Rockinghorse Children’s Charity
Fundraising Pack
Dear Fundraiser
Thank you for choosing to support Rockinghorse in your event. Charity fundraising can appear challenging and
daunting at first, but with a little help from us and some careful planning it can be a fun way of raising much
needed funds for a fantastic cause!
Tips for successful fundraising
Get organised and set yourself a target; this will give you plenty of time to come up with new ideas
and ensure you achieve your goal!
Set up an online fundraising page; this enables everyone to see your fundraising targets and allows
them to donate online and track your progress (see page 5)
Email/write/phone/text all your friends, work colleagues, family and long lost aunts! Make sure you
contact anyone that can give you a donation big or small, every little helps!
Get your employer involved; investigate the opportunity of matched giving or sponsorship from your
employer, for more information on this please call us.
Publicity; contact us for posters, collection buckets, leaflets and t-shirts, all with the fabulous
Rockinghorse logo on. This will really highlight the charity and the great cause that you are raising
money for. You can put these in your office, work place, sports clubs, anywhere where people can be
encouraged to support you. Don’t forget to contact your local media (see pages 10 & 11).
Update and thank everyone that has kindly donated to you, people will want to hear how much you
have raised and will be delighted that they have helped you reach your target. We’ll happily send you
some Rockinghorse headed paper
Organise an event; there are lots of ideas for events that can boost your fundraising, we have given
you a few of our ideas in our Top 20 Fundraising Tips (see pages 7 & 8)
In this pack you will find:
Some information about Rockinghorse
Sponsorship form and details on how to create an on-line sponsorship form
Some fundraising tips and ideas
Legal guidance to fundraising
A sample press release
You can also join our Facebook group by becoming a fan of Rockinghorse and we’ll keep you updated with
news and events. Visit our Facebook page (or type www.facebook.com/rockinghorse.charity) coming up with
Rockinghorse.
Good luck with your fundraising. If you have any questions, please contact me either via email
[email protected] or by phoning the office 01273 330044.
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Contents
Page
2
Rockinghorse information
3
Sponsorship form
4
How to set up an online fundraising page
5
Fundraising do’s and don’ts
6
Top 20 fundraising tips /materials to help you
7&8
Sample press release – top tips
9
Sample press release /press release template
10 & 11
Rockinghorse Children’s Charity – what we do
As the official fundraising arm of the Royal Alexandra Children’s
Hospital (the Alex) and vital supporter of the Trevor Mann Baby
Unit (TMBU) , Rockinghorse brings hope to families in challenging
times, improving the quality of life for some of the most
vulnerable children in Sussex. Many of those we support are living
with life-threatening conditions, physical disabilities, and mental
health problems or have complex medical needs. Working in
partnership with respite centres and children’s hospitals, we make
services stimulating, cutting edge and accessible for the many
babies, children and teenagers who need them.
Over the last 43 years Rockinghorse has made a significant impact on the medical services available to children
in Sussex. With the help of supporters from all over the county, Rockinghorse has brought smiles to the faces
of thousands of children, whether they are taking part in a fun and developmental activity at a respite centre
or awaiting a daunting operation in hospital.
We work closely with health practitioners, doctors, nurses, parents, carers and children to make sure that our
work will make a real difference to young lives across the county and beyond.
Currently Rockinghorse is raising money for projects across Sussex.
To find your nearest project, please visit
www.rockinghorse.org.uk/projects
Rockinghorse offers tailored support for sick and disabled children
by funding projects across Sussex. Our work saves lives and
creates positive experiences for vulnerable children, young people
and their families.
Many of those we support have life-threatening conditions,
profound physical or learning disabilities, or severe mental health
problems.
The charity provides life-changing medical equipment, developmental aids and better surroundings, which are
over and above what the NHS and children’s services can afford. We do not receive any government funding
and so rely on the generous support of individuals, community groups, companies and trusts.
