Plan Your Event

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Thank you for choosing to fundraise for SaTH Charity – your support helps us to improve the health, comfort, and hospital experience of local people every day.

SaTH aims to provide the very best treatment, care, and experience for our patients, now and in the future.  By supporting SaTH Charity you can help us to achieve this.  The majority of our supporters either have, or will in the future, use the services provided at our hospitals.

There are many things to consider when organising fundraising events, so we have put together this guide to help you with things you may need to think about before your event, and what you’ll need to do once your event has finished.

Please note that this guide is not exhaustive and if you require further support please contact us on 01743 261446 or email us at sath.charity@nhs.net

Hosting your own event can be as traditional or as innovative as you like – a bake-off, parachute jump, sponsored run, or perhaps even a Summer Ball.  Whether you choose to walk, run, swim, bake, or dance, we’d love to hear from you!  Please call the Charity Office on 01743 261446 or email sath.charity@nhs.net to discuss your ideas and register your event.

You can also register your event on our free fundraising page (we will be notified once your fundraising page has been set up):

https://www.justgiving.com/sath

Try to choose a suitable date that allows you enough time to prepare for your event.

To make your event as successful as possible try to avoid clashing with other similar, local events.

Setting a budget is important because without one you may find that the costs begin to spiral out of control.  The lower your event costs, the more you will raise for SaTH Charity.

Be realistic about your budget and stick to it – you should try to have a fundraising ratio of at least 50p (expenditure) in the £1 (total money raised) or better.

Once you know what you require to make your event a success, identify the people who may be able to provide support for your event – this could include people who could provide promotional items or raffle donations. There may even be generous discounts available from local businesses.

SaTH Charity will not be held liable for any outstanding costs either pre or post event.  The event organiser is responsible for collecting sponsorship or outstanding payments.

How do you intend to entertain your guests? Whether it’s a DJ, live band or even a Guest Speaker you will need to consider your budget.  You are hoping to raise as much money as possible so you don’t want the cost of hiring entertainment to eat into your budget.

As it’s a Charity event you may be about to negotiate with the booking fees with your entertainers – They might even offer to perform for free!

Finding the right venue is a very important aspect regarding the success of your event. Finding a venue that is the right size for your event can make all the difference – if it’s too big, your event may appear empty and if it’s too small the event may become overcrowded and pose a health and safety risk.

You may also want to consider:

  • Making a backup plan in case of last minute cancellations or adverse weather conditions.
  • Putting safety measures in place to make sure equipment is properly situated?
  • Do you have permission from the council or landowner if your event is in a public place?
  • Is your chosen venue accessible to all groups within the community? For example, does it wheelchair access?
  • Have you informed your local highways office or police if you are likely to cause any disruption to traffic?
  • If members of the public will be attending your event, have you made sure that this is covered by public liability insurance?
  • Is you venue easy for people to get to? Perhaps you could include maps or transport information on your promotional literature.
  • Do you have access to public toilet facilities?

 

It is important that your event is fun, and the more ways you find to raise funds for SaTH Charity the better! However, it is equally as important that you keep yourself, others and members of the public safe.  For further details, please see The Charity Commission website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission

First aid

Have you arranged adequate first aid supplies for the event?  Do you have qualified first aiders at your event?

Fire Safety

Have you checked the fire exits at your venue and do you know where the assembly points are?  Are all the fire exits clearly marked? Will there be marshals to direct people to a safe place?  Have you double-checked the fire exits?

Food

If you intend to sell or provide food at your event you will need to contact the Environmental Health department at your local authority.   Further information on food hygiene laws at community and charity events can be found at:

https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/hall-provision.pdf

Alcohol

You will require a licence if you intend to have alcohol at your event. You can obtain a temporary licence from your local magistrate’s court, however please leave as much notice as possible to arrange this (also remember to include this additional cost in your overall budget). To avoid this issue all together, consider holding your event on licensed premises.

Fundraisers under the age of 18 are discouraged from holding a fundraising event without the supervision and guidance of an adult to help them. To ensure they are safe it is advised that they must not do any of the following without close adult supervision:

  • Street Collections
  • Raffles
  • An event involving alcohol

You will also need to consider the children who will be attending your event – have you organised enough marshals to station hazardous areas, such as areas serving hot food and drinks or areas where there is water?  Have you set up a system for lost children?

Do you need Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for individuals looking after children?  For more information, visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service

You are encouraged to complete your own risk assessment and make your own insurance arrangements regarding your chosen fundraising activity. The SaTH NHS Trust does not accept any responsibility for any injuries sustained to yourself or others during the course of the activity. It is the responsibility of fundraisers to ensure they obtain the necessary permits, licences or exemptions prior to commencing their fundraising event or activity.  Advice on this can be obtained from your local authority.

During and after your event there are many things you will need to consider regarding the safe handling of monies raised.

  • Are your collection tins located in a secure place?
  • How will you cash be stored for safe keeping?
  • How will you transport your cash and will you need a companion to travel with you?
  • Will stall holders at your event need a float?

Click here to find out ways to pay in your donations 

Thank you again for making SaTH Charity your chosen Charity – your support helps us to improve the health, comfort, and hospital experience of local people every day.  We aim to support your fundraising as much as possible, so if you require any future information please contact us at the Charity Office on 01743 261446 or email us at sath.charity@nhs.net

Remember to have fun and take plenty of photographs during your event (don’t forget to ask for permission first). We are very proud of our supporters and like to tell everyone about their hard work – when possible we aim to provide updates within the local press, on our website and social media feeds.