School Fundraising Pack. Your guide to raising money for Beat

Transcription

1 School Fundraising Pack Your guide to raising money for Beat

2 Welcome! Thank you for fundraising for Beat! We are so appreciative of all your support and hard work. We know that fundraising can be challenging but it can also be great fun and we want you to enjoy it every step of the way. We hope you will find everything you are looking for in this pack, but if you do have any further questions, or need any advice, please don t hesitate to contact the fundraising team. We re here to help! fundraising@b-eat.co.uk Contents Welcome! 1 About Beat 2 Case studies and A to Z 3 Before your event 5 Fundraising plan 6 Fundraising online 7 Setting up an online fundraising page 8 Getting social 9 Media 10 Safe and legal 11 After your event 12 Style guidelines 13 Thank you 14 Fundraising checklist 15 London to Brighton Cycle In 2012, father-daughter team Kate and Alan completed the London to Brighton cycle for Beat, raising over 800. For Alan and Kate, this challenge was another step in Kate s recovery from anorexia. They crossed the finish line with big smiles on their faces, knowing it would have been an impossible challenge to complete together as father and daughter in previous years. This year they ll be taking to their bikes again, cycling the 3 cities for Beat. To me, Beat acts as a light in the darkness, a glimmer of hope in times of despair and the giver of bricks to lay the foundations for a brighter future away from a life dictated by an eating disorder. As an anorexia sufferer, 14 years on, I am finally travelling further along recovery road than many, including myself, ever thought possible. Beat has helped me to get through the lowest point of my life, and now it is time to give back. I am passionate about turning my negative experiences into a positive, through raising money for Beat I aim to help show the world recovery is possible and to spread awareness for these often silent illnesses. Kate Barton 1

3 About Beat What we do Beat is the UK s leading charity supporting people affected by eating disorders and campaigning on their behalf. We aim to change the way people think about eating disorders, challenge the stigma that people with eating disorders face and campaign for better services and treatments. Beat provides helplines for adults and young people, a UK wide network of self help and support groups and online support including information, message boards and live chat. We also provide expert knowledge, education and training to health and social care professionals and support and encourage research into eating disorders. Beat s vision is simple: eating disorders will be beaten. Sitting here now knowing I am three years in recovery, I owe my life to Beat. If it wasn t for the helpline and me making that initial call I really don t know where I would be now. Natalie, Helpline caller Why Beat needs you It s thanks to our fundraisers that we can continue to support the thousands of people who contact us for help each month. Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses and over 1.6 million men and women of all ages and backgrounds in the UK are affected. They have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. One in five of the most seriously affected will die prematurely. We know that eating disorders are treatable and that full recovery is possible. The sooner someone gets the help and support they need the more likely they are to make a full recovery. Some eating disorder myths You can tell by looking at someone whether they have an eating disorder. Eating disorders only affect young girls from privileged backgrounds. Eating disorders are caused by the media. Eating disorders are a lifestyle choice. Those affected by eating disorders are simply attention seeking. They re faddy diets gone wrong. How your donations help Beat 5 helps to send a Beat eating disorders information pack 50 helps to run an online support session for carers 600 helps Beat to run the Helpline for a day 3,000 helps to train ten Young Ambassadors to reduce the stigma of mental health and campaign for better healthcare services 2

