Organising Events

Virtually anyone can organize an event. If you have a good idea, then have the courage to see it through. Often the simplest of ideas are the most effective - a sponsored toddle for a pre school play group targets a group of children who are often neglected in the fund raising field.

Try and make sure that your event is not clashing with a similar event. Check with other organizations, Evening Telegraph, Tourist Information. Give yourself time to organize and plan - a rushed event may prove disappointing.

Licences are needed for alcohol sales, if no licence in the venue already and also for the ticketed raffles. The council is very helpful if you are not sure (Environmental Health dept.). Licenses for the sale of alcohol are quite complicated in the first instance and need to be applied for several weeks in advance - why not consider an event where people bring their own drink? No license is needed and it makes for a cheap night out.

Raffles - for advice on holding raffles click here
or contact the Fundraising Office on 01536 527407

Insurance for an event needs careful consideration. Most venues have their own but check very carefully what is covered.

Advertising - anywhere you can think of. Notice boards, flyers, local press and radio, shop windows, internal mailing systems Do not start to advertise until everything and everyone is confirmed. e.g. the venue and the band for a dance - make sure that both have confirmed in writing before you start to advertise.

Ticket sale - have a general, central point and then give them to as many people as you can to sell. Tickets will not sell without advertising. Consider the cheapest form of ticket production.

Appoint ‘Key People’ - people with specific responsibilities and make sure they know clearly what they are. The person serving refreshments may not realize that they have to buy them, the person selling raffle tickets may not realize that they have to get there early. Make sure that someone is responsible for organizing a cash float on the day.

Make sure that your price is fair and that people feel they are getting value for money. An overpriced event or one where the servings were small will make the event itself less of a success and will put people off future events.

Think about the resources and contacts that you have amongst your family, friends & colleagues - does one of you belong to a dance group who could stage an event, a football club that could hold a charity match or let you have a venue at reduced cost. Look amongst yourselves to see how enterprising you can be. If you are holding a fete or such like, the emergency services will send a vehicle for display and a crew for free if they can.

Try a new angle of an old theme and be innovative - a Christmas lunch in July, a summer Halloween ball.

Sponsored events need sponsor forms to be distributed. With computer technology, these can be very eye catching.

Is parking going to be a problem? Do the local residents need to be informed? Will you need police presence for traffic or pedestrian control?

If response looks poor, at what stage do you consider cancellation or postponement? How can you predict these things? What kind of a back up plan can you make? What happens if you run out of refreshments? Who is going to make a dash for extra provisions?

Remember -plan, check, plan some more and then check again.