Fundraising pack. Join us to support people affected by scoliosis, now and in the future.

Transcription

1 Fundraising pack Join us to support people affected by scoliosis, now and in the future. 1

2 About us Thank you! People who raise funds for the SCF are supporting both the Scoliosis Association (UK) (SAUK) and the British Scoliosis Research Foundation (BSRF). Thank you so much for choosing to support the Scoliosis Campaign Fund (SCF). We re a small organisation and the funds and awareness you raise for people affected by scoliosis will make a big difference. We simply could not exist without the support of people like you - we receive no government funding. Thank you so much. SAUK and the BSRF are sister charities and have worked together for a number of years. This fundraising pack will provide you with all the information you need to get started. Got questions? info@scoliosiscampaignfund.org.uk or call SAUK provides support to and information for all people affected by scoliosis, and the BSRF funds and promotes vital research into the condition. How it works When you raise money for the SCF we give 50% of your proceeds to each charity. Right: Minhaz Ahmed and his running partner. Below: Joe Wildman and Jackie Williams, who raised money at Joe s 90th birthday party. There are four steps to fundraising with the SCF. This pack will guide you through, step by step. Step 1 Pick Step 2 Plan Step 3 Promote Get in touch info@scoliosiscampaignfund.org.uk Phone: Post: 4 Ivebury Court, 325 Latimer Road, London W10 6RA Step 4 Enjoy How does your money help? When you raise money for the SCF, you are supporting two amazing causes. Half of your money will go to SAUK, the UK support charity for all people affected by scoliosis. SAUK: Runs a nationwide support network of members and volunteers Our cover stars Produces peer-reviewed health information and a magazine, Backbone Many congratulations to our cover stars, the fundraising team at Source LF, London, who raised an astonishing 11,000 for us in 2016! They are our Team Fundraisers of the Year, Thank you all so very much. Provides a helpline for all those affected Travels across the UK to hold meetings Plus loads more! Go to Half of your money will go to the BSRF. The Start fundraising online Funds high quality research into scoliosis Runs the International Phillip Zorab Symposium, recognised as the world s leading basic science conference for scoliosis Setting up a page for your fundraising is a secure and brilliant way to raise funds. It s easy. Just follow the link below. See page 9 for further information and top tips. Learn more at www. bsrf.co.uk. uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charities/scoliosiscampaignfund info@scoliosiscampaignfund.org.uk 2 info@scoliosiscampaignfund.org.uk 3

3 Step 1: Pick First things first, find an event to suit you. There are hundreds of inspiring ideas on our website: Fundraising is not just for you active types. There is an event for everybody. If you re struggling for ideas, just pick up the phone on or drop us an at Get active Fancy a good old-fashioned hike or run? These are tried and tested routes to fundraising success. Are you the sporty type but fancy something a bit unusual? Why not try: Talking to your local gym, sports club, or leisure centre about holding a tournament or ladder. Get brave Are you an adrenaline junkie? Look no further. Why not try: Skydiving or doing a bungee jump. Going without a luxury for a month. What s your biggest vice? Try giving up alcohol, chocolate, makeup, Facebook... The list is endless. Get creative Calling all bakers, artists, dancers, knitters... Why not try: Holding a bake-off or cake sale. Get social Life and soul of the party? How about... Hosting a Come Dine with Me competition. Buying or subscribing to a sporting magazine or website to find more unusual events. Going to org.uk/find-an-event. Facing a phobia. Do you hate heights? Try abseiling. Are you a comic genius but scared of the stage? Perform at an open mic night. Organising a class to share your creative skills. How about knitting or sewing? Pickle and preserve making? Beekeeping? Hairdressing? Holding a danceathon, charity choir performance, or, for the very ambitious, a play or musical. Setting up an event? Get in touch with us and we can supply you with materials for a pop-up shop of SAUK merchandise. Use social media to shout out about your plans and keep a tab on attendees. Asking for donations at a family party or special occasion. Putting on a pub quiz, pool competition, or movie night. Ask if you can host your quiz or movie night at a local arts or leisure centre, where there might be a good projector. Make your event ticketed to guarantee yourself a minimum income. Go to eventbrite.co.uk. Make your event more unusual or challenging by wearing a funny outfit. Include a personal story on your Virgin Money Giving page to reach people s hearts (and pockets!). Keep a blog or tweet about your progress. Get someone to video you and send it to your supporters. Think big. Invite a crowd or see if you can do your event at school or in the workplace. Heard about our regular events? The SCF recruits a brilliant team for the Virgin London Marathon, held in April, and the British London 10K, held in June, every year. info@scoliosiscampaignfund.org.uk for an application form. Places are limited so don t delay! 4 5

