Bluebell Wood Fundraising Guide by Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice

Fundraising Guide

01909 517 360

Bluebell Wood Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospice

@BluebellWoodCH

www.bluebellwood.org

Photos/graphics: Ant Oxley Photography, Dean Atkins, Freepik

Welcome to the team

Thank you so much for choosing to support Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice and becoming part of ‘Team Bluebell’. Families often tell us that their lives revolve around time, and with so many hospital appointments and reminders for their child to take their medication, it can be difficult for them to actually get time to themselves. That’s why your fundraising makes all the difference. Thanks to you, families get chance to relax and focus on being a family, without all the worries they usually have to think about. It’s people like you who make Team Bluebell what it is. That’s why we’ve made this guide for you; to give you the support and confidence you need to make your fundraising as fun and successful as possible. Inside you’ll find: • • • • • •

Fundraising ideas to suit you and your style A fundraising planner to take you from an initial idea to a perfectly planned event Inspiring stories of other Team Bluebell supporters (and their own words of wisdom!) Some advice on how to keep your fundraising safe and legal Ideas of how your money could help children and families Plus plenty of other handy hints and tips to get you started too!

Could you join Team Bluebell?

Why Bluebell Wood?

There are so many reasons to fundraise for Bluebell Wood, but the biggest reason is all the children and families you’ll be helping. We believe every family deserves to make magical memories with their child, whether they have days, weeks, months, or years together. You can read some of the stories from the families we support below:

William passed away at Bluebell Wood when he was just 13 days old. His dad, Will, says, “Bluebell Wood helped us have a life with William and make wonderful memories. We’d told them months before that we wanted to take Will to the beach so they made a mini one at the hospice just for him. The hospice was our son’s only home, and we can’t thank the care team enough for everything they did and still do.” Sienna was born prematurely at 34 weeks, and comes to stay at Bluebell Wood with her family. Her mum, Sara, says, “When Sienna was a baby, we were told she would never make a sound. One day when we were at Bluebell Wood, we heard an excited squeal from the trampoline, and when we rushed outside, it was Sienna! That shows just how much she loves it here.” Charlie has Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia which means he has difficulty walking, and has dementia. Mum, Anna, says, “Charlie’s diagnosis affects our whole family, but at Bluebell Wood we get the chance to feel normal. Charlie loves playing on the xbox with the nurses and playing his guitar in music therapy, and I enjoy getting to know other parents who understand what we’re going through.” Fiona always wanted to have Christmas with her baby girl, Ivy, before she passed away, so on a sunny day in the middle of May we turned Bluebell Wood into a winter wonderland. Fiona said, “I knew we’d never have a family Christmas with Ivy, but the Care Team helped us have our very own Christmas Day. We decorated the tree together, pulled crackers over a roast dinner, and played festive music. We even got a special card from Ivy which we’ll treasure forever.”

How your fundraising helps When you do good, you feel good, and nothing makes you feel better than knowing your fundraising is helping children and young adults create special memories. So, aim high and see how far your money could go for families facing the toughest of times.

£5

could pay for a phone call at 3am with a parent who just needs to talk

£10

could pay for a play session, with lots of fun and laughter

£20 £50

could pay for a child to take a dip in our spa pool could pay for a facepainter for one of our activity days

£155

could sponsor a counsellor for a day to be there for families when they need it most

£500

could pay for 24 hours of nursing care

Super success stories Chris tackled his first ever half marathon

Chris, 27, decided to pick up his trainers and run his first ever half marathon, after finding out about Bluebell Wood through his employer, Interserve. He said, “I’d never done a half marathon before, so I made sure I trained for all course - flat, hilly, uneven. I recommend giving yourself every opportunity to beat your target, to overcome your fears. The atmosphere on the day was incredible, and I’d encourage everyone to give it a go - the experience was so rewarding, and it was good to know I was helping local families.”

