Most pubs will waive room hire for a charity night, and many will throw in a bottle of something for the raffle. In return, make it clear that you'll be bringing in a crowd who'll be buying drinks all evening. Some landlords will even agree to donate a percentage of bar takings, though don't push for it — the footfall alone is usually thanks enough.

• Confirm the date, start time and finish time in writing.
• Ask whether the pub can supply a microphone and speakers.
• Check how many people the room comfortably holds, then plan for about 80 per cent of that.

Setting the Entry Fee and Handling the Money

Keep it simple. A fiver per person is a well-established and easily justified amount, with teams of up to six. That's thirty pounds a table, which feels fair for three hours of entertainment. If you'd rather go lower, charge three pounds and lean harder on the raffle. Don't go above five pounds unless you're offering something genuinely special — you want people to feel they've had value, not that they've been fleeced.

Take the money on the door in cash, and have one trusted person in charge of the tin at all times. A second person should count and record the total before you announce it. If you're collecting for a registered charity, keep a note of the amount raised and pass it on promptly, with a receipt from the charity if you can get one.

Two income streams work better than one. Run the quiz, then hold a raffle during the interval and a quick "heads and tails" game at the end. Both take five minutes and can easily double your total.

Gathering Prizes Worth Winning

Start asking for donations a month ahead. Local businesses are usually generous when the cause is genuinely local, but they need notice and a clear ask.

• Food and drink: a meal for two, a Sunday roast voucher, a case of wine, a hamper of local produce.
• Experiences: a round of golf, a spa afternoon, tickets to a local theatre or sports fixture.
• Practical and fun: a car valet, a haircut, a box of tea and biscuits, a decent bottle of gin.

Buy at least one good prize yourself so you're guaranteed a headline winner, and arrange a wooden spoon prize for the team that comes last — a box of chocolates and a certificate goes down better than you'd expect. Write to every donor afterwards to thank them, name them on the night, and mention them in any local write-up.

Writing a Quiz That Keeps the Room Interested

Aim for eight rounds of ten questions, plus a picture round handed out at the start. Mix the subjects: general knowledge, music, sport, history, film and television, a picture round, and — this is the secret weapon — a round about your own town or village. Local questions spark conversation and give regulars a fighting chance against the pub's resident trivia champions.

Pitch the difficulty for a team of six to score six or seven out of ten. If everyone gets full marks, it's boring; if nobody gets more than three, it's dispiriting. Write the questions first, then test them on a friend who isn't involved. Any question with two plausible answers needs rewriting. Prepare a spare round in case you finish early, and print answer sheets with team names already written at the top.

Advertising Through Local Networks

The most effective advertising is free and personal. Word of mouth fills quiz nights faster than anything else, so ask your regulars to bring a team and make it easy for them to do so.

• Print A4 posters for the pub, the shop window, the surgery noticeboard, the church hall and the sports club.
• Post in local community social media groups and neighbourhood messaging groups a fortnight ahead, then again two days before.
• Email the parish newsletter and the local paper's what's-on listing — most run free entries.
• Ask each team captain to confirm numbers in advance so you can plan the layout.

Running the Night Smoothly

Start at half seven, take a break halfway, and be finished by half ten. Appoint one confident quizmaster with the microphone — someone who can read a room and isn't afraid to keep things moving. Read each question twice, then give the teams a moment to confer before collecting the sheets.

Keep scoring transparent. Swap sheets between teams for marking, read the answers aloud, and have a scorekeeper collate the totals on a whiteboard. Announce the winners, thank the pub, the donors and every team by name, then reveal the final amount raised. A warm, well-organised finish sends people home happy — and more likely to come back for the next one.