Fundraising Guidelines
Fundraising should be fun, but it’s important that everything is safe and legal, for everyone involved. Plan ahead, and you’ll get things right. Please follow our fundraising guidelines.
Permissions
If you’re holding an event in a public place, you will need to get permission first, either from the local authority or the property owner. Contact them as soon as possible as it often takes time for them to consider it properly.
Organising events safely
- You should conduct a risk assessment to ensure that you have proper plans for the safety of participants. The Health and Safety Executive has further information www.hse.gov.uk
- Please make sure participants are fully briefed about the event, including (where relevant) any risks, fitness requirements, special equipment or clothing required and standards of behaviour expected
- Ensure that your event is properly and adequately supervised. For instance, where children are involved, you should provide proper adult supervision; check that the child’s parents/guardians have given their permission for their child to take part, and carrying out appropriate background checks if adults are to have unsupervised access to children
- Consider what insurance cover you need for your event. If it involves the general public, it’s important to have Public Liability Insurance in place. Check first to see if your venue already has this (as will often be the case). If you’re holding an event at home or on private property, check your insurance covers this too
- Check whether you need a special license, e.g. a public entertainment license or license to sell alcohol
- If you are serving food at your event, check the Food Standards Agency guidelines on preparing, handling, cooking and storing food
- If you’re holding an event for many people, make sure that you have appropriate first aid support in place. You can get advice from St John Ambulance
- It is your responsibility to ensure that your event is organised efficiently and safely. Save the Rhino International accepts no liability for third-party events The advice given is not exhaustive, it is simply guidelines to help you organise your event, so please consider other potential risks, and seek further guidelines and advice where required
Photo consent
If you are taking photos of other people at your fundraiser, please make attendees aware. If you would like to share photos of your event with Save the Rhino, please send them to us at fundraising@savetherhino.org and let us know if you are happy for them to be used.
Save the Rhino uses photos and videos to show the amazing dedication of our supporters. These images help us to promote our work; why saving rhinos matters and how other people can get involved and fundraise for us. If you would like to share photos of your event with us, we letting us know if you are happy for them to be used.
Collections
You need a license from your local authority to collect funds on the street, in a public place, or to collect from house to house. It is illegal to do this without a license, and there are special rules about collection buckets so please do contact your local authority if you are thinking of fundraising in this way. If you want to do a collection on private property (such as in a shopping centre, or train station) you should also contact the owner to see if this is possible and to get their permission. If you are planning to hold a collection, please contact us at fundraising@savetherhino.org to let us know.
Raffles and lotteries
There are strict and complex laws relating to raffles and lotteries. For more information please visit www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk and contact us at fundraising@savetherhino.org to let us know.
Gift Aid
Gift Aid is a scheme that enables charities to claim tax back on all donations made by individual UK taxpayers. All we need from your sponsors/donors is their full name and home address, and their authorisation by ticking the appropriate box alongside their name. Download our sponsorship forms here. We cannot emphasise strongly enough the value of this scheme to Save the Rhino. For every £1 in sponsorship we receive from individuals, we can claim at least 25p at no extra cost to the donor. Please try your very best to ensure that all donations are Gift Aided and reassure your sponsors that we will never use these details to contact them; they are only needed so that the HMRC can find out who they are and confirm that they are eligible.
Data protection
Only collect the information you need. Keep it safe, do not share it and only keep it for as long as you need. You can find information about how we protect and use personal data in our privacy policy which is on our website.
Under 18
If you’re aged under 18, you must have your parent or guardian’s permission to fundraise. You should always ask an adult to help you with your fundraising to make sure you are safe.
Materials and publicity
Please make it clear that you are fundraising ‘in aid of’ rather than on behalf of or any alternative wordings. Unfortunately, our supporters cannot use the Save the Rhino logo on any publicity materials. However, as a fundraiser, you can use one of our ‘supporter logos’ to help promote your event or challenge. To receive a copy, please email us at fundraising@savetherhino.org.
