Excerpt: More than 1,000 sausage sangas, hundreds of cold drinks, 12 volunteers, and over $4,500 raised. Our recent Caroline Rose Charity BBQ at Bunnings Alexandria was a fantastic community day and it taught us a few valuable lessons about running a successful charity sausage sizzle.
A Big Day on the BBQ
There is nothing quite like a charity sausage sizzle. It is simple, social, and, when done well, a highly effective way to bring people together for a great cause.
Our recent Caroline Rose Charity BBQ at Bunnings Alexandria ran from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, supported by 12 wonderful volunteers across the day. It was a brilliant result and proof that a sausage in bread can achieve great things when the community gets behind it.
Here is a quick look at what we accomplished before pack-down:
| The Metric | The Result |
| Sausage sangas Served | 1,010 |
| Cold Drinks Quaffed | 212 |
| Total Funds Raised | $4,500+ |
| Net Profit for Charity | $3,000+ |
Of course, an event of this size is not just a matter of turning up with a pair of tongs and hoping for the best. Here is what we learned behind the grill.
What It Takes to Feed a Crowd
Food and drinks were understandably our main expense. When customers are lining up, running out of sausages or bread is the kind of dramatic twist nobody wants. Our biggest lesson? It is far better to finish with a small amount of usable stock than to sell out too early and miss the chance to raise further funds.
While the sausages are the star of the show, the less glamorous supplies are what actually keep the day running smoothly. Here is what our setup required:
| The Star Ingredients | The Unsung Heroes |
| 1,050 sausages & 40 kg sliced onions | Bin bags, hand sanitiser, and disinfectant |
| 57 loaves of bread | Tongs, spatulas, knives, and a food thermometer |
| 10 Litres of sauce (Tomato, BBQ, and Mustard) | Gloves, foil trays, and an impressive number of napkins |
| Bottled water, soft drinks, and plenty of ice | Large eskies (far easier to manage than multiple small ones) |
Volunteers: The Real Secret Sauce
Across the day, our 12 volunteers handled cooking, serving, payments, cleaning, restocking, and chatting with customers.
For an event of this size, we highly recommend having at least five volunteers operating at any given time:
- One person cooking
- Two people serving
- One person handling payments
- One runner to restock supplies and solve the small emergencies that inevitably pop up
The runner role was particularly valuable. When extra bread or ice is needed, it helps immensely to have someone available who isn’t already holding tongs over a hot BBQ. A massive thank you to every volunteer who gave their time, energy, and excellent sizzling skills!
Maximising Visibility and Donations
People may arrive just wanting lunch, but a clear charity presence reminds them that their sanga is supporting something meaningful.
We invested in reusable branded aprons for our volunteers. This made the team easily identifiable, gave the event a professional presence, and ensures we are ready to go for future fundraisers.
When it came to paying, flexibility was key. We prepared a cash box, a sealed donation bucket, and a card reader. Many customers no longer carry cash, so the card reader made it effortless for people to buy food or tap for an extra donation. The sealed bucket also caught contributions from those who weren’t hungry; though, based on our sausage count, almost everyone was.
Leftovers and The Bottom Line
In total, we spent approximately $1,500 on food, drinks, supplies, and equipment. Because much of this covered reusable items (aprons, buckets, serving gear), our future BBQs will cost even less to run.
At the end of the day, we did a quick stocktake of leftover drinks and sauces to help us plan more accurately for next time. Interestingly, mustard was the clear crowd favourite, leaving far less behind than tomato or BBQ. We weren’t expecting a mustard victory, but the people have spoken!
Our Top Tips for Your Next Charity BBQ
Based on our experience, here are our key takeaways for a stress-free sizzle:
- Prepare for a busy day: Over-cater slightly. It is better to have leftover soft drinks than a line of hungry, empty-handed customers.
- Staff smartly: Keep at least five volunteers on deck at once, and never underestimate the power of a dedicated “runner.”
- Embrace plastic: Accept card payments. Making it easier to pay makes it easier to donate.
- Don’t forget the practicalities: Cleaning products, large eskies, and mountains of napkins are just as crucial as the food.
- Invest in reusables: Branded aprons and quality equipment reduce future event costs and boost your charity’s visibility.
A Fantastic Community Result
Behind every sausage served was a volunteer giving their time, a customer supporting the cause, and a community willing to get involved. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who stopped by to support the Caroline Rose Charity.
More than 1,000 sausages later, we are tired, proud, and already much wiser about how to run the next one!