Fundraising safely and legally

Organising your own event?  Remember it’s really important that you and any other people taking part are safe, and that all money is handled correctly.

Read through our practical things to consider.  Any questions contact the Fundraising team on 0115 924 0800 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) or email: fundraising@headway.org.uk.

On this page: 

The information on this page is general guidance only and is not legal advice.

Headway – the brain injury association cannot accept responsibility for accidents, injuries, loss, or damages which occur because of your fundraising activity or event.  

When promoting your fundraising or using fundraising materials, you must say that you are fundraising “In aid of Headway – the brain injury association’, Registered Charity Nos (1025852), (SC039992)

Useful information on organising your own event can be found on the Fundraising RegulatorInstitute of Fundraising and UK Government websites.

Cash handling

When cash handling have plans in place to keep money safe and secure. When collecting or taking payments, make sure that the cash is secure by using a sealed container or a sealed charity collection can/bucket.

Whenever possible, have two people to count or transport cash, and get it to the bank as soon as possible after the event.

If confronted by someone, you should hand the money over and report it to the Police straight away

Collections (public and private)

Public collections take place in a public space. Public collections are governed by strict legal requirements and must be licensed by the Local Authority in which they are to happen.

Private collections take place on private premises for example at a supermarket, shopping centre, football ground, train station, you need the permission of the owner of the premises.  You do not need the permission of the local authority.

If you are planning a collection let us know and we can advise you of next steps and provide you with fundraising materials.  You can call us on 0115 924 0800.

Event, alcohol and public entertainment licenses

Besides public collections and lotteries, some other activities require a licence.

If your event involves the sale of alcohol and/or live or recorded music, dancing, showing of a film or performance of a play, an indoor sporting event you may need a licence.

You can check whether your event will require a public entertainment or alcohol licence on the Government’s website.

Contact your local authority to find out which licences you need for your fundraising.

First Aid

You may need to have first aid provision at your event. This will depend on how many people are involved, the type of activity planned, and what first aid facilities are already available.

You can get advice from the following organisations, they can also provide first aid support for your event.

Food hygiene

It’s really important to take great care when handling, preparing, cooking and storing food.  The Food Standards Agency has a section on their website for people organising community events involving food. Food hygiene for your business | Food Standards Agency.

Health and safety risk assessment

Events need to be risk-assessed to find, reduce and control the risk to all those taking part and members of the public who may be attending. It is best practice to complete a risk assessment form to show that you have considered and mitigated any potential risks around your event.

Headway cannot accept liability for any loss, damage or injury suffered by yourself or anyone else as a result of taking part in a fundraising event organised in aid Headway – the brain injury association.

Help on how to complete a risk assessment can be found at the Health and Safety Executive.

Insurance

Organising your own event in aid of Headway – the brain injury association means you are responsible for taking steps to make sure that the event poses no risk to others.

If your event involves the public, it’s important to have Public Liability Insurance in place. Check if your venue already has cover. If you’re holding an event at home or on private property, check your insurance covers this too.

Public liability cover will protect you against claims made by third parties for injury or property damage as a result of negligence. In most cases, for public and/or events, you may need public liability cover in place. For private events this may not be necessary. Please seek advice if you are unsure.

Photos

Planning on taking photos of other people at your fundraiser, please make everyone aware as some people may not give their consent.   

Want to submit photos to be considered for use on our website, magazine, fundraising materials and external media complete our online Consent form.

Raffles, tombolas, sweepstakes, lotteries and prize draws

There are strict legal requirements about the organisation of raffles, lotteries and prize draws. More information about these rules can be found at the Gambling Commission.

Raffles

The easiest way to organise a raffle is to have one as part of an existing event. This is known as an incidental, non-commercial lottery and does not require a licence or registration with your council to run. For this type of raffle you can use “cloakroom” style tickets.

There are some restrictions which you must adhere to:

  • These raffles can only be held as part of an event. If the event is being held for more than one day you can sell tickets on all the days of the event.
  • The prize draw can be held either during your event or after but you must let participants know when the draw will take place.
  • We recommend, where possible, asking for prizes to be donated, to help you raise as much money as possible. If you do find that you need to purchase prizes, the total prize costs claimed against the draw proceeds must not be more than £500.
  • The maximum permitted to be taken from proceeds for expenses is £100.
  • Tickets should be sold at a consistent price.
  • No rollovers permitted.
  • Gift Aid cannot be applied to the money raised from raffles as legally buying a ticket does not count as a donation.

Tombolas

A tombola is a form of raffle in which prizes are pre-assigned to winning tickets. Typically, numbered raffle tickets are used, with prizes allocated to all those ending in a particular digit (traditionally a five or a zero). Players pay for a ticket, which they then draw at random, and can instantly see whether or not they have won a prize.

  • You do not require a licence to run a tombola however the tombola must take place during an event.
  • All tickets need to be sold and drawn during the event.

Sweepstakes

Sweepstakes are also incidental, non-commercial lotteries and do not require a licence or registration with your council to run.

There are some basic rules that you will need to follow if you are planning on running a sweepstake:

All the rules shown in the raffle section apply as well as the following.

  • You need to decide before hosting your competition if the entry money will be split between the winner and the Charity, or if you are going to have a separate prize with all entry fees going to the Charity. Whichever approach you take, participants must be informed before they enter and the host cannot make a profit (i.e. funds will need to be donated).
  • Office sweepstakes can only take place in one office with people in the same premises.
  • You must not sell entry on the street or house to house.
  • If you are running a competition where people need to guess the square of a picture that an object is hidden on you will need to decide ahead of time which the winning square is, and make sure that it is saved somewhere securely (for example in a sealed envelope). If no one guesses that square, then the nearest guess is the winner.

Under 18

If you are under 18, you must have your parent or guardian’s permission to fundraise.

Contact us

Questions about your fundraising?  Then please get in touch – we are here to help, make sure you keep things legal, safe so you can enjoy your event:

Email: fundraising@headway.org.uk

Phone: 0115 924 0800

Further guidance and resources

Events | Fundraising Regulator

Organising a voluntary event: a 'can do' guide - GOV.UK

Fundraising legally and responsibly - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Fundraising, raffles and lotteries (gamblingcommission.gov.uk)

Lotteries and raffles | Fundraising Regulator

Lotteries, prize competitions and free draws | Fundraising Regulator

Risk assessment: Template and examples - HSE

Running an event safely - HSE