Running an event

Getting started

When fundraising in our name, all supporters must comply with the following Myton Hospice Fundraising Office set of guidelines:-

  • Any activity requiring a gaming licence must be discussed and approved in advance by the Fundraising Office.
  • Children and young people less than 16 years of age must not collect money in public or house-to-house.
  • Fundraising organisers should be aware of the risks to all collectors, especially if they are on their own and are known to be carrying cash.
  • Money must be collected in sealed boxes or tins provided by the Fundraising Office, in addition to Myton Hospice authorisation badges.
  • Public events must not breach public order. The local authority and police must be notified of all public activities and will give advice about what is, and is not, permissible.

Can I organise an event?

If you have a good idea and the energy to see it through – go for it! Don't take on too much though. If you have supportive friends and neighbours and think you are enthusiastic enough to encourage them into action, share your ideas with them to see if they'll help.

Fundraising Ideas

You may already have good fundraising ideas of your own. However, if you are struggling, here are a few to start you off…

Sponsored Challenges

Ask friends, family and work colleagues to sponsor you. You could be sponsored for any number of activities – slim, run, stop smoking, walk, stay silent, bounce, skip or, for the more adventurous, you may like to consider a parachute jump (sponsorship forms are available).

Offering a Service

Alternatively, try to get permission to provide a car washing or shoe shining service to the public, on private property, on a set day or on a regular basis. Hypermarket car parks or local tourist attractions are ideal venues for this.

  • Smaller Events
  • Auction
  • Balloon Race
  • Barbecue
  • Bike Ride/Race
  • Bingo
  • Bring and Buy
  • Book Sale
  • Cake Sale
  • Car Boot
  • Chess Challenge
  • Coffee Morning
  • Craft Fair
  • Dance/Disco
  • Darts Match
  • Dress-Down Day at Work
  • Fancy Dress Party
  • Fishing Competition
  • Games Evening, ie: Trivial Pursuits
  • Garden Party
  • Jumble Sale
  • Knitting
  • Lunches
  • Market Stall
  • Murder Mystery Evening
  • Non-Uniform Day at School
  • Pub Quiz
  • Picnic
  • Raffle
  • Scrabble Tournament
  • Skittles Evening
  • Sports Day
  • Strawberry Tea
  • Wine and Cheese Evening

Larger Events

If you are a member of an amateur dramatic group, choral society, dancing school, or you have a hobby or business that lends itself to fundraising, eg: fashion show, aerobics display, football tournament or dog show, you could put on a show. For this, you will need to book your venue and devise a programme well in advance. May be best to recruit some people to help and form a committee.

Examples of larger events:

  • Appeal
  • Ball
  • Boxing Evening
  • Fete
  • Golf Day
  • Sporting Dinner
  • Street Party
  • Treasure Hunt

Tips on Event Planning

General Tips

Make sure that your event does not clash with a similar one in the area.

Make sure you leave sufficient time to organise every aspect of the event.

Look at what could go wrong on the day and how you would deal with this eventuality.

Do check if you need any special licences or permits (few events need these).

Don't forget to advertise your event – nobody will come if they don’t know about it! Shop windows, newspapers, lamp posts and local radio are ideal for this.

Check that everyone knows what he or she is doing on the day. People like to be given something specific to do.

Offer value for money by keeping your prices fair. If people have been kind enough to support your event, don’t overcharge for a cup of tea or be mean with food - it isn’t worth it. Extra profit must be weighed against happy customers. Satisfied customers are more likely to participate in future fundraising ventures.

Specific Tips for Larger Event Organisation

As with all fundraising, don’t be over ambitious. Where possible, accept all the help you can get and learn from other people’s experience.

Try to research how much interest there is in the event you intend to organise. This will help you assess how viable your plan is. If in doubt, start with a smaller event.

Avoid committing yourself to a huge outlay. Try to beg or borrow as much as possible. Ask if deposits can be waived. Try to work out all expenditure in advance.

Always confirm conversations in writing and keep copies.

Form a committee and be prepared to delegate. Have regular meetings and resolve issues as they arise.

If you would like us to come along and support you, we will always do our best to be there, although this may not always be possible.

For more information please complete the information request form or contact the fundraising team on 01926 492518 or via email on enquiry@mytonhospice.org