If you would like to visit your local Rockinghorse project, please contact the office on 01273 330044.
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Rockinghorse Sponsorship Form
Name:
Name of event:
Date of event:
Name
Address (including postcode)
Amount Paid Gift Aid?
(Tick)
(Tick)
Total
Please photocopy or print off this page if you need further copies.
Please ensure that all sponsors tick the Gift-Aid box if they are a UK taxpayer and enter their home address and postcode. This
allows us to claim an extra 25% on their donations from the Government. To qualify for Gift Aid, what you have paid or will pay in
Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for the current tax year (6 April to 5 April) must be at least equal to the amount of tax that all
the charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that you donate to will reclaim on your gifts for the current tax year.
Other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify.
Rockinghorse Children’s Charity
Unison House
179 Preston Road
Brighton, East Sussex BN1 6AG
Tel: 01273 330044 Email: [email protected] W: www.rockinghorse.org.uk
Reg. charity no. 1018759
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Set up your own online fundraising page
To set up your online fundraising page please visit
www.virginmoneygiving.com/charities/rockinghorse and follow the steps below.
Click on ‘Start fundraising’
Then select ‘Organised event’
Enter the details of the event (i.e. London Marathon) and click ‘search’
Select the event option (please do not select events that give the name of another charity).
Click ‘Next’
You will be asked the following questions:
How many charities would you like to raise money for? You can donate some of your
money raised to another charity if you wish, otherwise select one.
Are you fundraising on your own or with other people? If you are taking part in an event as
a team, you can set this up here.
Rockinghorse’s name should be generated automatically.
Please enter the amount you wish to raise
Has the charity contributed to the cost of this event? This question is for Gift Aid reasons
and in most cases any costs incurred by the charity are overlooked by HMRC. Please select
No.
How long after the event would you like to continue collecting money? We recommend
leaving your page open for up to 3 months after you have completed your challenge.
You will now need to enter a unique name for your page. Make this as personal and short as
possible. This will be your link to send to sponsors.
Next you can create your page. You can add photos, videos and your own personal text. Click
on ‘Create my page’ and away you go!
Please add the following copy about Rockinghorse to your text box on your page:
“Rockinghorse is the official fundraising arm of the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital and vital supporter of
the Trevor Mann Baby Unit, where it raises money for life-saving and cutting-edge medical equipment, while
ensuring that children are treated in an environment that is better suited to their needs.
Rockinghorse does not receive any government funding and relies on the generous support of individuals,
community groups, companies and trusts.”
It is also a good idea to add your personal story to make it unique to you and your contacts.
Add a photo – the funnier or cuter the better.
Once you have set up your page, send the link to everyone you know and watch the money
funds flood in!! Please note you can also use www.justgiving.com
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Fundraising Do’s and Don’ts – Keep it legal!
Legal Guidance
Charity fundraising is regulated by various laws. You must comply with all applicable laws and
regulations of any country in which your event or activity is to take place or be publicised. You will
find lots of useful information on how to make sure that your event or activity complies with the law
in the legal and insurance section of www.how2fundraise.org. If you need help accessing this
information please speak to your Rockinghorse contact.
You must:
Obtain all necessary licenses and consents for your event or activity.
Follow good food hygiene procedures and comply with food safety laws and regulations if
food is available at your event (whether being sold or not). Most of these regulations require
you to take common sense steps to ensure that the food provided is safe.
Comply with any Institute of Fundraising Codes of Practice that are relevant to your event e.g.
the Code of Practice for Outdoor fundraising events (they are available from www.instituteof-fundraising.org.uk). Please speak to your Rockinghorse contact if you are unsure of which
codes apply.
You MUST NOT:
Collect on private property (including shops or pubs) without obtaining permission from the
owner.
Collect in any public place without obtaining the necessary permits (speak to your
Rockinghorse contact about which permits apply).
Organise any raffle or tombola or lottery without reading and complying with the rules of
conduct.
