Skip to content

Create Your Own Event

Organising your own fundraising activity is a fun & rewarding way you can help the hospice.

Whether it is an event for the whole community or a social occasion for your friends and family, it really will make a difference.

Each year, it costs around £12 million to deliver all our care services & to run the organisation. 30% of funds are commissioned by the NHS & 70% of our funds have to be raised by us.

How to make a successful event

  • Tell us what you are planning! Our community fundraising team will help you to maximise your fundraising. By telling us what you’re doing, we can shout about it on social media & add your event to our website.
  • Check your dates before you commit. You don’t want to choose a date that no one can come to because it’s someone’s birthday, special occasion or something is going on locally that people will want to attend.
  • Give yourself enough lead in time to organise the event.
  • Add it all up and figure out what it will cost and do some sums to work out how much money you could raise.
  • Ask friends and family to help
£342,500+ raised last year

How to maximise your fundraising

Sponsorship tips

Go to people who will be your top sponsors first – by having a series of £5-£10 sponsors on your giving page or form, others will follow suit.

Chart your progress and tell your friends and colleagues how you are getting on.

Ask for people to Gift Aid their donation – for every pound you raise, an extra 25p will be donated at no extra cost to you or your sponsors. Just make sure sponsors enter their full address. If they are UK taxpayers, then that’s all they have to do, it’s that easy!

Make some noise

Promoting your event is key to success.

If you tell us about your event, especially if it is something unique, we can help share the message on social media, online and in press.

Utilise your own social media to promote your event. Think about your target audience – what platform will work best? Instagram? Facebook? TikTok?

If budget allows, you could put money behind advertising your event in print and online. If you have a Facebook page for your group, you will have an option to advertise on the platform.

Double donations

Many companies will match fund any monies that their employees fundraise.

This can be a really quick and simple way to double the money you have raised.

Speak to your employer and get the wheels in motion for them to match your fundraising.

Set up a JustGiving or Enthuse page

Online platforms are the easiest way to fundraise. You can set up a page on our preferred platform, Enthuse, or the popular site, JustGiving.

As well as collecting donations, you can share your story & update on progress.

You don’t have to do anything other than select St Elizabeth Hospice when you set up your page, add your details and personalise your page.

Keeping things legal

You will need a licence from your local authority for any of the following activities:

  • Music & dancing
  • Sale of alcohol
  • Extended hours
  • Provision of food or drink
  • Collecting money or selling goods in a public space

Please contact your local authority directly for further details.

If money raised from your event is to be split between different charities, please make that clear on any promotional material. If you are not splitting funds equally then you will need to state this.

Safety of guests

Remember – you are responsible for the safety of your guests so make sure there are no trip hazards or other hazards that can cause danger.

Completing your own risk assessment before the event highlights any areas you may need to think about.

If you’re holding an event involving many people, make sure that you have
appropriate first aid support in place. You can get advice from St John Ambulance or the British Red Cross.

Collections in a public place

You will need to get a licence from the local authority if you plan to organise a collection in a public place.

If you are organising a collection on privately owned property, e.g. a shopping centre, supermarket, train station or concert, you will need to get their approval, but you might also need a collection licence as well – so do check.

Collections in pubs, factories or offices are counted as a house-to-house collection, so you will need a permit for them.

Anyone under 16 years of age is not allowed to collect.

If you are planning to organise a collection you will need to speak to our community fundraising team so they can issue you with a letter of authority to say you are collecting for St Elizabeth Hospice and also to ensure you have our branded and sealed collection tins/buckets.

You will have to ensure that your licences are in place before we can issue your collection materials. You are not allowed to collect money in open buckets and there is a code of conduct which is regulated by the Institute of Fundraising that we ask you to follow.

 

Insurance

If you’re organising an event yourself and this takes place at your home, check if you are covered by your own home insurance.

If you organise an event/activity outside the home that involves the public in any way, you will need to ensure that you have Public Liability Insurance, which can be provided by many local insurance companies.

Check with your venues to see if they have their own Public Liability Insurance as you may be covered when hiring.

Please also check with caterers or contractors or any external facilities you are using to make sure they have the relevant experience & good feedback from any other work they have done. Make sure that they also hold the relevant insurance cover too.

Please note that you will not be covered under the St Elizabeth Hospice Public Liability Insurance.

Food & refreshments

If food is to be sold at an event, food safety laws must be complied with.

If you are using a catering company they should be registered and abide by the food safety laws. Guidance can be obtained from the Food Standards Agency.

If you are handling food yourself, you must be aware of food allergies, such as nuts or dairy and the proper storage of perishable foods.

Gift Aid

We can only claim Gift Aid from friends, family and colleagues who have made a donation where they have not received any benefit.

If they are paying for a ticket, buying a raffle ticket or purchasing some cake the money cannot be Gift Aided.

Raffles

Small raffles held as part of a larger event are fine as long as ticket sales and the announcing of results take place during the event itself. That means no selling of raffle tickets in advance of the event and there are no cash prizes.

If you are wanting to sell tickets prior to the event or want to offer a cash prize, this will fall under public lottery and raffles. This therefore must be registered with the local authority.

For more guidance, check the rules with your local authority or the Gambling Commission for Great Britain.

Photography

If you plan to take photos of other people at your fundraiser, please make attendees aware that they are being taken and how you plan to use them so people can request not to have their photo taken.

You will need to get permission from parents before taking any photos of children.

Handling money

Ensure there are always two people present when counting money and moving it from place to place.

Ensure that any monies are kept in a safe place at the event, before banking it or handing it in.

Children under age of 18

Remember anyone under 18 helping will need to get parental permission from their parent/guardian.

Logo & branding

Please ensure all of your publicity materials state ‘in aid of St Elizabeth Hospice’ and include ‘Registered Charity Number 289154’.

If you are fundraising for Zest or St Elizabeth East Coast Hospice, replace the beginning of the sentence with the relevant service. Our charity number remains the same.

By law, the charity registration number must appear on all posters, invitations advertisements and other fundraising materials.

Download our ‘Proudly Supporting’ logos below for your marketing materials. Do not change the shape or colours of the logo.

You can use these logos on your posters, leaflets, social media and websites. If you are able to, please tag St Elizabeth Hospice in any content as we will be able to share this, where appropriate.

 

How do I pay in the money raised?

Tell us about your event

Fill in the form here to tell us about your fundraising event & our team will be in touch to help support you.

Please get in contact with our team if you have any queries in the meantime.

Tell us about your event

Give us as much detail as possible so we can help support you & maximise your fundraising

Step 1 of 2

Your event details

When is your event?(Required)
Please give as much detail as possible so our team can support you.