We want to make your fundraising experience as enjoyable and rewarding as possible. We are here to help support you whether you need advice, guidance, or just a morale boost.

Here are some key points you need to consider when raising sponsorship or funds and our A to Z of fundraising ideas:

1. Be organised. Good thorough planning is vital to ensure your success.

2. Start now! The sooner you get your fundraising underway, the sooner you can achieve your goal.

3. Visit http://www.justgiving.com/dsrfuk and start your own on-line fundraising page. Personalise it, send it out to all your friends, family and work colleagues but don’t forget to update it regularly. You will be surprised how effective and how easy this is. If you need hard copy sponsor forms, they can be downloaded here.

4. Try and get the more generous donors to be the first to enter an amount on your sponsor form or just giving page. This will encourage others to be more generous.

5. Check if your employer offers a ‘match funding’ initiative.

6. Will the local radio or newspaper cover your fundraising story? Contact us and we will help organise a press release on your behalf.

7. If you are collecting money in a public area you will need a Street Collection Licence from the relevant local authority. These usually cost around £15 - £20 but has to be applied for well in advance. Licences are usually only granted to registered charities so please contact us and we will help you arrange this.

8. If you are collecting money on private property, you will need the owners or Managers permission.

9. Be seen to be keen – we can help you with branded t-shirts and collection buckets.

10. It is important to be clear about the reason you are collecting sponsorship or donations. Our Progress Appeal page should help explain in more detail about the work that we do but do please contact us direct if you would like any more information.

11. And finally, thank you and good luck! Please remember to consider the points above, and above all, do be aware of any health and safety requirements and the various legalities of collections and public fundraising. Do please contact us if you have any questions.
     

A is for: auction of promises, aerobics, aromatherapy evening, assault course, afternoon tea, arts & crafts

B is for: bring a pound to work or school, bungee jumping, bad tie day, bingo, beard shaving, black tie ball, bike ride, boat race, balloon race, bowling night, book sale, BBQ, barn dance, Burns night, beauty evening, Bond night, bed race, bring and buy sale, bag packing at supermarkets and bad hair day!

C is for: car wash, car boot sale, cake stall, carol singing, cricket match, calendars, concert, car treasure hunt, casino evening, craft fair, children’s party, classic car show, Christmas fete, collecting tins and buckets, coffee morning and chocoholics event

D is for: donating! donating! Dress down day, dog show, darts, dinner, dance, disco, dog dancing competition, dog Frisbee event and duck race

E is for: Easter egg tombola, Easter egg hunt, email, eyebrows (sponsored shave!), entrance fee, and entertainment

F is for: firewalking, frisbee competition, fashion show, football tournament, fasting, fancy dress, flower show, film nights, face painting, fireworks and foreign coins

G is for: golf days, garage sale, garden open days, ‘guess the’ games, gardening, glamorous granny competition, go-karting, gyms and Gift Aid

H is for: hook a duck, Halloween party, horse riding, hot air balloon, half marathons and hypnotist

I is for: Indian restaurants, it’s a knockout, inflatable’s, ironing and indoor bowls clubs

J is for: jar of pennies, jewellery recycling, jail break, jokes, jams, jogging, jumble sale, jewellery making and ‘justgiving.com’

K is for: keeping fit, kissing and karaoke evening

L is for: loose change, line dancing, live music, ladies night, left handed day and losing weight

M is for: matched giving, murder mystery evening, masked ball, mile of pennies, mascot race, market stall, music event, mini Olympics and marathons

N is for: no smoking challenge, no chocolate challenge, night clubs, non-uniform day and newspapers

O is for: organising an event, opera night, outward bound courses and on-line fundraising (justgiving.com)

P is for: publicity (we can help!), pub quiz, party, penny jar, pub crawl, pram race, panto, paint balling, pub games, pub fun day and pet shows

Q is for: quiz nights – amazingly popular events that are a great way to raise funds!

R is for: running, rowing, riding, raffles, race nights recycling (phones, jewellery, printer cartridges etc), refreshments, radio and rugby

S is for: sponsoring, swimming, singing, slimming, shows, static cycles, Santa’s grotto, scavenger hunt, street collections (get permission first!) sponsored silence, swear box, sixties night and supermarket collections

T is for: table top sale, treasure hunt, trolley dash, themed parties, trolley tokens, talent competition, tombola, toy sale, tug of war, ten pin bowling and teddy bear picnic

U is for: unwanted gifts and uniform day (or non-uniform),

V is for: video night in and variety show

W is for: waxing, walking, wine and cheese, washing cars, wellie throwing and wine tasting

X is for: X-Factor! Xmas hamper and Xmas fayre

Y is for: yard of ale, yoyo competition and YES! You can do it!

... and Z is for: Zodiac evening

So good luck in your fundraising venture – and don’t forget to keep in touch. Thank you.