How you can make the most of your fundraising

Transcription

1 How you can make the most of your fundraising With your Great Western Air Ambulance Charity fundraising kit. Call: All donations raised within the Great Western area will fund the aircraft in this region, including, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire. Registered charity No:

2 About Great Western Air Ambulance Our mission To provide a sustainable Air Ambulance Service for, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire. What we do The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC), based at Filton Airport, operates 7 days a week and flies out 1,200 times a year. Already it is one of the busiest Air Ambulances in the UK and is expecting to attend an ever-increasing number of missions every year. It is one of only four air ambulances in the UK that works to an advanced medical model with a senior specialist doctor and a paramedic trained to critical care standard on board for every mission. In this respect, it s more like a flying hospital than a traditional air ambulance. By carrying the resources of an A&E department or intensive care unit direct to the scene of the incident, a much-improved outcome is achieved for the patient. One of the busiest Air Ambulances in the UK, we are attending an ever-increasing number of missions every year. Working together to meet the need GWAAC is a charity in its own right and is funded entirely by public donations. The service needs to raise more than 1.3 million a year to keep going. GWAAC works in partnership with the Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust to provide a fully effective and integrated road and air response. Our aircraft The current aircraft is a Bolkow 105 Dbs equipped with the most sophisticated medical equipment and carries a senior doctor and an air paramedic trained to Critical Care standard. 02. Fundraising Kit

3 Fundraising tips Have a sales pitch Be clear about why you are raising money, and from whom. A clear and concise explanation will help persuade potential sponsors that you are committed to your cause. The information contained in this pack may be used as a guide. For example: I am running the Bath Half Marathon to raise funds for The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity. The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity is a charity funded entirely by voluntary donations. It operates seven days a week and attends lifethreatening incidents in, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire. I regularly travel on the motorways and feel safer knowing that should I be involved in an accident, help will arrive in the quickest possible time. Be ambitious Do not be shy with your fundraising target and publicise it. The publicity will not only help to motivate you to come up with innovative ideas to raise money, but it often prompts sponsors to give more. Gift Aid, Gift Aid, Gift Aid Wherever possible, make use of the Gift Aid scheme to boost your fundraising by up to 28%. We can provide you with: Sponsor forms Collecting boxes and buckets T-shirts and sweatshirts (at cost price) Banners Logos and images Leaflets, newsletter and posters For further fundraising ideas ask us for a copy of our A-Z of Fundraising Ideas or go to our website. Also try Quick half dozen 1 Set up an online fundraising page. JustGiving ( makes it easy to set up a web page to publicise your event, gather sponsorship money and reclaim Gift Aid. Contact us if you would like some hints and tips on setting up a JustGiving page. 2 Abstinence. Encourage friends and family to give up something for a week or a month and donate the savings to your cause. 3 Match-giving. Does your company offer a matchgiving scheme? Many will match their employees pound-for-pound when they take part in fundraising for a charity. 4 Be a Smartie. The new Smarties tube is hexagonal and still works as an excellent coin collector in fact it holds 35. Give a free tube to your friends, family and colleagues and challenge them to fill it (once they have emptied it!) while you prepare for your event. 5 Have a whip round. Ask if you can hold a collection at work or at your club. 6 Recycle. Create space by holding a car boot or garage sale and add the proceeds to your fundraising effort. Fundraising Kit 03.

