Your Fundraising Guide
Call us on 01453 768000 Email fundraising@meningitisnow.org Visit our website www.meningitisnow.org/support-us/fundraising
Thank you so much for choosing to fundraise for Meningitis Now. We rely on the energy, initiative and enthusiasm of our supporters to raise the essential funds we need to deliver our vital research, campaigning, awareness and support work. However, keeping you and our communities safe is our priority, so please stay up to date with the latest government guidelines regarding social distancing and COVID-19 and only fundraise if it is safe to do so. Hopefully this guide will provide you with lots of hints, tips and inspiration to help you with your fundraising. And don’t forget our friendly team are at the end of a phone or email if you have any questions, so do get in touch on 01453 768000 or fundraising@meningitisnow.org By fundraising for Meningitis Now, you’ll be raising money to fund vital research, provide life changing support and help us move towards to a future where no one loses their life to meningitis.
ke care. a t d n a u o y k n a h T Dr Tom Nutt, Chief Executive
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Our biggest challenge
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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on all our lives. One thing that has been significantly affected is fundraising and this is very much the case here at Meningitis Now. With events cancelled and much of our usual fundraising unable to happen as normal, we face a big drop in our income. Simply put, we don’t have enough money to continue all our vital work – funding research, raising awareness and providing support for those affected by meningitis. Over the past 35 years, Meningitis Now have been proud to be there for people as they have faced what is for many, their biggest challenge – meningitis. Now we face our biggest challenge – the unprecedented impact that this pandemic has had on our fundraising income. We are asking our supporters to stand with us as we face our Biggest Challenge. Meningitis Now’s Executive Founder Steve Dayman says, “When we first set up this charity, there were no vaccines to prevent meningitis, very little support for families who were suffering the trauma it caused and no public awareness whatsoever. It was a huge challenge, but people nationwide rallied to our fight against meningitis – and together we’ve made a historic difference. “Today we face another enormous challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit our charity hard. And the fight is far from over. Please help us continue our vital work.” If you can, please pledge your support today. Make a donation. Sign up for a virtual event. Take on a fundraising challenge. Raise money in your community. The fight against meningitis isn’t over. Every donation you make will help us continue to save lives, rebuild futures and keep going until the fight is won. Thank you.
Every penny you raise will make a real difference to those at risk of meningitis and those whose lives have already been changed forever because of it. Thank you.
We’re here to help and support you. Call us on 01453 768000, email fundraising@meningitisnow.org or visit our website www.meningitisnow.org/support-us/fundraising
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Need some inspiration? See what our supporters have been up to… Jog On Meningitis
or Set up a Birthday iser ra Anniversary Fund on Facebook
e Hold an onlin Quiz Night
Hoola Hoop Challenge
Sell your unwanted stuff on ebay
Peaks Virtual Three allenge Staircase Ch
We’re here to help and support you. Call us on 01453 768000 or email fundraising@meningitisnow.org or visit our website www.meningitisnow.org/support-us/fundraising
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Planning your fundraising
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The key to a successful fundraising is planning. Here are some key tips to get you started… Keep it simple Choose an idea which you know will appeal to your supporters. Often the simplest ones are the best. Make sure you let people know you’re fundraising in aid of Meningitis Now and if you’re happy to, let them know why.
Government guidelines Keeping you and our communities safe is our priority, so we ask that you comply with the latest Government guidelines regarding social distancing and COVID-19 whilst fundraising. Please note guidelines vary in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Set your fundraising goal Setting a target is a great way to stay motivated and it gives a real sense of achievement once you reach your goal. It’s also a good way to inspire your friends, family and colleagues.
Gift Aid is reclaimed by Meningitis Now from the tax you pay for the current tax year. In order to Gift Aid your donation you must be a UK taxpayer. If you pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax in the current tax year than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all your donations it is your responsibility to pay any difference. If you pay Income Tax at the higher or additional rate and want to receive the additional tax relief due to you, you must include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self-Assessment tax return or ask HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code. Please ask your donors to complete their details and sign the declaration on the specially prepared sponsorship forms we provide. Each donor’s full name and address is needed to identify them as a current UK taxpayer. If you have any questions about Gift Aid or require more forms, please ask.
Online fundraising Set up an online giving page using JustGiving so that people can donate directly to us and you don’t need to handle any cash. There are more details on page 6.
Gift Aid Thanks to the Government’s Gift Aid scheme, Meningitis Now can reclaim 25p on every £1 its supporters donate.
Unfortunately, Gift Aid cannot count towards your overall sponsorship total. We only receive confirmation of the total Gift Aid amount payable to us after we have made our retrospective periodic claims, making it very costly and often impossible to try to match back the details of the claims to specific donors and donations.
5 | We’re here to help and support you. Call us on 01453 768000, email fundraising@meningitisnow.org or visit our website www.meningitisnow.org/support-us/fundraising
Online Fundraising The easiest way to fundraise for Meningitis Now is to set up an online fundraising page. It takes away the hassle of collecting change, using sponsorship forms and chasing your friends for money. Best of all, it’s a safe, simple and secure way to raise funds. Here are our top tips for creating an effective page and reaching your fundraising goal:
• Add a photo and tell your fundraising story • Set a fundraising target – those who do usually raise more • Share your page on social media • Use page updates to let everyone know how you are getting on • Say thank you to everyone who donates • Remind people even after you’ve finished – around 20% of donations come in after an event has happened Set up your pages at:
www.JustGiving.com/meningitisnow
6 | We’re here to help and support you. Call us on 01453 768000, email fundraising@meningitisnow.org or visit our website www.meningitisnow.org/support-us/fundraising
Start social networking
Meningitis Now materials
This is a fantastic way of sharing your online fundraising page with a wide network of friends, family and colleagues. You can tell hundreds of people about your fundraising event with the click of a button! Post updates about your event or challenge to keep people interested.