4 A to Z Climbing Kilimanjaro The Howard Family set off to the summit of Kilimanjaro to raise money for Beat in June 2012, reaching the top they raised over 4,000 for Beat, helping us to keep our core services, like the Helpline open to those in need. I couldn t believe the determination that came over us all when we could see the summit. The fact that so many people had donated to Beat and were so supportive definitely spurred us on. What a great feeling it was to all get there together! The views of the glacier were unbelievable and the general vibe from everyone at the top was fantastic - everyone was so chuffed with themselves. Climbing Kilimanjaro was an unforgettable experience and we are so pleased to have raised so much money for such a great cause Kirstie Howard An A to Z of amazing fundraising ideas The more creative your fundraiser for Beat, the better! Taking part in a sponsored organised event can be great fun but if you have time and inspiration don t be afraid to create your own fundraiser. A Auction of promises - Make friends and family promise to do something they wouldn t normally do - then auction the promises! E Egg and spoon race - Sometimes the simple ideas are the best. Have a nostalgic school sports day! B Beat Ball - Everyone loves the chance to dress up - why not organise a glamorous Beat Ball. F Fete or a Fancy Dress Day Ask all the students and teachers too to dress as their favourite character and donate 1 C Cake sales - Bake some fresh cakes and sell them. Trust us; no one can resist a freshly baked Beat cupcake! G Games Day - Let pupils bring in games to play with on the last day. Or hold a sporting games day. D Dinner Dance / Disco - Inject glamour into your fundraising by holding a dinner dance for your friends; the entrance fee goes to Beat. H Hat party - Make everyone at work wear a silly hat. Perhaps give a prize to the silliest! 3

5 A to Z I International dinner - Everyone brings a dish from another country - take your taste buds around the world. R Read-a-thon a sponsored reading event to encourage pupils to read more. J Jumble sales - Why not organise a bring and buy sale. One person s rubbish is another s treasure! S Sponsored events - Whether it s a sponsored run, bike-ride or silence, they re a great way to raise money. K Karaoke nights - Persuade a local pub to donate a room, gather your friends to see who s got the best voice and who hasn t! T Treasure hunt - Organise a treasure hunt for your friends children - or for the big kids amongst you! L Left hand day - Do everything with your left (or right) for a day and get your colleagues to join in. U Uniform Day for Teachers M Mufti Day - Ask pupils to pay a set donations to wear their own clothes to school for a day. V Valentines Day party - Think heart-shaped cakes or letters from cupid! N New Year s resolutions - Struggling to keep them? Get some sponsors! W Whole heap of change - collect your spare change in a jar. Race your friends - who can fill one first? O Oars away - Whether it s a rowing machine or a boat on the Thames - why not try a sponsored row? X X-factor - Arrange your own talent contest. Or a sweepstake for one on TV. P Pyjama Day Ideal for nurseries, ask pupils to donate and wear pyjamas to school for a day. Y Yoga evening - Get flexible with your friends and raise money for Beat. Q Quiz nights - Hold a quiz night, and invite everyone you know. Find out who s the mastermind amongst your friends! Z Zodiac evening - Invite some friends over for a star-gazing session; entry fee goes to Beat. 4

6 Before your event There are lots of great ideas to help raise funds for Beat, these can be big fundraising events such as throwing your own party or going on an overseas trek to bakesales, fun runs and raffles. We would suggest following this guide to make sure you get the most out of your fundraising. Tell us what you re up to Don t forget to contact Beat and let us know what you have planned. We ll be here to support you along the way and can provide you with fundraising materials too! Research and plan Decide what you are going to do, when you are going to do it and how much you want to raise. Have a clear plan, write it down and set yourself deadlines to help hit your target - remember any commitments you might already have. Review your progress regularly and make sure you are on target. Think about who you are going to ask to sponsor you. Think far and wide - distant relatives; ex-employers; customers; neighbours and old school friends. Let your friends, family and colleagues know about your plans and ask them to help you with ideas and spread the word. You ll be surprised by how many people might want to help out. Don t be afraid to ask for help. If you need any fundraising materials for your event such as leaflets, a Beat running vest, balloons, flags or collecting tins don t forget to fundraising@b-eat.co.uk as soon as possible. Tell everyone why Tell people about Beat and the work that we do and why this makes a difference. Show people some Beat literature or the website so they can get more of an understanding about why their donation will make a difference. You will be surprised about how helpful and positive people can be to helping a good cause you are passionate about. Start early The earlier you start fundraising the more you ll raise. Don t leave it until the last minute. Follow your clear fundraising plan and you ll raise lots, have fun and avoid the last minute panic. Raising the funds Ask everyone you know and ask them to ask everyone they know! Involve your school, workplace, college, university, local shop and any groups or social clubs you belong to. They may be willing to work together to help you raise extra funds, or make a donation to sponsor you. Never be afraid to ask! Top Fundraising Tips! Put up a poster on your school notice board or in the newsletter letting people know about your event or with a link to your page Put a collection tin in your classroom or communal areas to help collect donations Make up some business cards to hand out to people you meet with information on your event and a link to your page. Don t be afraid to ask! Some people may need a gentle reminder to sponsor you, try and time your asks around payday too! 5