4 Obtaining Sponsorship There are a lot of charities competing for donations and not everyone will initially agree with you that Great Western Air Ambulance Charity is worthy of support. To obtain sponsorship or assistance, you may need to convince them! The Case For It s a life-saving service It receives no government or lottery funding It s entirely dependent on voluntary contributions It s one of only four air ambulances in the UK that flies to an advanced medical model It s expected to fly more than 1,200 missions in the coming year It is truly a local charity serving the people of, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire. Key Information Any sponsor, but particularly companies, will want to know: Why are you doing the event you are doing? What is your aim to raise money or awareness? What is your target? What do you want time, money, services, prizes? Are you solo or part of a team? If money is being raised, what percentage will be donated and how much will be used to cover costs? Follow Up Everybody likes to feel appreciated. Don t forget to follow up donations with a thank you and any further information. Letting your sponsors know how your event went and how much you ultimately raised is not only courteous, but will also increase the chances of them supporting you in the future. Think about sending postcards, photographs and a story. Publicity Publicising your fundraising to as large an audience as possible not only helps to maximise the return on your not inconsiderable efforts, but also helps to motivate you. Flyers and Posters Contact us for a copy of our logo. Always put the charity registration number on all printed materials (reg no ). This is essential. Where possible and practical, seek approval of your words from us beforehand. If you wish us to publicise your event, send information to us for the website or newsletter. Local Press The local press are always on the hunt for local interest stories and the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity provides ample opportunity for a bit of selfpromotion; so don t be shy. You should send press releases out prior to events and then follow them up with an updated release, including a photo if possible. You could also contact local radio or TV stations depending on how newsworthy (e.g. dramatic) the fundraising event is. It s always worth a call to the newsroom. They might have very little going on that day! Taking Photographs for Local Papers Ask around and you may find an amateur photographer somewhere who will help you. With digital cameras it s cheap and easy to take far more pictures than you need. That way, you ll improve the chances of getting a useable picture. Remember: It s easier taking the photograph outside. Inside, you may need to consider lighting. Get in close to the subject so that it fills the viewfinder and the picture frame. Generally speaking, the lower the ISO, the better quality your picture will be. Papers like to focus on people as opposed to objects. Take both landscape and portrait shots. Avoid distracting objects in your shots. 04. Fundraising Kit

5 Registered charity No: How you can keep your Melvyn s Trust. Increasing Interest Why not increase press interest in your event by doing something different: Run in fancy dress. Run with a partner in a three-legged race. Carry an object. Press Releases All news releases should go out clearly marked and sent to a specific person. For local press, you should send it to both the named editor and the newsdesk. Send it to all local papers within your catchment area, both daily and weekly, and don t forget the local free sheets as well. The criteria that apply to a release are: Is it relevant to the publication? Is it newsworthy? Is it topical? Does it have an element of human interest? Does it contain an element of conflict some kind of difficulty/ barrier that makes something harder to do? Does it have originality? Is it different? Obviously, not every news release is going to cover all criteria, but it must always contain a mix of some of them if it is going to achieve publication. And bear in mind that it s a human angle editors like most of all: reaction and emotions etc. Structure Content: ensure that the release is grammatically correct and doesn t contain any errors. Concise: keep it punchy don t use unnecessary flowery language. Cover the Five W s: Who is doing it? What are they doing? When did they do it? Where did they do it? Why did they do it? To find a list of local papers and their contact details, try Air Ambulance flying Make your donation today Become a supporter Recycle for life Run a fundraising event Corporate support Sample Press Releases Call: This is a sample press release for advertising your run, it could also be adapted to publicise your fundraising events. Working with Melvyn s Trust Recycling for Life All monies raised within the Great Western area, including:, North Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire will fund our aircraft. Registered charity No: PRESS RELEASE ATTENTION: NEWS DESK / PICTURE DESK Date: (Date the release is being sent) From: (Your name and phone number) Headline (Name), from (town/city) is running the Bath Half Marathon on Sunday 9 March (Mention unique idea here if applicable for example if you are running in fancy dress). (name), 29, is putting his/her best foot forward to raise money for The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity. The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity has more than 30 runners competing in the 13.1 mile race around Bath and hopes to raise 6,000. (Now tell the paper more about yourself and your attempt how you are training, how many hours you expect to complete the course in. Is this your first Marathon? Also include where you live. You don t need to include your house number.) (Name) is available for interview and/or photographs. For more information, call (include a mobile or daytime phone number) Under Notes to the editor at the end of your release, please use the following wording: Great Western Air Ambulance Charity is funded entirely through voluntary donations and needs to raise in excess of 1.3 million a year to cover the cost of operating seven days a week across, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire. For further information about the charity, call or info@greatwesternairambulance.com Fundraising Kit 05.

