Meningitis Now fundraising pack

Fundraising Pack

We’re on a Toddle Waddle for Meningitis Now

Fundraising Pack | 3

Start making a difference today

Saving lives,rebuilding futures

Welcome and thank you very much for choosing to fundraise for Meningitis Now.

Meningitis Now is a charity with almost 30 years’ experience.

Whether you’re taking part in a sponsored event or thinking about organising your own activity, our pack will help you make your fundraising a success. There are lots of ideas to spark your imagination; and remember nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it. We have also included helpful hints on planning, promotion, money and legal things (the boring bit!) to make sure your event is a success.

We couldn’t achieve what we do without your valuable support. By reading this pack, you’re taking the first step to making a difference in our fight against meningitis. We’re all here ready to support your fundraising for a fantastic cause. All you need to do is contact us and let us know what you are planning and we will help any way we can. Well, what are you waiting for? Give us a call on 01453 768000 and start making a difference today!

Formed in 2013 by bringing together Meningitis UK and Meningitis Trust, founders of the meningitis movement in the UK, we exist to save lives and rebuild futures by funding research, raising awareness and providing support.

Our vision is a future where no one in the UK loses their life to meningitis and everyone affected gets the support they need to rebuild their lives.

We need your help now more than ever to make a difference to people in the UK – people who are at risk from meningitis and those whose lives have already been changed forever because of it.

How your support can change a lifeLouie was just five months old when he contracted meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia. Although he survived the disease, he had to have his legs and some of his fingers amputated. Despite his after-effects, Louie is a very happy little boy and a real fighter!

“I’d urge you to support Meningitis Now like we do. We have raised over £4,500 in our community. Your support means that the charity can exist for families like mine. The charity has supported us by providing home visits and funding travel expenses for the ongoing hospital visits we have to make and specialised swimming lessons.”

Louie’s mum, Julie

2

Thank you

Louie and his

sister Francesca

We’re here to help and support you. Call us with any queries on 01453 768000.


Need some inspiration? See what our supporters have been up to…

Hoola Hoop ChallengeBarney’s Bash

Le Jog

Climbing Kilimanjaro

Tough mudder

6 | We’re here to help and support you. Call us with any queries on 01453 768000. Fundraising Pack | 7

Planning your eventWhether big or small, the key to a successful fundraising event is planning. Here are some key tips to help get you started…

Sponsorship formsYou can request an offline sponsorship form and give copies to friends, family and local businesses to help you collect extra donations.

Start social networkingThis is a fantastic way of sharing your online fundraising page with a wide network of friends, family or 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.

Matched-givingYour 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?

Pull together a teamDon’t be afraid to delegate! Make a list of the jobs to be done, allocate them and brief your helpers on what you need them to do.

Venue/weatherMake sure your venue is big or small enough for your audience and has good transport and disabled access. Many venue owners will not charge a charity a hire fee, so don’t forget to ask if this is the case. Do you need to apply for any licences as suggested on page 22? Don’t let the unpredictable weather spoil your day. If it is outdoors, do have a Plan B in place to move your event indoors.

Keep it simpleChoose an idea which you know will appeal to your supporters. Often the simplest ones are the best. Take a look at our fundraising ideas in this book for inspiration.

Get your timing rightChoose a suitable date and time for your event. Would it be best to hold it on an evening or weekend? Holding your event at the end of the month may encourage people to dig deeper!

Set your fundraising goal Setting a target is a great way to stay motivated and it will give you a real sense of achievement once you reach your goal. It’s also a good way to inspire your friends, family and colleagues, who will be donating to help make a difference.

BudgetDecide on a realistic fundraising budget and try keeping costs to a minimum. Prepare a detailed list of expenses including printing, promotion, venue, prizes, refreshments or equipment.

Maximise your fundraising

Set up a Virgin Money Giving page at www.virginmoneygiving.com or a JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com. This may also help bring in extra donations from people who want to help but cannot support you on the day of the event (more information on page 24).