Sell alcohol without a license. You may wish to ask your local pub to organise the bar for you.
Look after the money
Any funds you raise belong to Rockinghorse.
You MUST:
Collect and hold all money raised in a safe and secure place (particularly CASH).
Keep all money raised separate from your own.
Keep details of amounts raised, with accurate records of all donations received or pledged, all
event proceeds, plus a record of activities carried out to raise the money.
Return all original sponsorship forms to Rockinghorse along with the monies you’ve raised.
Ensure all cheques from you and your supporters are made payable to Rockinghorse – not to
you personally.
Provide receipts to Rockinghorse for expenses to be deducted from funds raised.
Offer donations back to the appropriate persons should your event be cancelled or fail to take
place. If anyone declines their money, that money must be paid promptly to Rockinghorse.
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Rockinghorse’s Top 20 Fundraising Tips!
Hire a venue for a party or a disco.
Is your birthday coming up soon? Why not ask for donations instead of presents.
Ask your boss whether you can approach the whole company with an email asking for
support.
Ask your local pub to put on a quiz night.
Bag packing - get in touch with your local supermarket and offer to pack for shoppers, don’t
forget to ask us for a Rockinghorse t-shirt and collection box!
Bake a cake day. Hold these at a market stall, outside the library, offices, anywhere where
there are hungry people!
Cocktail and canapés - have all your friends and family around for an evening of
sophistication; dinner jackets and evening dresses are a must!
Christmas wrapping - offer to wrap other peoples’ goodies - a sure fire way to make cash
during this festive time!
EBay sale - get in that attic and dig out any unwanted clothes, jewellery, sports equipment
and make money for Rockinghorse on the online market place!
Have a ‘sponsored give it up’ - how about chocolate, sweets, talking, even Facebook!
Office Olympics, speed typing, fastest letter franking and envelope stuffing! Be the fastest
to become the office champion!
Sweepstake - get the whole office or family involved in a sweepstake for a football match, a
celebrity TV show or The Grand National!
Guess how many… sweets in a jar or balloons in a car! This can be anything - be as creative
as you like!
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Rockinghorse’s Top 20 Fundraising Tips!
(cont.)
Close shave…why not shave your head for charity, no more bad hair days and all that
money saved on styling products!...perhaps a woolly hat for winter would be a good
investment.
Art auction, get in touch with local artists and ask them to donate their work. Organise an
exhibition with a charge for entry and a raffle.
Have a night off from going to the pub and instead, get everyone over to your place! The
beer money can be donated to Rockinghorse.
Hold a plant or flower sale - they are so popular and what about wrapping them up in some
pretty paper for some extra donations!
Job swap - sponsor your manager to work in reception. Or auction off the boss’s job for a
day!
Speed dating - organise a matchmaking event and enjoy playing cupid! When love is in the
air this is a sure fire way of raising oodles of cash!
Set up an online fundraising page. This is a very effective way of raising money and hassle
free. Contact your most generous sponsors first and ask them to donate so that people feel
more obliged to dig deep...sneaky, but it works!!!
Materials to help with your fundraising
T-Shirts (extras can be bought at £3 per T-Shirt)
10 Balloons (extras can be bought at £1 for 10)
Rockinghorse badges and stickers
Collection boxes
Blank posters to publicise your event (A3 or A4)
Rockinghorse literature
Mobile phone recycling envelopes
Sponsor forms (contact us for more)
For any of these items, call us on 01273 330044. Please make cheques payable to Rockinghorse and
send them to our address on the sponsorship form.
For more tips and information please don’t hesitate to contact us. Why not visit
www.how2fundraise.org for more ideas.
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What is Gift Aid?
Gift Aid is a declaration in which you authorise a charity to claim back the Income Tax and/or Capital
Gains Tax you have paid to the government.
If you Gift Aid your donation, Rockinghorse will receive an additional 25p. Rockinghorse can claim Gift
Aid tax relief of 25p on every pound you give.
