The World Cup is just a few days away and every football fan will be spending the next month in a state of blissful spectation. That is until England get knocked out on penalties, of course. Whether you want to see Roy Hodgson’s men lift the trophy in July or not, there’s every excuse to plan World Cup themed events. Barbecues are a favourite, while with games on in the evening you can arrange indoor parties too.

Chinese New Year is fast approaching and this time around it’s the turn of the horse to get its 12 months in the spotlight. Friday, January 31st is the date in 2014 for the celebrations, which take all kinds of forms. For the roughly half a million people living in the UK who are Chinese or of Chinese extraction, the date holds a lot significance.

You can expect parties in family homes to be the mainstay of the festivities, as people look to usher in the New Year with loved ones, typically by having reunion dinner with as many relatives as possible the night before.But with a big student population in the UK, too, halls of residence and student flats up and down the land will be buzzing with Chinese New Year parties. 

Charity events are an excellent and fun way of raising money for a particular cause. While an interesting charity night can help attract plenty of people, positive attention and raise a good amount of funds, a dull or boring one can be disadvantageous and a waste of time to your cause. It is vital that you pay close attention to the detail if you are to impress your sponsors and the general public. There must have enough entertainment, as this will put people in a happy and good mood, and happy people are often generous people!