Gift AidMeningitis Now can claim back 25p for every £1 that is donated by an individual who pays income tax and/or capital gains tax. As this scheme applies to donations from individuals, it is only possible for us to claim the money back if we have the full name and home address, including postcode, of the donor. An incomplete or work address is not sufficient. Please ask your sponsors to fill in their details and sign the Gift Aid declaration column on the especially prepared sponsorship forms. This will ensure that we benefit even further from every penny raised. If you require further sponsorship forms, please ask. **Unfortunately Gift Aid cannot count towards your overall sponsorship total. We claim this from the Government four times a year and therefore cannot reflect the Gift back to each event participant as this would not be cost-effective.**

Think about

all the small

details

for

£25of art therapy to helpchildren affected by meningitis express themselves and come to terms with the devastation left behind.

can pay for craft materials

5 sessions

8 Fundraising Pack | 9

Fundraising ideas

Adults

There are so many fun ways you can get involved with fundraising for Meningitis Now. Take a look at our fundraising hints and tips to help get you started.

Fundraising needn’t take a lot of time or effort, so here are a few quick ideas for busy people on the go!

• Give up three of your luxury shopping items each week for a month and donate your savings.

• Donate a pint – have a quiet night in and donate your bar tab online instead.

• Having a dinner party? Why not turn it into a Come Dine With Me evening?

• Place a collection box in your work, local pub or shop.

• Show how much of a card shark you are by holding a card games evening where all the bets go to Meningitis Now.

• Put some of your unwanted clutter on eBay or Gumtree.

• Dust off a not-so-precious heirloom and see if you can cash in from your attic at your local auction house.

• Look out your best china and hat and throw open your garden for a wonderful summer party.

• Test your friends’ general knowledge by hosting a ‘famous quotes’ quiz.

• Suggest Meningitis Now as a beneficiary of any church collections taking place.

• Strut your stuff on the catwalk by organising a mannequin parade showcasing local suppliers.

Young children• Show your parents and teachers how good

you are by asking for their help with some fundraising ideas and get them to join in with the fun!

• Get your teacher to organise a Meningitis Now Toddle Waddle.

• Bake some yummy cakes and sell them to your family and friends.

• Be very kind and give your pocket money up for a week.

• Gel it, spike it or dye it – whatever you do have a horrid hair day.

• Collect as many coins as you can to make a penny mile in your garden or playground.

• Dress up in your favourite colour from top to toe and take part in a rainbow day.

• Make a funny face and not get into trouble for it with a gurning competition at school.

Raise a

smile AND

some money!



• Why not ditch your mobile phone for the day and be sponsored for your trouble.

• Organise a group bag pack at your local supermarket.

• Show everyone you have talent by holding a Britain’s Got Talent evening.

• Tidy your bedroom and sell all your old books at a local book fair.

• Offer your time and energy to your family and neighbours for any odd jobs which need doing.

• Walkies! Keep fit by walking friends’ and neighbours’ dogs for a donation.

Teenagers/studentsAre you bored of Facebook, your iPod or your XBox? Well do something different today with your friends to help make a difference!

SuperheroesHave you always secretly wanted to be Batman, Superman, Spiderman or Wonderwoman? Well, there’s a challenge to suit you on this page. Go on, put your money where your mouth is and show everyone what a superhero you are!

Abseil No head for heights? Well hanging 50 metres above the ground whilst controlling your descent can be really challenging, exciting and exhilarating.

Fire walkingHow do you fancy walking barefoot across a bed of burning coals without getting burned? Fire walking is a powerful tool designed to help tackle fear and to inspire people to do things they initially didn’t think possible. If you think you can, then why not look to hold a fire walking event with your friends, family and colleagues to fire up your fundraising?

Overseas challengesTake part in a charity challenge to raise sponsorship in any continent you choose, at a time that suits you! With destinations all over the world, there are dozens of challenges to take part in such as Trekking the Three Volcanoes (Italy), London to Paris Cycle and Trek the Great Wall of China.

Parachuting/skydivingSkydiving and parachuting are once in a lifetime experiences and with our chosen supplier, London Parachute School, your skydiving and parachuting dreams really can become reality. Choose from a tandem skydive, a solo parachute jump or a professional skydiving course.