Finley joins the Fun-draising Club

Eight year old Finley has been baking his way to success, after joining the Bluebell Wood Fun-draising Club. He held a bake sale at his school, with all his cakes selling out, and organised a ‘lads vs. dads’ charity football match and asked everyone taking part to raise sponsorship. His mum, Nicola, said: “I was so pleased when Finley said he wanted to do his bit for the hospice. I’m so proud of how enthusiastic and creative he’s been.”

Naz took the plunge to remember Zainab

Naz, 37, tackled heights of 15,000ft and freefall speeds of up to 120mph in our Skydive, in memory of his much-loved niece, Zainab. He said, “Zainab passed away when she was seven years old after being diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy as a baby. Zainab was talkative, beautiful and a lovely child. I really wanted to do something in her memory and since two of my sisters have already skydived for Bluebell Wood, I decided my turn. It was an excellent experience. We were trained before we went up so we knew what to expect, but it was the best time. I would 100% do it again.”

Jess braved the shave in memory of Georgia

Jess, a support worker for people with learning difficulties, lost her locks in March 2018, after choosing to fundraise in memory of her boyfriend’s sister, Georgia, who passed away in 2011 at the hospice. Jess said, “I met my boyfriend, Alex, in 2013, so I never got to meet Georgia, but he speaks about her every day. I chose to do a sponsored head shave because I felt like it’s such a scary thing to face and I wanted to be brave. The children who visit Bluebell Wood are so brave and I wanted to pay tribute to that.”

Kick-start your fundraisin Go it alone

Setting yourself a challenge and raising sponsorship is a really easy way to get those pennies pouring in. • Whether you want to run, walk, swim or cycle, there are plenty of events you might want to take part in to raise sponsorship, such as the Great North Run or one of our Bluebell Wood events. • Challenges don’t just have to be physical. Giving up chocolate or alcohol for a period of time is a fantastic way to raise money (and get healthy)! Why not try going vegan for a month and asking your friends to sponsor you? • Are you an eBay entrepreneur? Sell your old items online or at a car boot sale to raise cash (or donate them to one of our shops for us to sell).

Get your school involved!

Encouraging your child to raise money for charity can teach them how important it is to help other people. • Dash round the playground! Get your child’s school to take part in our Elf Dash at Christmas or Bunny Hop at Easter and ask everyone to raise sponsorship. • Hold a bake sale or ‘guess the number’ game at your child’s summer fete. • Why not invite our mascot, George, to one of your events? For more fun ideas to raise money at your child’s school, ask for our School’s Pack by calling our Fundraising Team.

From holding a trivia night with friends to taking on a triathalon, there are so many ways you can support local children and families. Whether you’re organised, creative, or up for adventure, we’ve got plenty of ideas to get you started. Call us on 01909 517 365 to talk through your ideas with our Fundraising Team in more detail.

Ask friends and family

Join forces with your friends, family or local club to have fun and raise funds too. • Host a barbeque and ask people to make a donation when they want to fill their plate. Why not hold a raffle or game like Pop Pong at the same time to raise some extra cash? • Could you could enter a team of friends in our Three Peaks Challenge, Firewalk or Abseil? • Ask your friends and family for a donation to Bluebell Wood instead of presents on your birthday. • Organise a quiz night at your local pub, or put on a yoga, dance or spin-a-thon at your gym (and take on extra challenges if you get sponsored enough).

Take your fundraising to work

Fundraising at work is a great way to get to know your colleagues, and create some positive PR opportunities for your company. • Organise a sweepstake in the office for a big sports event, or for the winner of X Factor. • Hold a fancy dress day and ask everyone to donate £1. You could also get involved in our Christmas Jumper Day and give a prize to the person with the silliest sweater. • Set up a jar in the office and ask people to donate £1 when they’re late for a meeting. • Gather a team of creative colleagues and take part in one of our events! • Don’t forget to ask your employer about matched giving, to see if they’ll match your fundraising efforts. For more fundraising ideas in the workplace, get in touch with our Corporate Fundraising Team.