7 Your fundraising plan Planning is key to successful fundraising, the earlier you can start researching and planning the easier your fundraising will be. Often our fundraisers tell us that it was really useful to make a plan and give themselves targets which also helps you to track your success and see how you re doing. Here s a rough idea of what your plan might look like. Feel free to photocopy this or adapt it to how you d prefer to work. I need to raise By (date) Fundraising activity Date Aiming to raise Actually raised Running Total Example: Set up online fundraising page, , write to friends and family and post on social media. 01 August

8 Fundraising online Setting up your online giving page is the easiest way to collect donations. You can set up your page today at either of the pages below: They re perfect for spreading your message and reaching overseas friends and family. The next step is to promote your online page as much as possible. You can find more information about how to do this in the following pages in this pack. Collecting offline sponsorship You will find a sponsorship form enclosed with this pack. You can photocopy this as many times as you need, and feel free to ask the fundraising team for more copies. Please only use the sponsorship form we provide as we cannot claim gift aid from any other sponsorship forms. Remember to send these to us with the money you ve collected so we can claim the Gift Aid. Ask everyone to complete this in block capitals. Gift Aid By signing up to Gift Aid, each 1 donated to Beat can be topped up with 25p at no extra cost. This can make an enormous difference to your fundraising total and the number of people with eating disorders we can help. For donations to be eligible for Gift Aid, the person who sponsors you must be a UK taxpayer and they must be donating their own money. We can t claim Gift Aid on any company sponsorship or if the donor has received goods or services (such as a ticket for an event) in return for their donation. In order to claim the Gift Aid, you just need to ask your sponsors to tick the Gift Aid box on the form and complete their home contact details including post code. Not only is fundraising a great thing to do, it will help your future too You will soon be making university applications or perhaps applying for that job you ve had your eye on. Whether it s writing a college letter or your CV, being able to say that you ve organized a charitable event as an extra-curricular activity will make a great impression. It will demonstrate good strength of character, that you are willing to go the extra mile for something you believe in and will show your future employer or college that you are well organized, hardworking, dedicated and committed. How your donations help Beat 10 helps a Beat Helpline support worker reply to an helps fund a trained Beat Helpline support worker for a day. 700 helps Beat to print 1,000 information leaflets for carers. 4,000 helps Beat to set up two support groups to provide support and advice to both sufferers and their families. I hope my fundraising can help the millions still suffering. Having an eating disorder was one of the darkest times of my life, but I hope I can show to others that it is a tough process but recovery is always possible. Eda, Ran the Rock and Roll marathon to raise funds for Beat 7