Fly like Superman!

“What a view!!

AND I have

raised money

for a great

cause.”

can provide vital laboratory equipment for our researchers.

£1,000

• Rolling out of bed and heading straight to work in your pyjamas for a dress down day at work.

• Having a bet on the horses with your own Grand National sweepstake.

• Livening up those dreary meetings by having a game of boardroom bingo.

• Holding an annual leave auction and have your colleagues splash the cash to win an extra day’s holiday.

• Sponsoring your boss to spend a full day back on the shop floor at the coal face.

• Donating a day’s wages to Meningitis Now if dressing up or being silly isn’t your thing.

• Holding a 1970s cheese and wine party full of that decade’s food, drink and fashions, or any other era your fancy.

• Creating and selling your own recipe book full of your delicious secret recipes.

• Inviting friends round for a Time 4 Tea and holding your own biscuit dunkathon.

• Auctioning yourself as a slave for the day and the highest bidder wins.

• Clearing out all your bulky, unwanted presents and holding a garage sale.

• Staging a swishing party to exchange new clothes, shoes and bags with your friends.

• Taking the stress out of life and hosting your own pamper party for the girls or boys at home.

At work

At home

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, so get your boss on side and have some fun in the office by…

Show everyone that charity really does begin at home by…


That’s a lot

of handbags

Wolf run team challenge!

can pay for

‘Meningitis can affect anyone’

leaflets to help alert more people to the signs.

£2004,000


14

At schoolPlease Miss, can we do some fundraising for a great cause?

• Ask your school to adopt Meningitis Now as its chosen charity of the year.

• Celebrate different countries by dressing up in their national costumes and eating their national dishes at lunchtime.

• Be cool and arrange a dress down for the day by holding a non-uniform day.

• Give your teachers some peace, by staying quiet with a sponsored silence.

• Increase your entrepreneurial skills by selling what you have made that day in home economics, techie or art to the teachers and pupils.

• Hold a fashion show to let your school see what’s hot and what’s not this season.

• Test your memory and language skills by organising a Spelling Bee competition.

At playTurn your hobbies into hard cash by playing to your strengths and doing…

• Blow the whistle on a five-a-side footballathon and see how long you can last on the pitch.

• Customise and revamp your old clothes and sell your bespoke fashions at a local market or craft fair.

• See how many goals you can score in a 12-hour volleyball game.

• Try and complete as many sudoku/crossword puzzles as you can within a two hour period.

• Hold a salsa night and have your own Strictly Come Dancing competition amongst your friends and family.

• Become a DJ and sell your own mixes to download online or on CD for a donation.

• Enjoy a night out with your friends on a themed fancy dress pub crawl, collecting as you go.


Ladies!

I think you’ve

missed a bit!

Have fun ANDraise money!

can pay for a day’s researchinto preventing meningitis.

£100DAYMONTH



A fundraiser for all seasonsYou can hold or take part in an event at any time that suits you – here are some suggestions about how to make it fit the season.

Spring

Summer

Spring into action and help banish those winter blues by…

Summertime and the fundraising is easy…

• Kidnapping the Easter Bunny and holding an egg hunt in your garden.

• Organising and selling tickets for a rubber duck race in your area.

• Getting soaked in the spring showers with a welly throwing competition.

• Making your own green shoots of recovery by holding a plant sale.

• Spring cleaning your cupboards and auctioning an unloved family heirloom on eBay.

• Celebrating the UK finishing last by holding a Eurovision party.

• Brewing up for our annual Time 4 Tea.

• Hold a car treasure hunt in our beautiful countryside. Last one home’s a loser!

• Throw a couple of shrimps on the barbie and invite friends round for a sizzling summer BBQ.

• Getting hitched? Then give each of your guests a potentially lifesaving signs and symptoms card as a wedding favour.

• Put your sad, lonely and neglected trampoline to good use by hosting a sponsored ‘bouncy’.

