Fundraising guidelines

Keep it safe and legal

Advertising your event

We have A4 branded poster templates to help you promote your event, which include our charity numbers. If you use your own promotional materials, please ensure you quote our registered charity numbers.

Logos

We can supply electronic copies of our logo in various formats for you to reproduce. Please contact us for permission to use our logo, with details of the activity you're planning and the file format you need.

Collecting money

If you are planning to collect money, you must get permission:

• To collect in the street you need a licence from your local authority, which will issue some guidelines you need to follow. Please contact them directly for advice and ensure you apply for your licence in plenty of time.
• To collect on private property, you need the landowner's permission.
  Please contact the Society to let us know what you are doing, and for a written Letter of Authority and sealed collecting tins.

Handling money and keeping safe

• Wherever possible, please ensure two people count the money.
• Collect cash using a secure container, we recommend you request our plastic collecting tins, and use a lockable cash box for change.
• Please take care when carrying money around. Always use a safe route and preferably walk in pairs or carry a personal alarm.
• If you are confronted by someone demanding the money, do not put up a fight, hand them the money and report the incident to the police
• Ensure you pay all funds raised in the bank as soon as possible.

Insurance

If you are planning to invite members of the general public to your event, you will need Public Liability Insurance. Events organised by our support groups are usually covered by our Macular Society insurance, but please check with us if you are planning anything unusual.

Otherwise, check with your venue, as they may have insurance that covers your event.

Risk assessment

If you're organising an event, please ensure you carry out a risk assessment. This means looking at what could cause you or your attendees harm and checking you've taken all the necessary precautions to prevent this from happening. Please request a copy of our Risk assessment template. This is for your own use so there is no need to return it to us.

The Macular Society cannot accept liability for any injury, loss or damage sustained by yourself or anyone else as a result of taking part in a fundraising event in aid of the Society.

Food hygiene

If you are not providing food on a regular basis, like a business or a regular charity kitchen does, you don’t need to think about training or a certificate. One-off events with cakes and biscuits are considered to be ‘low risk’. However, it’s important to ensure that everyone has a basic understanding of food hygiene and that food is labelled with its ingredients to prevent harm to anyone with an allergy.

Even if you are only providing food on a one-off basis you still need to ensure everyone involved has a basic understanding of food hygiene and complies with any relevant food safety legislation.

Read more food safety guidance

If you plan to use a caterer, please check that they have a Food Hygiene Certificate and Public Liability Insurance.

For further information, call the community fundraising team on 01264 321 964 or email community@macularsociety.org