Event Fundraising Guidelines

Border Collie Trust has been attending events to raise awareness of the work carried out at the centre and to raise funds for many years and now wish to extend this activity to increase the number of events attended across the country. These guidelines have been produced to aid volunteers, old and new, planning to get involved in events to assist the trust.

Further advice can be obtained by emailing or by phoning the Trust’s office on 0871 560 2282 – please note the office phone is only manned during office hours and at busy times you may only get the answer phone – if you leave a message we will contact you as soon as we can during office hours.

Some definitions:

Fundraising on behalf of Border Collie Trust – this relates to fundraising which is organised by our Volunteer Co-ordinator or another member of staff based at our centre. Examples include collections at supermarkets and stalls at galas, fetes and dog shows. When you help at these events you are actually working for Border Collie Trust in a voluntary capacity. Sometimes there will be more than one volunteer helping at these events.

Fundraising in aid of Border Collie Trust – this relates to fundraising which is organised by you – or another volunteer - independently of our centre. Examples might include a sponsored event, a stall at a local fayre or fete and a party or event at your home or place of work, school or college.

Online selling and fundraising – generally this relates to eBay selling and includes similar auction type sites.

On behalf of:

If you have expressed a willingness to fundraise on behalf of us at events were we have planned a stand, our Volunteer Co-ordinator, or another member of the office team, will contact you when we have an upcoming event at which we think may be suitable for you. (You can of course decline!) You will be given full details of the date of the event, the times you will be expected to attend and the nature of the fundraising (e.g. tombola stall at local Show or Gala, supermarket collection, etc). If you are new to fundraising, Border Collie Trust or to this type of event, we may offer the chance to be placed with an experienced volunteer where available. Youwill be expected to dress appropriately for the event and to wear a hi vis vest supplied by Border CollieTrust which identifies you as a volunteer.On occasions you may also be asked to wear other identification provided by us.

In Aid Of:

You are welcome, and indeed very much encouraged, to hold fundraising events in aid of Border Collie Trust.

If you wish to hold your own fundraising event you will be responsible for booking it, manning it (if applicable), and ensuring the money raised is passed to BCT after the event. For details on banking please speak to the office team.

You will also be responsible for arranging any pre-event and post-event publicity although you should not submit any press releases to the media until they have been checked by our office team.

We prefer to write and send the press releases for you on our headed paper following our in-house style – but you have the opportunity to approve quotes and check details first.

Please do take some photos of your event and send these to us afterwards as we can use these for publicity.

Please do not book an event unless you are able to man it and undertake all the tasks relevant to the

event. Simply booking an event is NOT organising and running it! If you know of an event which you

think would benefit Border Collie Trust but which you cannot run yourself, then please pass details on to our

Volunteer Co-ordinator by emailing or speaking to a member of the office team. We will then decide if we wish to participate and make any necessary arrangements.

Any donated items which are not suitable for your event, cash donations or donations of dog food should be

passed to our centre, with a note containing the donor's name and contact details if possible. Any prizes which are won and immediately donated back should be re-ticketed before use (either on the day or for a later

event). Used tickets should be destroyed and not reused.

Please complete and return the attached form to tell us about your Fundraising event. (There is also a check-list overleaf which may be useful to you).

You can also find further ideas and guidelines at

Dealing with enquires from members of the public

You may be asked by members of the public for advice about border collies, to rehome dogs or about dogs available for adoption – members of the public may expect you to have up-to-date information from Border Collie Trust. If you don't know the answer, please explain that as a fundraiser you aren't always aware of current dogs, and refer the enquirer to our centre. You should especially avoid giving advice or opinions on serious behavioural issues – refer these questions to the office as the team there are able to support people with problems. While you are fundraising for BCT people will think you are speaking not only as an expert but one whose views reflect that of BCT.

Press and reporters

You are asked not talk to any reporters before clearing this with us. If you inadvertently do this while at an eventplease make a member of the centremanagement aware as soon as possible noting details of the reporters name and the publication they work for.

Online selling:

If you have your own eBay account and wish to donate a percentage of the sale of your item(s) to Border Collie Trust, we would prefer you to do this via MissionFish, following the ebay4charities guidelines and procedures. If you would like to be considered as a direct seller for Border Collie Trust on eBay or you wish to sell for us elsewhere, please contact us and we will provide you with separate guidelines.

At all times please be aware that you are representing Border Collie Trust. People will judge our charity on your behaviour and responses to their questions. If you don't know the answer, please don't guess. Indicate that as a volunteer fundraiser you are not sure and refer them to our main telephone number or email address.

Thank you for your support 

The check lists below should help you planning and running your event – we have left space for you to add any event specific actions.

Check-list - before the event

Action / Person Responsible / Tick completed
Event Booked
Deposit/fee paid – if applicable
Receipt obtained
BCT notified and event form completed
Pre event publicity confirmed with BCT
Any insurance documents obtained
Supporters/helpers booked
Supplies or merchandise collected
Any posters needed made and displayed
Direction signs organised if required
BCT leaflets and collecting tins arranged
Back up supporters arranged
Cash float prepared with money belt
Table/stand prepared
Chairs and refreshments prepared
Don’t forget water for helpers and any dogs
Marker pens, tape, scissors, rubbish bag packed
Suitable clothing planned – you can borrow hi vis vests from BCT which are branded
Camera packed – take some photos and send to BCT
Arrangements made to get money to BCT after the event
First aid kit packed

Check list – after the event

Action / Person Responsible / Tick completed
Money passed to BCT
Any unsold items returned to BCT
Post event publicity organised with BCT
Photos of event sent to BCT
Names and contact details of any helpers sent to BCT to allow thank you letters to be sent

Registration Form Fundraising Activities In Aid of Border Collie Trustpage one

Thank you for offering to fundraise in support of Border Collie Trust.

Please complete the information requested and return to our Volunteer Coordinator or office team, in order that we can:

  1. Register your activity within our Calendar of Events
  2. Identify any support you may need from Border Collie Trust
  3. Advise you of any legal requirements for the fundraising activity you're planning.

Full name and address of event organiser including post code

Contact details – high light preferred method of contact

Mobile
Alternative contact number
Email address

Have you completed a BCT volunteer application form and volunteer policy document YES / NO

Delete as appropriate

Proposed activity – give brief details

Proposed date and time
Proposed location
How will funds be raised? E.g. tombola, raffle, auction etc

Will tickets be sold? YES / NO

Delete as appropriate

How will the event be publicised – give brief details

Registration Form Fundraising Activities In Aid of Border Collie Trust page two

Will you require any Border Collie Trust promotional material? YES / NO

If so by what date will you require it?

Can you collect from our centre? YES / NO

Will you require the Border Collie Trust logo for printing purposes? YES / NO

(Please submit a draft copy of all proposed publicity material to Border Collie Trust for approval prior to printing or publication.)

Would you like to sell our merchandise at your event? (If available at the time) YES/NO

Are there any other beneficiaries?YES / NO

If YES, which charities .

What percentage is to be donated to Border Collie Trust? (If there is a split in revenue it is a legal requirement that public are aware of this during the event.) %

Thank you for supporting Border Collie Trust – if you need any help or advice with your fund raising efforts please contact our Volunteer Coordinator via email

Volunteers are seldom paid; not because they are worthless, but because they are PRICELESS!