Who is eligible?
You are eligible to authorise a charity to reclaim the tax on your donations if you are an individual UK
taxpayer or the amount of tax that the charity will reclaim does not exceed the amount of tax you
have paid in that tax year.
Who receives the tax refund?
The charity you are fundraising for receives the refund. You must authorise them by signing the Gift
Aid Declaration Form, or verbally over the telephone or via the internet.
How much is the tax refund?
The Inland Revenue will give the charity 25p for every £1 that you give as a donation. The charity will
receive £12.50 if you donate £10 to them.
What if I am a higher rate taxpayer?
If you are taxed at the higher rate of 40%, Rockinghorse can still only reclaim tax at the basic rate of
20%. However, higher rate tax payers can also claim the difference between the higher rate of tax
(40%) and the basic rate (20%) on the total (gross) value of a donation made.
If you are due a tax refund, then you can use your self assessment form to indicate that you would
like to donate that refund to Rockinghorse.
How do I go about it?
Ask your donors to ensure they complete the essential information on the sponsor form or Gift
Aid Declaration form. These are; full name, home address, postcode and amount sponsored. They
must then tick the Gift Aid box.
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Shout about it! Send out a Press Release
It is a great idea to send a press release about your challenge to your local newspaper to tell
everyone what you’re up to and why. Follow the tips and template below for success. If you have
any queries, you can contact Ryan on 01273 330044 or email [email protected]. You
can use the Rockinghorse info below that gives an overview of the work we do. You can also include
information about local projects. To find out about projects near you contact Ryan or visit
www.rockinghorse.org.uk/projects.
Information about Rockinghorse
Rockinghorse started life as The Royal Hospital for Sick Children Centenary Fund in 1967. Its founder,
Dr Trevor Mann, recognised that additional income was needed to fund the cutting edge
technologies that were being developed to improve children’s healthcare. The charity successfully
raised enough money to ensure that Brighton was one of the first places in the country to have a
ventilator designed for premature babies.
Today, as the official fundraising arm of the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital, our work saves lives
and creates positive experiences for vulnerable children, young people and their families. Many of
those the charity supports have life-threatening conditions, profound physical or learning disabilities,
or severe mental health problems.
Rockinghorse provides life-changing medical equipment, developmental aids and better
surroundings, which are over and above what the NHS and children’s services can afford. We do not
receive any government funding and so rely on the generous support of individuals, community
groups, companies and trusts.
TOP TIPS
Be concise – aim to keep your story to one page in length.
Copy and paste your release into the body of the email, rather than sending it as an
attachment.
Be objective – don’t litter your release with adjectives or subjective phrases (feel free to
use puns and be creative in your writing, but don’t get too carried away!).
Always write in the third person.
To find out who to send your press release to, call your local newspaper and ask for the
email address for the news desk.
Submit a photograph with your story. We can send you a Rockinghorse running vest or tshirt to strengthen the message.
Remember to include the link to your online fundraising page and our website,
www.rockinghorse.org.uk
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Press Release Template
For immediate release: (Date) – if it’s ok for the press to use the story as soon as they receive it
OR
Embargo: (Date) – if you want to forewarn a journalist about an event but don’t want them to print
your story until a date in the future
HEADLINE
The headline should capture the editor’s interest while also explaining what the press release is
about.
PARA 1 summarise the key points of your story in no more than two sentences (include the five w’s:
who, what, where, when and why).
PARA 2-3 use the following paragraphs to flesh out your story in more detail.
PARA 4 – QUOTE yourself or someone relevant to the story (if not you, ensure the quote is
approved). Contact Rockinghorse if you would like to quote a member of staff.
PARA 5-6 include any extra relevant info here.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Remember to include contact details at the end of the release in case the editor requires any further
information (name, details of your online fundraising page, telephone number, email address,
website).
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Use this section to include any further relevant background info or to inform the editor that you have
attached photos (include captions).
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