9 Setting up an online fundraising page Raising money online allows people to sponsor you safely and securely from anywhere in the world, using their credit or debit card. It allows you to spread the word even further, especially with the power of social media as you can share your page on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and your blog. We recommend using Virgin Money Giving or JustGiving. You can find our charity pages here: Just click on the start fundraising link to set up your own personalised page. You will receive a unique web address for your page which will allow you to share this with friends and family. Great tips to make the most of your fundraising page Make it personal, make it yours. Tell people why you are fundraising for Beat. If you are happy to share your own personal story, please do so. Set yourself a target and aim high. It has been shown that fundraising pages with a target will raise more than those without. Make it interesting. Not everyone wants to read, some prefer to look at visuals. Perhaps make a video of your story, post lots of photos to your page, or keep a small video or photo diary to update on your progress or training. You can link your Twitter feed or online blog to your page too. everyone you know with a link to your page and ask them to forward it on or share on social media. Don t be afraid to ask again, people can always forget so a gentle reminder doesn t hurt. Put some perspective on it - ask people to give up their Friday night takeaway, a trip to the cinema or other luxuries and donate the left over cash to sponsor you. Don t forget to say thank you, set up your page so it sends an automatic message, people will be touched and happy to receive this. Sock monkeys for Beat I saw a picture of a sock monkey and thought they were quirky and cute! I worked out how to make them, then when I was discharged that Christmas I made one each for all the girls I was in hospital with each with a message saying 'I am special because I am unique and NOT perfect but still filled with love' as I wanted to let them all know that I loved them no matter what!! Well basically they loved them, other people saw them and wanted them and offered to pay so I said I would make them but they had to donate to Beat! And sock monkeys against eating disorders were born!! Hannah Belton Hannah has now raised over 850 for Beat with her creative Sock Monkey fundraiser. 8

10 Getting social In recent years social media has exploded and it is a great way to promote your fundraising efforts within your personal networks. On this page you ll find tips on how to make the most of posting, sharing, tweeting and blogging. If you ve got any more questions please do get in touch. Facebook: a recent study showed that you are likely to raise 40% more if you connect Facebook with your fundraising campaign. Here are a few handy tips: Create a page, event or group for your fundraising event and ask your friends to join or like it. Don t always ask people for money directly in your status updates. Instead share a picture of your training or the next stage of your event planning - always remember to include a link to your sponsorship page however! Use your cover photo or profile picture to advertise your fundraising efforts. If a friend sponsors you ask them to update their status so their friends will see it too. Don t forget to share your story and reason why you ve chosen to raise money for Beat. If you ve featured in any media tell everyone about it! Visit to meet other fundraisers. Twitter: it s all about the micro blog! With only 140 characters a small message can reach a big audience. Like Facebook, don t ask for money in every tweet - there s more to say than that! Keep followers up-to-date with your preparations. Keep it visual by uploading photographs. Use a hashtag so that people can quickly search and find what you ve been talking about. Don t just broadcast, make sure you re engaging with people by replying and retweeting. Follow Beat on Twitter Blogging: Think of it as kind of a diary online which helps to encourage people to part with their hard-earned cash by telling them what you re doing and more importantly why. Blogs don t have to be incredibly time consuming or lengthy but can reap huge rewards. They also don t have to be written - take a photo every time you go for a training run, or use a video to explain what you ve been up to. Knowing the effort you re putting in and the emotions you are going through while fundraising can encourage people to donate. There s an array of free blogging sites online try Blogger or WordPress. We can always be on hand for advice if you ve got any problems or want to see previous examples for ideas. Blogging can be really motivational too as you re going through the fundraising process and helps you to keep on track. 9

