Before you start thinking about your fundraising activity or event, there are things to consider to make sure that your fundraising is safe, fun and legal.  Please refer to the various sections below and links to further reading to help you.  

Liability

Please make sure it’s clear you’re fundraising ‘In aid of Royal Surrey Charity’, and that your activities are independently organised and not managed by us. Royal Surrey Charity cannot accept any responsibility for your event or for those taking part. Please contact us at [email protected] if you would like us to send you our official “In aid of Royal Surrey Charity” logo to use on your event advertising or social media posts.

Insurance and event licenses

It is good to check whether your event needs insurance cover or any special licences. If your event involves the participation of the public, it might be worth looking into public liability insurance.

If you’re planning to fundraise in public, like at a station or on the street, you’ll need a permit or event licence. 

If your event includes serving alcohol or hosting entertainment, you might need a Temporary Event Notice. You can check with your local authority or head over to the government website to find out more.

Serving food and drinks

Food must be prepared and served hygienically. For advice on this, please contact your local council’s Environmental Health department or visit the Food Standards Agency website. 

Serving alcohol?

You will need to check your venue has the correct licence.

Holding a collection

There are many different types of charitable collections, and they all have different rules associated with them. You’ll need to decide which you want to do and apply for the necessary permission.

For further information, please take a look at the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice, which can be found on their website, paying particular attention to pages 46-53.

If you’re planning to collect donations out and about, like on the street or in a public place, you’ll need to contact your local council for a collection licence. Collecting on private property, like a shop, café or supermarket? You’ll need to get permission from the property owner or manager.  

Who can collect?

Anyone under 16 is not permitted to take part in public collections. If you’re under 16 and want to get involved, you can do so as long as you’re joined by somebody over 18 or as part of an organised group like Guides or at school.

Fundraising involving children and people in vulnerable circumstances

It is important to take particular care when involving children and people in vulnerable circumstances when fundraising.

There are some activities which children and young people cannot carry out. The age restriction depends on the activity and where it is carried out. These activities include:
• street collections and door-to-door collections
• lotteries or raffles
• selling or handling alcohol

Responsibilities when involving children in fundraising

• You must make sure that fundraising activities are age-appropriate. For example, you must take reasonable steps to make sure that children under 16 are not given overall responsibility for handling or counting money.
• You must only contact children on school premises if you have the approval of a relevant member of staff.
• You must get appropriate permission before taking or publishing photographs of children. For children under 13, you will need permission from a parent, guardian or responsible adult.

Safeguarding and working with people in vulnerable circumstances

You must have clear procedures in place to make sure fundraisers are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities towards themselves, potential donors and one another.
Procedures should set out how fundraisers work with everyone, including:

• the organisers of an activity
• the children taking part in the activity
• the parents, guardians or responsible adults of those children
• all potential donors, including those in vulnerable circumstances

How to keep your fundraising money safe

If your fundraising involves cash, keeping it safe is very important. Here are a few guidelines:

• Cash is counted and recorded by two people (preferably unrelated if possible) in a secure place
• Ensure it’s kept securely and not left unattended
• If banking the cash, please ensure this is done as soon as possible. You can then donate this money either by direct transfer to our charity account (BACS), through our website or by sending a cheque made payable to: Royal Surrey Charity.
• If delivering cash to the Royal Surrey Charity office again, please do this as soon as possible. You will be given a receipt for this on delivery, and a thank you letter will be sent after the cash has been counted, confirming the amount of money donated.

Protecting you from harm and harassment while fundraising

We want every fundraising activity to be safe, respectful and enjoyable. Please follow the steps below to protect yourself and others.

1. Before you start: 

• Talk to the charity team about what you’re planning to do.
• Carry out any research and ensure the activity does not place you in harm’s way.

    2. While fundraising

• Trust your instincts. If a situation feels uncomfortable, step away.
• Stay in well-lit, public areas and avoid isolated locations.
• Keep valuables out of sight and, if applicable, secure any cash.
• Be respectful but firm if anyone becomes aggressive, inappropriate or intrusive.
• Where possible, do not conduct fundraising alone – having someone else with you can help reduce potential for risk.

    3. If you experience harassment or feel unsafe

• Immediately disengage and move to a safe place.
• Call security or the police if you feel threatened or at risk of harm.
• Do not continue fundraising until you feel safe to do so.

    4. After an incident

• Contact the charity team and tell them about the incident as soon as possible.
• Complete an incident form if asked; this helps us improve safety.
• Check in with the charity team afterwards; support is available if you need it.

     5. Your rights

• You can always stop or walk away from an interaction that feels unsafe.
• You will never be criticised for prioritising your safety.
• We are committed to ensuring fundraising is carried out responsibly and safely.

For further information, please take a look at the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice, which can be found on their website.

If you have any questions or would like more information about your fundraising, please get in touch

Give us a call on 01483 464146 or send us an email.

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