• Show Mr Woods how it’s done by looking out your plus fours and cravat and teeing off in style with a vintage dress golf tournament.

• Tired of the same old line ups at Glastonbury, Reading and TiTP? Then hold your very own local festival and showcase new talent.

16

“We had agreat time and raised

lots of money for Meningitis

Now”

Nice hats!



Autumn

Winter

The clocks may be going back and the nights getting darker, but don’t let that dampen your fundraising spirits…

Make sure you’re kept as busy as Santa’s little helpers by holding a fun-packed festive fundraiser in the run up to Christmas…

• Grab your partner by the hand and have a hoedown in a local barn.

• Warm the cockles of your heart with a wine tasting evening.

• Two fat ladies, legs eleven, two little ducks in your own bingo night.

• Organise your own fireworks evening and celebrate with a bang!

• Have a house of horrors for the night and throw a Halloween party.

• Fill your empty jam jars with yummy homemade jam and chutney to sell.

• Tidy up all the autumn leaves for your neighbours in return for a donation.

• Take your friends out carol singing in your local neighbourhood.

• Have a mulled wine and mince pie evening to help keep the cold out.

• Organise a Santa Stroll in your local park.

• Hold the party to end all parties on New Year’s Eve and bring the new year in, in style.

“I’ve never

seen so many

Santas!”

Doing something active

will help keep you warm!

Can pay for an hour of

enabling vital support in a time of extreme sadness.

bereavement counselling

£45

21

Promoting your eventYou’ve got a great event, so start to shout about it!

Here are a few ways for you to get the word out about your fantastic fundraiser.

Use the local paper and radioOur communications team has put together simple guidelines on how to wow your local media about your fundraising event. They can be downloaded from mnow.co.uk/MediaGuidelines

Online activityMake the most of online promotion by joining our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. Speak to your local contact and ask to be added to our calendar and for your event to be mentioned in their local blog.

Fundraising materialsIn order to make your event a success, we can provide you with all kinds of free Meningitis Now branded promotional materials including T-shirts, blank posters, buckets/tins, logo banners, sashes and balloons. Please use the order form included with this pack.

Don’t forget

to tell people

that the event

is in aid of

Meningitis

Now20 | Fundraising Pack

Just volunteer!

Get your friends involved!

Have a head

for heights?

Spread the word


The nitty gritty bits

AlcoholCheck if the venue is licensed or contact your local council to find out about a temporary licence.

ChildrenNever allow under 18s to fundraise alone. Always accompany them on their activities.

CollectionsIt 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.

First AidEnsure your event has adequate cover. Contact St John Ambulance or St Andrew’s Ambulance for assistance at your event.

FoodContact your local council for food hygiene regulations at events or visit www.food.gov.uk

HelpersPlease provide them with all health and safety information and what to do in case of an emergency.

InsuranceConfirm what public liability insurance the venue operator or owner has and that it covers owners’ liability risks. Please contact us for guidance.

Licences/rafflesCheck 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

MoneyMake sure you have a lockable box to keep money in. Never put yourself in a vulnerable position whilst carrying money. Please ensure there is at least one other person present to witness how much has been counted and raised.

Risk assessmentIdentify 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

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.

A little

planning

helps the

day run

smoothly!

can pay for a 10-week block of treatment with a specialist physiotherapistto help with a person’s mobility, balance, strength and pain management.

£400

There are a few laws that govern fundraising activity and we want to make sure you are aware of them and take account of them. If you have any questions or want to double check anything listed below, please contact us.

22 | We’re here to help and support you. Call us with any queries on 01453 768000.


After your event Other ways to support usOnce you have completed your event, it is important that you thank everyone involved and start to collect the money you have raised as soon as possible.

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.

It’s also nice to let everyone know how much you have raised by sending out information to the local media. Also, we’d love to hear and see any pictures from your event, so please email them through to your local contact.

By postPlease send your payment in the form of cheque or banker’s draft to us at: Meningitis Now, Fern House, Bath Road, Stroud, GL5 3TJ. It is not advisable to send cash through the post. Please make your cheque payable to ‘Meningitis Now’ and include your name, address and fundraising event.

