Purple Picnic

To help you with your fundraising efforts we’ve added an A-Z of fundraising below, as well as health and safety advice and some hints and tips.

A-Z of Fundraising

A ANIMALS: Why should humans have all the fun? Whether it is dressing up as your favourite animal for the day or doing a 10k with your dog, it’s time to get our furry friends involved.

B BRAVE: Fight your fears! Whether it’s doing a bungee jump or hanging out with spiders at your local zoo, overcome your phobia and ask for donations.

C COUPLES: Just got engaged? Swap your Gift List for an online Fundraising Page and ask guests to make a donation. Planning your honeymoon? Whether it’s trekking across the Sahara or climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, taking on a challenge could make for a very special honeymoon.

D DISTANCE WITH A DIFFERENCE: Running events are very popular, so can you make yours stand out from the crowd? Make the run fun with a theme or costume and you could get more donations.

E ECO CHALLENGE: Fundraise and save the environment at the same time. This could be litter picking at a local park or taking part in some record-breaking tree planting. Either way, everyone wins!

F FOOD CHALLENGE: If you’re training for a long distance challenge, you can improve your fitness and fundraise at the same time by giving up your favourite treat in exchange for donations. Or would your donors be more inspired to donate for the chance to see you eat your most hated food?

G GAMING: Fundraising has taken the gaming world by storm, with lots of gamers now using their skills to complete gameathons for their chosen cause. Got online gaming buddies around the world? Turn this into a global event that brings you all together.

H HAIR: A fundraising trend that keeps on growing. Whether you shave it, dye it a crazy colour or see how big your beard can get, changing your hair is a great way to raise money.

I INDOOR SPORT: If there’s one thing you definitely can’t rely on, it’s the weather holding up for your big outdoor event. So why not move things indoors where there’s one less thing to worry about? Indoor sports are a great way to guarantee everyone will have fun, without getting caught out in the rain.

J JIGGLE: Get your body moving! If you’re a fan of Zumba or dance, organise an event for your class and jiggle your way to fundraising success.

K KIDS: Fundraising with children is tons of fun, and a great experience for them too. Think about pram walking events, a fun sports day, a ‘dress your parent’ day or even a baking competition. Let’s get the next generation involved!

L LOCAL: What’s special about where you live? Take a look at what makes your community different and build your fundraising around that. Wherever you’re from, do something unique to your community and watch those donations roll in…

M MUSIC: Music is a wonderful way to bring people together. If you’re in a band (or even if you’re not!) you could record a charity single that can be exchanged for donations.

N NOMINATE: With the huge success of the No Make Up Selfie and the Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014, who knows what might kick off the next viral nomination challenge? Make the most of your social media networks and nominate your friends to do something different.

O OCCASIONS: Got a special day coming up? Whether it’s a birthday or a milestone like graduation, share the love and ask your family and friends for donations rather than gifts.

P POETRY: Here’s an idea for schools, students and budding poets – think about what mental health means to you and put pen to paper. You could even arrange a poetry recital to celebrate your brilliant work with proceeds going to Action Mental Health.

Q QUIET: Calling all chatterboxes! Get sponsored to do a 24-hour silence where your friends, family and colleagues can donate to show their appreciation for a bit of peace and quiet.

U UNFASHIONABLE: Call the style police! It’s time to swallow your pride and be deeply unfashionable for a day. Think mis-matched outfits, clashing prints, terrible hats, sandals with socks … the worse you look, the more you’ll raise.

R RACE: Races aren’t always for the runners you know. There are lots of ways to organise a race with a difference. Horse racing maybe? Or how about virtual car racing? Hobbies like knitting or cooking could also be turned into a contest, with supporters donating to take part.

S SWIMMING: Ever dreamed of swimming across the ‘River Lagan’, but without getting into the cold water? Set your target distance to reach in one week and swim every day at your local pool in return for donations.