6 Here s how recycling can help us One important source of income helping to keep our helicopter flying comes from recycling everyday items such as mobile phones, clothing and even shoes. Thanks to our partnership with various recycling companies, who export those and other items to help people in developing countries, we receive the proceeds of this hugely worthwhile operation. Did you know we each throw away 30kg of textiles a year, most of which goes to landfill? The message is clear. Don t bin it, recycle it and directly help the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity service. We benefit from donations of Good quality clothing, shoes and handbags Stamps Books Lap top computers Ink cartridges (we can supply you with large cardboard boxes which can be collected from your workplace; we can also supply envelopes for single cartridges which can be posted direct for recycling) For more information Contact the Headquarters at Open weekdays from 9am 5pm Or call Online JustGiving Page Go to Don t forget Gift Aid Wherever possible, make use of the Gift Aid scheme to boost your fundraising by up 28% at no cost to you or your donor. If you re using a sponsor form the donor has to include their name, full home address and postcode, tick the Gift Aid box and sign in order for us to claim back the tax. The donor needs to be a taxpayer, paying more in tax in a given financial year than the donor is Gift Aiding to you. For more information on tax-effective giving, go to Fundraising Kit

7 Collecting the Money A little bit of planning for collecting your sponsorship money can save you a huge amount of time and effort, and undoubtedly raise your fundraising total. Ask your sponsors to tick the Gift Aid declaration box when they make their pledge. Where possible, try to collect the money as you go along. Also try to do it before you undertake your challenge. If you are collecting money from individuals, please send a cheque made payable to The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity. Please send it to our office at Great Western Air Ambulance Charity Finally, don t forget to create your own unique fundraising page at Justgiving.com to collect sponsorship easily. Sponsorship Forms Official Sponsorship Form Appeals Office: Name of Participant: Wallace House, 116 Pembroke Road, Clifton, BS8 3EW Your Full Address: T: T: (national number at local rate) E: info@greatwesternairambulance.org.uk Post Code: Tel: Mobile: Company/Organisation (if applicable): Gift Aid Declaration: We who give our names & addresses below, and who have ticked the column Gift Aid want the above charity to reclaim tax on the donation detailed below, given on the date shown. We understand that we must pay Income Tax/Capital Gains Tax equal to the amount reclaimed by the charity on the donation. Event Name: Date Full name and address of sponsor Gift Aid Amount Total Paid Thank You for your support. Sub total: Registered Office: Wallace House, 116 Pembroke Road, Clifton, BS8 3EW Chairman John Christensen Chief Executive Paul Weir Great Western Air Ambulance is a registered charity (reg.no: ) working in partnership with Melvyn s Trust All donations raised within the Great Western area will fund the aircraft in this region. Including Avon,, Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire Why should I fill in the form? It will help you to keep a record of people you have approached for sponsorship. You will be able to see the amount they pledged and the date they paid. The sponsorship form is also a legal document from which we can claim Gift Aid. This really does make a huge difference to us. For every pound sponsored, we will receive an extra 28p. We deal with the taxman and there is no extra cost for you. Why do we need home addresses? Unfortunately, we cannot claim the Gift Aid back unless individual supporters provide the following FOUR things: Their name Full home address and postcode Tick the Gift Aid box authorising us to claim back tax Their signature Where do I send the forms? Please post your sponsorship form along with cheques or credit card payment to our office: Great Western Air Ambulance Charity How do I get more forms? If you need further forms please photocopy the enclosed forms. Alternatively, we can you a copy. Just info@greatwesternairambulance.co.uk. Fundraising Kit 07.

8 Donation / Standing Order Form Your Title & Full Name : Your Full Address: Tel:* Mobile:* * Post Code: Headquarters T: E: info@greatwesternairambulance.com All donations raised within the Great Western area will fund the aircraft in this region, including, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire.. I/We would like to make a donation of: 5 10 Other I would like to Gift Aid this donation (at no cost to you) I/We wish to subscribe annually as follows (please tick appropriate box): 24 single supporter 36 joint supporter (2 adults at the same address) 48 family supporter (2 adults & up to 4 children) 18 OAP/student supporter 750 life supporter (one off payment) 1200 joint life supporter (one off payment) I/We wish to pay as follows: Monthly Annual Cheque /postal order for: (made payable to Great Western Air Ambulance Charity) Standing Order Mandate Standing Order for: (please complete standing order mandate) Please return donation details to the Headquarters at the address above, or the Standing Order Mandate to your own bank. To: Bank Postal Address: The Manager On receipt of this order on the first day of (month) (year) and thereafter on the same date each month/year* until further notice. Please cancel any previous Standing Order or Direct debit in favour of Great Western Air Ambulance Charity. Please pay: For the credit of: Account Number: Sort Code: The Sum of: HSBC Bank plc, 9 Bank Street, Newquay, Cornwall TR7 1EG Great Western Air Ambulance Charity Thank You for your support. Account to be debited: Account Number: Sort Code: Signature: Date: * delete as appropriate * not obligatory Great Western Air Ambulance Charity is a registered charity (reg.no: )