4 Step 2: Plan Careful planning is crucial to ensure that your event is safe and enjoyable for all. Got questions? Don t forget to get in touch. We will be delighted to hear about what you re planning, and if you are on our radar we can make sure you have plenty of support. We re here via or annie@scoliosicampaignfund.org.uk. Or you can get us on Facebook or Twitter. Details are at the bottom of this page. Get practical If you are planning an event, take a look at these guidelines. Budget Set a budget and timeline and delegate tasks. Pick a fundraising target and be realistic about how you might meet it. Call on your friends and neighbours for free materials. Date and venue Find the venue. Think carefully about what you need from a venue. Is there an alcohol license? Is the venue accessible? Pick your date carefully to avoid clashes with big public events or football finals Maximise your fundraising potential Think creatively about how you can make the most money possible. How about a raffle or auction at the event or a collection bucket? Consider selling tickets to guarantee a minimum income. Ask local businesses for matched funding. Try ticketing your event Sell tickets in advance. Try websites such as and get people to share the link across social media. Get resources When you join us we will send you one of our classic bright orange t-shirts (as modelled by the lovely Frankie Fitzpatrick, below) or vests along with balloons, stickers, posters, sponsorship forms, and more. Let us know what you re planning and we ll make sure you have everything you need. Planning a big event? As you know, we re very small and our resources are limited, so if you re planning a big event we ll need to think of alternative ways to source the things you need. Just get in touch. Want to buy or sell merchandise? If you would like to purchase our merchandise to sell or to buy several t-shirts, get in touch. Downloadable resources Go to resources Below: Frankie Fitzpatrick, photographed by Saira Awan. Stay safe and legal Please bear in mind any potential risks or complications when organising or taking part in an event and take the time to read over the following tips and guidelines. Health and safety Please ensure that you have adequate health and safety measures in place. Always follow the safety advice of any third party suppliers or equipment manufacturers involved. Food and hygiene If an event involves food please make sure that rigorous food hygiene practices are followed. Property If you are devising your own route for a sports event or planning to hold an outdoor event, check that you are not trespassing on private property or obtain permission of the owner before going ahead. Planning a collection? If you are collecting on private property you will need written permission from the owner or manager. Keep this with you when collecting. To collect funds in any public place or from people s houses you will need a license from your local council. Most councils have details of how to apply for a license on their websites. After applying it can take some time for the license to arrive so plan ahead. Remember that anyone collecting money in public must be over 16. Planning a raffle or lottery? For a one off raffle at an event you need to charge a standard price for each ticket and to draw the name of the winner before your event is over. If you plan to run your lottery over a longer period of time or sell tickets at more than one venue, you will need to purchase a local lottery license from your council. If you re carrying money do make sure you use safe routes and be mindful of your personal safety. Fitness For sporting events and challenges make sure you are in sufficient health to take part. If you are organising a team sporting event, please make sure that the others taking part are aware of how physically challenging an event or activity will be. If you have any concerns about your fitness to participate in an event please seek medical advice. The legal bit Scoliosis Association (UK) cannot accept liability for any loss, damage or injury suffered by you or anyone else as a result of taking part in a fundraising event. Please ensure you have adequate cover and ensure third party suppliers have likewise. Loads of advice can be found at 6 7

