There are various things to consider when organising a fundraiser to make sure that it is all above board – make sure you’re in the know.
The Cabinet Office has produced useful guidance when organising an event. Read their ‘Organising a voluntary event: a ‘can do’ guide.
Getting Started
Take some time out over a cuppa to read through our fundraising guide. You will need to think about:
Decide when and where your event is going to take place. If you need to book a venue, it’s worth checking availability, capacity, and make sure it has all the facilities you need. Let them know it’s a charity event, as some owners will then let you use their facilities without charge.
The selected date and venue of your event can be the difference between success and failure. You need to make sure that you know about any key events in your local community, such as other major fundraising activities. Think about who you want to invite and what time is likely to be best for them.
Let everyone know how much you want to raise and how the donated money will help save babies’ lives.
Put together a realistic budget of possible costs – it takes time to do this, but it’s important.
Talk to people about your event and ask them to help with the preparations and on the big day. Social media is a great way to involve people and will save you time.
It only takes a minute to set up a JustGiving page that’s quick and easy to share with friends. Plus the money donated comes directly to us and you don’t have to worry about collecting it.
Click here to set up a JustGiving page.
Although most of those who support your fundraising are likely to be people you already know, it’s still important to promote your fundraising event.
Let everyone know when and where your event is happening!
Why not contact your local newspaper and tell them about your event? (We have a press release template you can use.)
Don’t forget to tell your friends, family and colleagues that you’re raising money for Group B Strep Support, and why. Send round an email with your JustGiving page, update your status on Facebook, tweet about it, and leave a sponsorship form (available on request) in your staff room. You can create your own poster using our template to promote your event.
You can download your fundraising event materials by clicking here.
And for more hints and tips on how best to promote your event, click here.
Contact our fundraising team about supplying you with balloons, stickers, collection boxes, sponsorship forms, posters, T-shirts, awareness leaflets and more.
Check out our fundraising toolkit today.
When you promote your fundraiser, make sure it is clear that you are fundraising ‘in aid of’ Group B Strep Support (and not ‘on behalf of’).
Our Registered Charity No. is 1112065. Please include this on all your printed fundraising materials.
Please check with us before you use our logo in any form. We can send you our ‘in aid of Group B Strep Support’ logo for promoting your fundraiser – please email info@gbss.org.uk to request this.
Is your donation eligible for Gift Aid?
Gift Aid allows charities to claim back the basic rate of tax on every pound donated. That’s 25p per £1 donated. So, if someone donated £10 to your fundraising, they could be increased to £12.50 at no extra cost to them. Do ask us for a Gift Aid declaration form.
Online fundraising
Most online fundraising pages will ask people donating if they’re based in the UK and whether they would like to add Gift Aid to their donation, and the Gift Aid will then be claimed automatically.
Offline fundraising
Our paper sponsor forms (which you can find in your GBSS fundraising pack) include a column for donors to tick to say we can claim Gift Aid or not. To do so, we will need their first and last name, plus their home address and the amount they donated. Please encourage people to add Gift Aid to their donation so we can work harder towards saving babies’ lives.
Whether you pay the money raised online, by phone or post, please send us all the completed sponsorship forms. If we don’t receive the forms, we won’t be able to claim the Gift Aid.
If you’re planning a collection on private property, such as a pub or shopping centre, you need permission from the owner or manager. If you’re collecting on the street, you need a permit from the local authority. These can take weeks to get hold of, so plan in advance.
Please don’t collect money door to door – it’s illegal without a licence.
If you’re planning a collection, please let us know in advance and we can provide you with support and the materials you need to make it a roaring success.
Collected money
Please ensure the money collected is counted by two people who are not related to each other. All the money collected for GBSS must be sent to us without deducting expenses.
Please email us at info@gbss.org.uk if you have any questions about this.
If you receive donations in a collection tin, envelope or any other container you must ensure it is sealed correctly, and that this is kept in a safe and secure location.
Have fun and stay safe
There are laws governing all charity fundraising. Here are some that may be relevant to the activity you’re organising. If you have any questions or want to check anything, please contact a member of the fundraising team.
Raffles, lotteries, prize draws and anything else where the result is purely down to luck are all covered by legislation.
Small raffles that are part of a bigger event don’t need a licence as long as there’s no cash prizes and you sell tickets at the same event as the prize draw. If you’re planning to sell tickets in advance or to the public, you’ll need a licence.
There are strict guidelines when it comes to organising a raffle, a sweepstake, or a lottery. If you’re planning one for England, Scotland and Wales, please visit the gambling commission website for guidance. For Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action publishes a good practice guide at nicva.org.
Get in touch and we’ll help you get it right.
From a bucket shake to a comedy night, you may need public liability insurance if you’re holding an event out and about, so make sure you have adequate insurance for your event.
As organiser, you are responsible for making sure your event doesn’t pose a risk to anyone, and you need to make sure you’re covered should something happen. You’ll need to check that all of your suppliers have insurance too.
In organising your fundraiser for Group B Strep Support, you are personally responsible for ensuring that your event is covered by the appropriate insurance. Group B Strep Support will not be held liable.
If you need more advice, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.
Any event can have risks, so make sure yours goes smoothly. Get in touch with our fundraising team and we can help with some of the important points:
- • Are you using a venue and does it need a risk assessment?
- • Do you need first aid support?
- • Are you selling food or alcohol and, if so, do you need a hygiene certificate?
- • Are you handling any money safely, securely and legally?
You might find the Health and Safety Executive website helpful for advice about running events safely.
Make sure you have adequate cover for a large activity. For more information and help, contact the following organisations:
• St John Ambulance sja.org.uk
• British Red Cross redcrossfirstaidtraining.co.uk
If you are serving food at your event, please ensure that you comply with the requirement to serve safe food. You will need to make considerations around the law, good hygiene and allergens.
If you’re putting on entertainment or selling alcohol, you’ll need a Public Entertainment Licence. If you’re hiring a venue, they might already have one so so check first. If they don’t, then you will need to apply to your local authority. They can take weeks to come through, so do plan in advance.
Make sure you put in place the relevant measures so that you do not serve alcohol to anyone under the age of 18.
Group B Strep Support does not accept responsibility for any loss, damage or injury as a result of your fundraising event or activity. It’s essential you make sure your event is safe for all concerned.