9 Official Sponsorship Form Name of Participant: Your Full Address: Tel: Mobile: Post Code: Headquarters T: E: All donations raised within the Great Western area will fund the aircraft in this region, including, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire. Company/Organisation (if applicable): Gift Aid Declaration: We who give our names & addresses below, and who have ticked the column Gift Aid want the above charity to reclaim tax on the donation detailed below, given on the date shown. We understand that we must pay Income Tax/Capital Gains Tax equal to the amount reclaimed by the charity on the donation. Event Name: Date Full name and address of sponsor including postcode Gift Aid Amount Total Paid Thank You for your support. Sub total: Great Western Air Ambulance Charity is a registered charity (reg.no: )

10 Date Full name and address of sponsor including postcode Gift Aid Amount Total Paid Thank You for your support. Grand total: I acknowledge my responsibilities for the collection and forwarding of the above sponsorship monies to Great Western Air Ambulance Charity Charity Signature: Print Name: Great Western Air Ambulance Charity is a registered charity (reg.no: )

11 General information Fundraising Safely and Legally Thank you so much for fundraising on our behalf. We really appreciate your support. However, please ensure that what you are doing is safe and legal. If you re unsure about anything please ring us or consult the Institute of Fundraising website at Using our logo Contact us for a copy of our logo. Charity Registration Number Please remember to use the charity registration number on any documents, posters or leaflets you are producing. The number is Insurance Great Western Air Ambulance Charity Charity has public liability insurance for 5 million. However, this will not cover your event in aid of Great Western Air Ambulance Charity, so you ll need to check that it s insured adequately. Some of the issues involved may be: public liability cover; damage to property owned, hired or borrowed; event cancellation or bad weather cover. If fundraising is by a group of people from a company or firm you should check the cover for a staff or customer charitable event. Selling Goods If you are a business and you are fundraising by selling goods, you will require a fundraising agreement with us. Public Collections If you wish to collect money, ensure that you have all relevant permissions and licences. If you are collecting on private premises you will need the permission of the owner. If you are collecting in any public area such as a street or going from pub to pub, you will need a licence from the local authority. Competitions and Lotteries If you are planning your own public lottery there are laws about what you can and can t do. Please check these carefully at Please note that if you are running a raffle or tombola as part of an event, you don t need a licence. Children and Fundraising If children (under 16) are involved in fundraising, ensure you have the permission of parents or guardians. Responsible adults should supervise all activities, and remember that children under 16 are not allowed to collect money at public collections. Special Licences Check that you don t need any special licences in relation to your event. These might include a public entertainment licence or a licence to sell alcohol. Event Fundraising Ensure that your event is organised efficiently and safely. We cannot accept any responsibility for your event nor for anyone who participates in it. You should conduct a risk assessment to ensure that you have proper plans for the safety of participants. For further information go to the Health and Safety Executive website at Ensure that participants are fully briefed about the event, including (where relevant) any risks, fitness requirements, special equipment or clothing required, and standards of behaviour expected. Ensure that your event is properly and adequately supervised. Where children are involved this includes providing proper adult supervision; checking that the child s parents/guardians have given their permission for the child to take part; and carrying out appropriate background checks if adults are to have unsupervised access to the children. Millions of people successfully run events each year and raise considerable sums of money for charity. Enjoy yourself and have fun! Fundraising Kit 11.

12 Thank You Thank you for reading this guide and agreeing to help raise funds for the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity. Through your help we can continue to provide the life-saving service that daily makes a difference to the people of the region. We hope that your fundraising goes well. Please don t hesitate to contact us if you require any further help or guidance. Our Contact Details Great Western Air Ambulance Charity Headquarters, Tel: info@ greatwesternairambulance.com Contacting Great Western Air Ambulance Charity Headquarters: Appeals Office open Monday to Friday 9am 5pm Call: e: info@greatwesternairambulance.com If you wish to help with fundraising, please contact Penny Weir on or penny.weir@greatwesternairambulance.com Visit: Great Western Air Ambulance Charity registered charity number: Charitable company registered in England and Wales No: Fundraising Kit Design and layout by twelve20. Visit: or call