5 Step 3: Promote Careful planning is crucial to ensure that your event is safe and enjoyable for all. Got questions? Be brave and spread the word. Not only will this make your event more successful, it will also raise much needed awareness of scoliosis. Word of mouth Don t underestimate the power of word of mouth - it s the ultimate marketing tool. Tell your friends, family and colleagues about your fundraising and get them to spread the word. Be creative Ask us for our logo to make customised merchandise or publicity materials. Just get in touch. Contact your local media If you re approaching the media, please communications@sauk.org.uk for advice and support. You might want to contact your local paper or radio station to push for a plug on air. We can send you some bullet points to help you or work with you to put together a script. Post, share, like, and tweet Social media is a perfect way to get the word out and the Facebook Events function can help you a lot. It s best to post or tweet in the evenings and posting and tweeting images will get you a lot more attention. Get in touch for more social media tips and remember to post to our wall and find Get sponsored by a local business Asking a local business to sponsor you is a great way to advertise your event and keep your costs down. Try and talk to the manager in person or over the phone. Help people to understand the cause This is crucial. If people know the inspiration behind your fundraising and the difference their donation makes, they ll be much more likely to support you. Contact us for information leaflets or use the text on our website. Use pictures Use photos throughout your publicity to personalise your event and attract more attention. Make sure someone is lined up to take snaps on the day, too. We love to use them in our magazine, Backbone, and online. Make sure you have permission to take photos. We will ensure we have your permission before we publish, too. The legal bit When it comes to promoting your event, it s important you make it clear you are raising money for the Scoliosis Association (UK) and the British Scoliosis Research Foundation. Make sure this is clearly stated on any publicity materials you put together. Include our registered charity numbers, too. SAUK is a registered charity no The BSRF is a registered charity no Set up an online giving page It s safe Setting up a page for your fundraising is a secure and brilliant way to raise funds. Setting up a page with Virgin Money Giving means we will be alerted about your event so that we can provide you with all the support you need. It also sends donations from your supporters directly to us, so it prevents you having to collect cash. It s easy Just go to uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charities/scoliosiscampaignfund and follow the steps. If you re stuck, give us a shout. It s inspiring You can set up a page for an event, a personal challenge, a special occasion, or just to support or remember somebody who is close to your heart. for online pages Personalise things Tell your friends and supporters your scoliosis story and they will be much more likely to get involved with our cause. Inspire people by telling people about the work we do and just get in touch if you want to know more. Keep people involved Blog, tweet, post, and share. Let everyone know how your training is going and do a countdown to your event in the days leading up to it. It s nice to send people a letter or of thanks afterwards, too. Remember to keep us involved so we can spread the word too. Set the bar high People often decide how much to give based on how much your other supporters give. Set a good standard with your first donation and watch the money roll in! Right: Jess Calman on the Great South Run. 8 9

6 Step 4: Enjoy! Fundraising takes a fair amount of care and planning, and sometimes a lot of bravery and determination, so we hope you will always remember just how much of a difference you are making to us. Our fundraisers often have a very personal and emotional connection to scoliosis, and we are always so moved by your stories. We are enormously grateful for your support and, because we are such a small organisation, every penny really does matter. Thank you so much. A personal touch We try to include all our fundraisers in the SAUK magazine, Backbone, so do take plenty of lovely photographs and let us know how you got along. We re always looking for testimonials and personal stories, too. Drop us a line. Sending your money in Money raised via a Virgin Giving page comes directly to us. If you wish to pay by cheque, please make cheques payable to Scoliosis Campaign Fund or SCF and send them to: 4 Ivebury Court, 325 Latimer Road, London W10 6RA. Prefer a bank transfer? Please info@ scoliosiscampaignfund.org.uk for our bank details. Special awards We award certificates to our outstanding individual and group fundraisers each year, so aim high! Emma s story I started running a few years ago and in 2016 I set myself a series of sporty challenges. My daughter was diagnosed with scoliosis 2 years ago, my cousin s daughter has just had spinal fusion surgery, and I know a number of other families affected by the condition. It struck me that if I was going to run 10 miles, I should do whatever I could to raise funds for a charity that meant something to me. I loved fundraising for the SCF and I raised over 490! Above: Emma Aldrich on the Great South Run, Thank you so much for your support. We couldn t exist without you. 10