Saving lives in wild and remote places
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Saving lives in wild and remote places
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Pick your event
The first thing to do is to decide what you are going to do.
Don't just go for the first thing that comes into your head, spend a little
time thinking it through. If you are
short of ideas try looking at our list of ideas.
Choose an event everyone will enjoy. Think about your target audience who,
how many, start small you can always develop later. Can you run this event
on your own, or will you need a committee or a team of volunteers? How much will you make, will
it be more than the event costs to run (a general guide is to make at least
3 times as much as the event costs)? Will you be able to get extra revenue
through gift aid or employee matching?
Pick your date carefully
Does the date clash with any major or national event in your area?
Does the weekend make it easier for everyone to attend, or does it need to
be held during work or school hours? Will you be able to organise everything
in time?
Get the fundraising registration pack
We have produced a fundraising pack which contains all the information that
you will need to register your event and ensure that the money gets to us. You can download it here.
Have you remembered everything
Take a moment to check that you have thought of everything. It is important
to ensure that you are complying with any legislation and that everyone who
takes part will be safe. Check out our Keep it Safe & Legal Page.
Find a venue
Is the venue suitable (big enough, seats and tables, toilet facilities, disabled
access, cloakroom) and book it well in advance as some venues book up quickly.
Is a deposit required? Make sure that the venue staff knows exactly what your
event is. Have you asked what they can help you with - equipment, publicity etc.
Do they provide catering facilities? How much, what choice, and is there a
vegetarian option? Confirm your reservation not only in writing but again
nearer the time to avoid double bookings.
Equipment
You will need to work out what equipment is needed and where you can get it from.
Do you need a TV, video, CD player, microphone? How much will it cost to hire
equipment? Do you need to put down a deposit? Can you get it for free?
Sort out the finances
At the end, this is all about raising money so make sure that the sums add
up! Have you set yourself a fundraising target which is around three times
as much as you spend? Otherwise it may not be worthwhile. Your income might
include ticket/entry fees, sponsorship, donations, raffles, auctions, advertising,
sale of goods and refreshments. The costs soon add up for example postage,
photocopying, equipment and hire changes. Have you asked local businesses
if they'd donate prizes, loan of equipment or premises and cover any costs?
Choose carefully with ethical matters in mind - if in doubt contact the National
Fundraising Fund Line 08702 404024. Don't forget to arrange to have somewhere
safe to keep any money you collect, and you will need someone to witness you
count it.
Publicise the event
To ensure your event is a success you need to promote it, otherwise no one
will know about it. Here's a list of ideas to
help you spread the word:
Enjoy your event
After all the hard work done before the event, make sure that you enjoy the
event yourself! Don't forget to keep it Safe & Legal
Afterwards
Have you thanked everyone? Keep details of everyone who has supported you
as this helps you keep track of who you need to thank. Ensure that all hired
or borrowed equipment is returned. Make sure the venue staff are happy and
there are no outstanding 'issues'. Send the money you have raised to us as
detailed in the registration pack and do not forget to include your name and
address so we can say thank you as well! Send any funny or unusual stories
about the event and any photographs of your event on a CD to: Eve Burton, 9
Princes Road, Chinley, High Peak, SK23 6AB. We will publish the stories
on the web site as we did for these people.