To help you promote your fundraising for Meningitis Now, we can send you all sorts of free materials with our logo on such as t-shirts, banners and balloons. Please get in touch to let us know what you’d like.
Matched-giving
Call us on 01453 768000 Email fundraising@meningitisnow.org Visit www.meningitisnow.org/support-us/fundraising
Your employer may offer a matched-giving scheme, where for every pound employees raise for charity, the employer donates another pound. Why not see if your workplace does this?
£65
pays for one hour of creative therapy (e.g. art) to help a child affected by meningitis to come to terms with what has happened. 7
The nitty gritty bits There are a few laws that govern fundraising activity and we want to make sure you are aware and take account of them. If you have any questions or want to double check anything listed below, please contact us.
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Children
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Never allow under 18s to fundraise alone. Always accompany them on their activities.
Please keep all cash and cheques secure at all times and ensure there is at least one other unrelated person present to witness how much has been counted.
Collections It is illegal to carry out house to house or public street collections without a licence from your local council (or PSNI in Northern Ireland). If the collection is on private property, seek permission from the owner and observe social distancing regulations.
Risk assessment Identify any hazards, evaluate and minimise any risk at your venue/event. We can provide a sample template. Some venues require them. Further information can be found at www.hse.gov.uk
Licences/raffles Check with your local council if you require any special licences e.g. public entertainment, collection, small lotteries or alcohol. For raffles/ lotteries guidance, please visit www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk
Behaviour
Please note: Whilst we are very grateful for your support, Meningitis Now cannot accept liability for any fundraising activity you undertake in aid of us. If insurance is required, please ensure you have arranged this prior to your event.
We want fundraising to be fun, but please be respectful of others whilst fundraising for Meningitis Now.
8 | We’re here to help and support you. Call us on 01453 768000, email fundraising@meningitisnow.org or visit our website www.meningitisnow.org/support-us/fundraising
What your money can fund £25 can pay for an hour of our Helpline, providing phone and email support and information.
£70 could pay for a young person to receive a coaching session through our Believe & Achieve programme.
£300
can pay for 10,000 symptoms cards to help people recognise the signs of meningitis
£1,000 pays for an average week of a research project .
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After your event or activity Once you have completed your fundraising, it is important to thank everyone involved and send us all the money you have raised on our behalf as soon as possible. If you’re not using an online fundraising page such as JustGiving, please send us the money you have raised within 28 days using any of the methods below. It’s also nice to let everyone know how much you raised by sending out information to the local media. We’d also love to hear and see any pictures from your event, so please email them to us or tag us on social media. Details are on the back page.
Pay in your donations Once you’ve finished fundraising, don’t forget to send us the money you’ve raised. If you have used an online platform, the money will automatically be sent to us; if you’ve collected cash or cheque donations, there are various ways to pay your donations in online or over the phone:
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Go to www.meningitisnow.org or phone us on 01453 768000 and use your credit or debit card.
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Or alternatively we can send you a unique paying in slip that can be used at your local NatWest, RBS or Ulster bank branch.
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Send a cheque made payable to ‘Meningitis Now’, along with your name and contact details to: Meningitis Now, Fern House, Bath Road, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 3TJ.
10 | We’re here to help and support you. Call us on 01453 768000, email fundraising@meningitisnow.org or visit our website www.meningitisnow.org/support-us/fundraising
Other ways to support us We appreciate that not everyone wants to hold or take part in a fundraising event on our behalf, but there are lots of other ways you can support the work of Meningitis Now:
Leave a gift in your Will
Shop with
Donate through your pay
Make a donation
Volunteer
Set up a direct debit
I’VE SIGNED UP. JOIN ME.
Grab your trainers. Raise £50. Jog On Meningitis. Run, walk or jog 50km over 50 days and help us to save lives and rebuild futures.
JOG ON MENINGITIS
#50ks50days
jogon@meningitisnow.org www.meningitisnow.org/jogon 12 | We’re here to help and support you. Call us on 01453 768000, email fundraising@meningitisnow.org or visit our website www.meningitisnow.org/support-us/fundraising
saving lives, rebuilding futures
Thank you We know that without your invaluable support, determined spirit and dedication, we couldn’t fund the lifesaving research and provide the services we do. As part of Meningitis Now’s team, together we can make that difference.
Helpline If you, a relative or friend have experienced meningitis it might be difficult to know where to turn. Our confidential, nurse-led Helpline is available to provide emotional support, answer your questions and explain more about the support we and others can provide. Please get in touch on 0808 80 10 388 or helpline@meningitisnow.org or visit www.meningitisnow.org/how-we-help/contact-our-helpline/
For fundraising enquiries please call: 01453 768000 Email: fundraising@meningitisnow.org Visit us at: www.meningitisnow.org Head Office: Meningitis Now Fern House Bath Road Stroud Gloucestershire GL5 3TJ
MeningitisNow.org @meningitisnow fb.com/MeningitisNow @meningitis_now
Registered Charity Number 803016 (England & Wales) SC037790 (Scotland). Company Registration Number 2469130. © Meningitis Now 2021