6. Call in favours
   If you’ve got local contacts, you could try calling in some favours to get the job done. You could always try approaching people if there’s anything specific you want/need even if they aren’t already a contact. People are sometimes happy to help anyway when they learn it’s for a good cause.

    

7. Don’t be afraid to use the old-fashioned methods
   Not everybody has access to a computer or is tech savvy. For people who may want to sponsor you, who for whatever reason aren’t able to access technology, consider downloading our sponsorship form and collecting that way too
    

8. Be strategic
   Think about close family and friends and who may be willing to donate straightaway. If you have people you are pretty sure will be happy to donate, it is worth approaching them first. It always helps to have donations on your fundraising page or sponsor form when you start to promote your challenge/event as an empty page can be intimidating to some people.

    

9. Update, update, update
   Throughout your challenge/event make sure to regularly update your fundraising page and your social media. Give news on any training/build up. Give updates on the actual challenge/event as you do it. Share any updates you think relevant along the way.

    

10. Report on the challenge/event once it’s done
    It’s said that 20% of donations come in after the challenge/event has taken place. It’s therefore important to follow up with how you got on and maybe share photos/videos that you haven’t already shared. It’s also important to make sure you thank people for their support and donations.

Some guidelines and legal stuff

We really want you to have a great time with your fundraising and it’s really important to us that you are safe and that your fundraising is lawful.

As the organiser of an event, it is your responsibility to ensure everyone involved is as safe as possible so it’s important to plan ahead. Here’s a few things that could help you: 

1. Fundraising materials
   Any fundraising materials you use should say: In aid of Action for Asperger’s and clearly feature our Registered Charity Number which is 1148790. It is important to always use ‘in aid of’ and not ‘on behalf of’.

    

2. Gift Aid
   Donating through Gift Aid means Action for Asperger’s can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you give, and it will not cost you any extra. There are some things to be aware of in terms of when people can and can’t gift aid their donation, and what types of donations qualify for gift aid. Information on Gift Aid can be found here, on the Government website: https://www.gov.uk/donating-to-charity/gift-aid

3. Insurance and Risk Assessment
   You must make sure that any insurance policies required by law are in place.
   If you are planning an event which is open to members of the public, you will need Public Liability Insurance. However, check with the venue first, as they may already have insurance that covers your event. More details on this, and on licences and permits (see below) can be found at: https://www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/code/specific-fundraising-methods/events. You must also carry out a risk assessment if it is reasonable to do so. Details on event safety can be found at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/event-safety/getting-started.htm

4. Licences and Permits
   Always check rules on licensing and permits where relevant. It’s your responsibility to ensure you have the correct licences and/or permits to cover your event. Below are some general guidelines and if you’re unsure of anything you can check with your local authority who will be able to guide you on whether you need anything.
    

You need a Temporary Event Notice if you want to carry out these licensable activities on unlicensed premises:

• selling alcohol
• serving alcohol to members of a private club
• providing entertainment, such as music, dancing, or indoor sporting events
• serving hot food or drink between 11pm and 5am

 Your local council should have more information about temporary event notices. 

• Street collections and any collections in public places/on public land require a permit from your local council.
• For collections on private land and bookable private sites you must have permission from the property owner or manager to collect.
• If you plan to run a raffle or have a tombola stall at your event, the gambling commission says you don’t need a license for this. They provide a guide on how to run these type of things at a fundraising event here: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-and-players/guide/page/how-to-run-a-fundraiser-with-lotteries-or-raffles-at-events