Please note that we also still accept cheques payable to Meningitis UK and the Meningitis Trust.

At the bankYou can pay monies directly into your nearest branch of NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland or Ulster Bank, using our Meningitis Now paying-in slips. Please ensure you use our slips instead of general bank ones as we will have no way of tracing your kind donation. Paying in slips are available on request by calling 0845 120 4530 or emailing [email protected]

By debit/credit cardWe are able to process donations securely over the phone by calling 0845 120 4530.

OnlineYou can set up your own fundraising pages with Virgin Money Giving at www.virginmoneygiving.com/meningitisnow or JustGiving at www.justgiving.com/meningitisnow/

Fundraising via this method is paid to us on a weekly basis and will show up on your supporter record two to three weeks after payment, due to the administration process with Virgin Money Giving and Just Giving. Please allow for this delay in our thanking you.

Leave agift in

your willMake a

donation

Payrollgiving

Regulargiving

Volunteer

Share your

experience of

meningitis

can purchase a biological microscopeto help with our ongoing and crucial research into new and improved preventative vaccines.

£3,000

26 | Fundraising Pack

It’s always Time 4 TeaIt’s time to dust off your teapot, grab your favourite recipe book and take part in our tea party event - Time 4 Tea. It’s a great chance to gather friends, family or colleagues together and have a cuppa!

All you need to do is organise a tea or cake-related event at any time. Whether you choose to organise an event at home, work or school, there are lots of fun ways to get involved.

Time 4 Tea is supported by TV presenter, writer and fitness DVD star Rosemary Conley and world-renowned tea-maker Twinings. Sign up to host a Time 4 Tea event and we’ll send you a party pack crammed with lots of goodies, including Rosemary’s delicious low-calorie recipe, bunting, colourful balloons and some refreshing Twinings tea samples.

You can hold your Time 4 Tea at any time that suits you – there are even tips on our website about how to make it fit the season. To take part, sign up online at www.time-4-tea.org or call 0845 120 4530.

Helping stomp out meningitisLittle feet across the country are stomping to help save lives and rebuild futures by taking part in this year’s Toddle Waddle.

Toddle Waddle is a short sponsored stomp for the under 5s, filled with fun and educational activities. You can hold your Toddle Waddle at any time that suits you, and in any location - outside in the playground, in a local park or field, or inside in the warm.

There is no registration fee, we simply ask that you raise as much sponsorship as possible and, more importantly, help us to raise awareness of the devastating effects of meningitis.

Once signed up we will send you a FREE event pack with everything you need to prepare and hold your waddle, including loads of activity sheets and ideas that meet Ofsted’s Early Years Foundation Stage framework.

Plus, to make the event even more exciting it’s going to have an annual theme… to find out what this year’s theme is, and for more information, please visit our website at www.toddlewaddle.co.uk or call us on 0845 120 4530.

“White, one sugar please!”

can pay for someone’s first call to our helplineto give them access to the strength and support they need.

£5

We’re here to help and support you. Call us with any queries on 01453 768000. 27

Registered charity number (England & Wales) 803016 (Scotland) SC037790 Company Registration Number 2469130 © Meningitis Now 2014

We hope that this pack has inspired you to do something today or given you suggestions on how you can raise money to meet your event sponsorship targets. Your support will enhance the life of a child or adult you don’t know and will probably never meet, but will help change their life for the better.

We know that without your invaluable support, determined spirit and dedication, we couldn’t fund the lifesaving research and provide the services we do. You can, and will, have an impact on the lives of thousands of people all around the UK who have been affected by meningitis. As part of Meningitis Now’s team, together we can make that difference.

Please make a difference today and contact us to join our fight

www.MeningitisNow.org Meningitis Helpline: 0808 80 10 388

saving lives, rebuilding futures

Tel: 01453 768000 Fax: 01453 768001 Email: [email protected]

Meningitis Now Head Office Fern House Bath Road Stroud GL5 3TJ

New name, same goals

Thank you

Documents

Meningitis Now fundraising pack