T THEMED: Everyone loves a theme, e.g. in the run up to Halloween you could host a horror movie night and get people to make donations to vote for the films they want to watch on the night.

V VOLUNTEERING: Offer a helping hand and do jobs for people in return for donations. Whether it’s bag packing at your local supermarket or offering to clean a neighbour’s car, those odd jobs could soon add up to a lot of money.

X XMAS CRAFTS: It’s never too early to start crafting for Christmas. Homemade crafts make wonderful presents and are a fun way for arty types to raise funds while learning new skills. You could sell your crafts online with the proceeds going to Action Mental Health, or set up a stall at your work or school.

W WORLDWIDE: Get inspired by culture, food and local traditions from around the world and host a themed night. Or get out there and see it for yourself with an overseas challenge. You’ll have lifelong memories of the amazing work you did for Action Mental Health.

Y YES DAY: This is particularly fun at work (especially if you can get your boss involved)! Take on a ‘Yes day’ challenge where fundraisers have to say ‘yes’ to everything in exchange for donations. Imagine the possibilities…

Z ZIP LINE: Face your fear of heights and take on the challenge of a Zip Line.

Health & Safety Advice

Collecting: If you plan to collect on private property i.e. a supermarket, venue etc. then you will need to get permission from the owner, ideally in writing. Please contact your local PSNI station if you wish to carry out a street collection as a permit is required. Collectors must be over the age of 16.

Health & Safety: we recommend you carry out a risk assessment for your event. This will help you identify and minimise risks. Depending on the event and numbers, first aid provision and insurance may be required, contact your local council for guidance.

Parental consent: If you are under 16 years of age and would like to fundraise for us you will need to ask your parent or guardian for consent. This is a legal requirement. Please ask your parent/guardian to email us, E: [email protected]

Food hygiene: Good food hygiene is all about controlling harmful bacteria, which can cause serious illness. The four main things to remember for good hygiene are: cross-contamination, cleaning, chilling and cooking. For more information about food safety regulations contact www.food.gov.uk

Promotional material: Include the Action Mental Health logo and registered charity number on all publications, making it clear the event is in aid of Action Mental Health. (Please don’t use our logo without permission). We also have lots of branded goodies such as feather and PVC banners – please get in touch.

Licensing: You will need a license if you are selling alcohol, serving food after 11.00pm, or are playing music. Please contact your local council for further information.

Follow the laws and regulations regarding lotteries and raffles, more info can be found at www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk

Hits & Tips

Ready for your close up? Fundraisers with pictures on their page raise 14% more per photo. A legitimate excuse for a #selfie

Tell your story: People will give more if they know why you care. Add your story to your page.

Smash your target: Pages with a target raise 46% more. Be brave and tell the world what you’re aiming for.

Add a summary: Give your supporters a quick snapshot of what you’re doing and why. It could raise an additional 9%.

Don’t do it alone: There’s strength in numbers – people that are part of a team raise 10% more.

Find your company: Impress your boss by linking to your company’s profile on JustGiving. It could boost donations by 20%.

Update your friends: Been out training or have some news about your fundraising? Post an update to keep your friends interested.

Get creative: Give people an extra reason to donate. ‘If I raise half of my target in a week I’ll dye my hair blue’.

Share your page: Once your page is looking perfect, share It on social media. Every share is worth about £5 in donations.

Include: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube & LinkedIn

Promote: Contact the press, advertise using posters and flyers etc, write a blog

Fundraising tools: Online sponsorship – JustGiving, offline sponsorship – sponsorship forms, donation buckets, text giving.

Get the most out of every penny: Gift Aid, employers matched funding.

Email: Send an email with your fundraising activity to your colleagues and contacts, include your JustGiving link.

Email signature: Add your fundraising activity.

Desk donations: Bring an Action Mental Health donation can with you to work and leave on your desk.

It’s all over…or is it? 20% of donations come in after the event. You never know who might still be feeling generous…

Check out our helpful guidance on fundraising events here:

Dotting the Is and Crossing the Ts