Fundraising do & don't

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Fundraising dos and don'ts

We are Charity Projects, better known as Comic Relief, registered in England and Wales with Charity number 326568 whose principal office is 1st floor, 89 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7TP (“Comic Relief”).

If you are fundraising for us, thank you! We want to ensure you stay safe and legal – please take a moment to read the following guidelines and information before you start:

You understand that it is your responsibility to organise all aspects of any fundraising activity and you shall comply with any instructions or guidance provided by Comic Relief.
If anyone under 18 is involved in the fundraising in any way, please make sure that they have permission from their parent or guardian and are properly supervised by a responsible adult.
Under 18s’ should never approach strangers about fundraising.
Please make sure your fundraising materials (e.g. posters) include the line: ‘In aid of Red Nose Day, an initiative of Comic Relief, registered charity 326568 (England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland)’.
Your fundraising materials must not suggest that you represent us, only that you are fundraising in support of us.
If you would like to use our Red Nose Day logo for fundraising, please contact us
Unless otherwise agreed, you will be responsible for any costs, taxes or expenses incurred or arising in connection with your fundraising activity.
If you are raising money in the course of a business, receiving a reward for fundraising for us, deducting any amount to cover costs, or splitting the money raised between Comic Relief and another charity, you’ll need a Fundraising Agreement with us. Contact us to get one
You must ensure all fundraising money collected for Red Nose Day is paid to Comic Relief as soon as possible after the event. Find out how to pay in your fundraising money
We can claim Gift Aid on donations as long as we receive a Gift Aid declaration from each eligible person who gave money. For more information, take a look at our FAQs
If you choose to collect money in a public place you’ll need a licence from the local authority (you can find details about this on the local authority’s website).

If you are planning any type of lottery (such as a raffle, tombola or sweepstake), please be aware that there are strict rules about what you can do. For England, Wales and Scotland, the Gambling Commission publishes useful guidance on lotteries at gamblingcommission.gov.uk. In Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action publishes a good practice guide at nicva.org

All personal data held by us will be handled in accordance with applicable privacy laws-our Privacy Statement can be found here
If you provide photographs or videos taken during your fundraising activity that may be used by Comic Relief for commercial and/or fundraising purposes, we will ask you to enter a release form or other similar documentation before any materials are used by us. Please contact us for more information

Liability:

You will take all reasonable precautions to protect the health and safety of all those participating in, involved with or attending your activity.
You accept that any risks arising out of your fundraising activity are your responsibility, including any liability for any injury which may occur to you, your helpers or guests.
You will comply with any applicable laws and regulations relating to your fundraising activity, including obtaining any necessary licences, consent or permissions (e.g. if holding a raffle or selling alcohol)
You acknowledge that Comic Relief’s insurance policy will not cover your fundraising activity. You should always consider whether you need appropriate insurance cover for your fundraising activity. If necessary, carry out a risk assessment and make sure participants are fully briefed about the activity.

You will not do anything that threatens Comic Relief’s reputation or name. If you do, Comic Relief has the right to ask you to stop your fundraising activity immediately.

Tips for handling cash and staying safe

Your safety and well being are our primary concern when you fundraise in support of our organisation, these tips will help ensure a safe environment.
Firstly, if you are ever challenged whilst handling cash, hand over the cash without resistance and immediately report the incident to the police and then to ourselves.
Ensure that whatever you use to collect money is covered and has a slot for putting the money in, don’t use something open topped where people can see the money.
If you receive donations in a box, envelope or any other collection container you must ensure this is kept in a safe and secure location.
We recommend that you don’t shake the ‘bucket’ (or whatever you use to collect).
Ensure any monies are pushed fully into the collection bucket and are not sticking out.
Cash should never be left unattended during fundraising.
Cash should be banked as soon as possible after being collected, preferably the same day – if it must be stored for a short period of time it should be held in a safe or other secure location.
It is recommended that the cash is collected, counted, transported and banked by two unrelated people, especially if large amounts are being collected.

Donations

If you donate to Comic Relief or sponsor anyone raising money for Comic Relief via the Giving Pages, please understand that we cannot offer any refunds of your donation or sponsorship. Please contact us to discuss if you experience any issues with this or wish to discuss. Please also note, if you sponsor someone to do any activity for Comic Relief, your sponsorship is not conditional on the activity being completed.

Gift Aid

If you’re paying in a personal donation, pay UK tax* and tick the Gift Aid box, the Government will give us 25% on top of your donation, which we use to help cover our running costs. It won’t cost you a penny and it means that every pound that you donate can go towards transforming the lives of the poorest and most disadvantaged people in the UK and around the world. Please give your full name and home address and tick the box when requested or we can’t claim Gift Aid.
* You must be a UK taxpayer and understand that if you pay less Income Tax and /or Capital Gains Tax in the current tax year than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all your donations it is your responsibility to pay any difference. Find out more about Gift Aid.

Comic Relief is not an accounting, taxation or financial advisor, and you should not rely on information given on this site to determine the accounting, tax or financial consequences of making a donation to Comic Relief. We strongly recommend that you consult your own adviser(s) about any accounting, taxation or financial consequences that may affect you.