11 Media Shout about it Publicity is key to a successful fundraising campaign for two very good reasons. Number one: the more people who know about your fundraising efforts, the more donations you re likely to receive. Number two: you can help raise awareness for eating disorders and prove that they will be beaten! Below, we ve outlined a few ideas, hints and tips but if you ve got any more questions contact media@b-eat.co.uk, we re always happy to lend a hand with your broadcasting efforts. Advertise It may sound simple and old-fashioned but sometimes the oldest ideas are the best. Use our branding guidelines on page 13 of this pack to create posters or add your fundraising details to the pre-made ones in this pack and then place them around your local area. Contact your local media Local media provides a real springboard to reach a large amount of people about your fundraising activity. Local newspapers, radio stations and TV are always looking for stories about local people which will give you a big advantage when approaching them with your fundraising tales. Have a look in your local newspapers for examples of other fundraisers - you might be surprised by how many you can see. Here are a few tips about what they might be looking for: Originality: any journalist will be looking for something original and interesting for their readership so think about this before you approach them. A story: you re much more likely to have your story accepted if you re willing to talk to them about why you ve chosen to fundraise for Beat. We do have Media Guidelines which outline best practice about reporting on eating disorders, contact the media team for more information. We campaign against images at lowest weights or specific information about weights and food as it can be triggering to those suffering. Visuals: pictures always sell a story so be prepared to don your Beat t-shirt and smile for the camera! A cautionary word... Please do remember that you may be asked to talk about your personal background when discussing your event with the press. If you, or the people you re close to aren t comfortable with this and you're having concerns, you can always talk to the team here in our Press Office further about what to expect. Contacting the media The best way to inform your local media about your fundraising event is to send them a press release, we recommend doing this 28 and seven days before it takes place. Alternatively you can simply pick up the phone and ask to speak to the relevant person. We can provide you with examples of press releases - contact media@b-eat.co.uk. It s never too late to talk to the press and remember that you can still contact them again after your challenge or event with photographs to tell them how it went. 10

12 Keep it safe; keep it legal Fundraising is lots of fun for all involved, but it s essential to ensure your activities are safe and legal. If you follow the tips below, you should have no trouble. And, of course, if you have any questions, just call or the team on or fundraising@b -eat.co.uk. Are you under 18? If so, please make sure your parents or guardians are aware of your fundraising plans. Do you have, or are you recovering from an eating disorder? If so, please don t do anything which might jeopardise your health, the wellbeing of our fundraisers is Beat s primary concern. If you have any current health issues, or any concerns about the suitability of our fundraising activities, please contact your GP. Will your event be in a public place? Remember to get permission from the police or local authority. If you re collecting money, then you ll need a licence from your local authority (details will be on their website). Will your event be on private property (i.e. supermarket or pub)? If you re collecting money, seek permission from the owner or manager. Are you serving food? Make sure you adhere to food safety guidelines - more information can be obtained from your local authority environmental health department. Are you serving alcohol? Make sure you have a licence - visit Are you organising a raffle? Make sure it is part of a wider fundraising event or it is a private lottery (e.g. a lottery at work; and not open to the public). Are you involving the public? You ll need public liability insurance - see if your company provides this. Have you thought about first aid? It might be worth speaking to St John s Ambulance. We do not recommend that any Beat fundraisers take part in door to door collections which need a licence. Useful websites Beat does not authorise fundraisers to act as agents of Beat. Beat is not responsible for organising, supervising or hosting your fundraising activities. All activities, and participation in them, are at the organisers and participants own risk. We do not accept responsibility or liability for any loss or damage to property or for death or personal injury arising out of any fundraising activity relating to Beat fundraising events (except death or personal injury caused by our negligence). 11

13 After your event Continue to fundraise a little longer Some people prefer to sponsor you after you ve completed your event. Let everyone know what you ve just done, how it went and what you feel you ve achieved! You can give those who promised to sponsor a gentle nudge too. You may even inspire some other fundraisers Say thank you! Don t forget to thank everyone who sponsored you. Let them know the total you raised and that it wouldn t have been possible without their support. Let them know how your event went and what the money donated can achieve. How to send in your money Anything you ve raised online, will automatically be transferred to Beat. If you ve collected offline funds please try and remember to send these in no later than two months after your fundraising event. Please remember to send in any sponsorship forms with the donations so we can claim the Gift Aid. Make sure you let us know your name and the event you took part in when sending in your funds so we know who to thank. If you d like us to thank a group by name then please let us know. You can use the form enclosed with this fundraising pack when sending in your funds. Please make cheques out to Beat and send to the below address: Beat, Wensum House, 103 Prince of Wales Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 1DW. Please do not send cash. You can also make a donation over the phone by credit or debit card if you need to. Please call the fundraising team on Share your story If you d like to share your story and help inspire other fundraisers, please send your stories, quotes and photos to fundraising@b-eat.co.uk. We d love to use these in our future materials, or on the website to help inspire other fundraisers to join in the fun too! 12

14 Style and brand guidelines The Beat brand is based around our logo, which means that we are instantly recognisable to those who come across it. It is important that this is used consistently so people understand who we are and what we do. Please follow these guidelines and also send a proof of any promotional materials to fundraising@b-eat.co.uk. We have a special logo for fundraisers - please ask our fundraising team for a copy of this for use in print or online materials. The Beat logo The logo is made up of our name and strapline and they must always be used together - please don t add or take anything away. It should be used at the bottom or top right of the page. It should be at least 25mm in width If you resize the logo please ensure it stays in proportion, does not appear stretched and is easy to read. The logo should have a clear area around it to allow it to stand out. The Beat name Beat is not an acronym nor does it have a hyphen. It should be written Beat not BEAT beat or B-eat. If you re putting together posters or leaflets Our core colours are pink and blue and the tiles on the right show the RGB colour model so that you can replicate them when producing posters. Use Trebuchet MS in promotional materials as it is easy to read. Some tips on producing materials Keep it simple and avoid jargon. Make sure you re thinking about your audience when you re writing - you ll want to word a flyer in a primary school differently to that of one in a doctor s surgery. Keep consistent in the way you write dates RGB R9 G72 B145 RGB R240 G9 B129 and times - we prefer 24 July 2013 and the 12-hour clock style 1.30pm. Make clear that you re speaking, and not Beat - use your own words to make your materials seem personable. If you re comfortable telling your own story, then tell it. It s likely to encourage people to support you. Branded merchandise We have lots of supporting materials which we can send to you, contact the fundraising team to order posters, t-shirts, running vests, collecting tins and balloons. 13

15 Thank you Thank you for choosing to raise money for Beat. We really do appreciate your support and it s thanks to fundraisers like you that we can continue to support the thousands of people who contact us for help each month. Beat is the only UK wide charity supporting people affected by eating disorders and campaigning on their behalf. Our vision is that eating disorders will be beaten. Beat is the first port of call for anyone who is affected by an eating disorder, adult or young sufferer, family member, friend or the professional supporting them. Thank you again for supporting Beat together we can make a big difference to the lives of people affected by eating disorders. So you think you can walk - Tom becomes the youngest person to walk from John O Groats to Lands End At 19 Tom was the youngest person to complete this mammoth trek, setting off on 1 May and completing the 1,130 mile challenge on 3 August, Tom raised more than 3,500 for Beat. He took on the extreme feat after seeing how his 23 year old sister Amy has been affected by anorexia for nearly 8 years. After seeing how much the condition has affected Amy, I really wanted to do something to raise awareness of Beat and what they do Tom Butcher 14

16 Fundraising checklist Contact Beat and let us know about your fundraising event, when it is and where it will take place. Make a fundraising plan. Draw up a plan of who you will ask and how much you plan on bringing in from each group or fundraising event. Include dates so you know how long it will take. Contact Beat for any fundraising materials you may need. Don t leave it until the last minute! Set up your online fundraising page - see page 10 of this pack for more information. Promote your fundraising page as much as possible via Facebook, Twitter, , posters and any other way you can think of! Contact your local media. See page 8 of this pack and get in touch with Beat if you need any help. Ask your workplace about matched giving or for a donation to aid your fundraising activities. Create a blog and update it regularly with your fundraising plans, photos of your training runs or whatever you re up to! Collect offline sponsorship and complete the sponsorship form (there s one enclosed in this fundraising pack). Thank all your donors for every donation. Let them know how your event went and how their donation will help Beat. Send in your money to Beat. Send a cheque for any offline funds made out to Beat to: Beat, Wensum House, 103 Prince of Wales Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 1DW. Beat and let us know how your event went! Send in any photos from the day. Share your story. Send in a quote about why you chose to fundraise for Beat, how you ve fundraised and any other tips you have for others that you re happy to share. We love hearing from you! Good Luck!