Enter a Bluebell Wood event

Taking part in a Bluebell Wood event is a great way to support local families, and have fun too. Take a look at some of our most popular events below, and visit www.bluebellwood.org/events to find out more about this year’s events.

Dragon Boat Race Gather your team of champions to battle it out on the waters at our legendary Dragon Boat Race, and family fun day.

Soapbox Derby Why not come cheer on the craziest carts at our Soapbox Derby, or even enter your own mean machine?

Skydive/Wing Walk Are you ready to take to the skies? Why not sign up to our exhilarating Wing Walk and Skydive and feel on top of the world?

Take on a run Pull on your trainers and take up one of our charity places in the Sheffield Half, Chesterfield Half, or Worksop Half.

Birthday Ball Help celebrate our birthday in style, with live entertainment, delicious food, and lots of special guests.

Three Peaks Challenge Pull on your walking boots and scale new heights in our Three Peaks challenge, where you’ll conquer some of the Nation’s largest peaks.

Have you heard about our Fun-draising Club? Could your child be the next fundraising superstar? We’re looking for children and young people to join the Bluebell Wood Fun-draising Club! Becoming a Bluebell Wood Fun-draiser is a great way for your child to have fun and raise money too! When your child joins our Fun-draising Club, we’ll give them lots of tips and tricks to help turn their ideas into fantastic fundraisers. Once they make their first donation we’ll send them a special fundraising pack with their very own Fun-draising Club t-shirt - to say thank you for their wonderful work. As a member they’ll also get lots of other exciting rewards, including: • A Fun-draising Club membership card and drawstring bag • A special birthday card from Bluebell Wood • Our fantastic Fun-draising Club newsletter sent directly to them twice a year • A new Fun-draiser badge each time they reach their next fundraising goal. If your child would like to become a member, visit www.bluebellwood.org/fun-draising-club or call our Fundraising Team.

Your fundraising plan We’ve already given you some fundraising ideas on the previous pages, so take a look at the planner below and start jotting down your own thoughts and ideas.

Set a fundraising target Think about how much you’d like to raise from your fundraising. Take a look at page 3 and think about how your fundraising could make a difference to local children and families - this will help motivate you to achieve (or even exceed) your target!

Your fundraising ideas

Now you’ve set your target, it’s time to choose the best way to reach it! What do you enjoy most? Do you like working with friends or by yourself? What about organising things? We recommend choosing an event which plays to your strengths. Jot your ideas below!

Planning your fundraiser

Now you’ve decided what you’d like to do to raise money for the hospice you’ve got to make a plan! Think about where and when your event is going to be, and if you have any friends, family or colleagues you can ask for help. Before you get started, work out if there’ll be any costs to you, and don’t forget to check out our advice on the legal stuff - you want to make sure everything is safe and above board. If you’d like, write down your ideas and to-do list in the space below.

Start spreading the word

Shout all about it! Tell everyone you know about what you’re doing (and why you’re doing it!) on Facebook, Twitter, and any other social media channels you’re on. Don’t forget to share photos and videos, as well as a link to your fundraising page - it’s one of the quickest and easiest ways to spread the word! Don’t forget to share your fundraising with Bluebell Wood too - we can add it to our website (www.bluebellwood.org) as an event, or shout about it one our community Facebook pages (which you can find on our ‘Get in Touch’ page). Set up a fundraising page Raising money online is a really easy way to encourage people to donate. We recommend using Virgin Money Giving (www.uk.virginmoneygiving.com) rather than Just Giving as it means more of your money comes direct to us. Write a press release Is there an interesting story behind your fundraising? Why not send a press release and some photos to your local newspapers and radio stations. If you’re featured it might encourage people to donate (and it’ll help raise awareness for the hospice too)! Get your work involved Your workplace is a fantastic place to promote your event. Why not put up posters and hand out sponsorship forms to let people know what you’re getting up to? It’s also a good idea to ask your company about matched giving - they could already have money in place that you can apply for, or they might even match your fundraising pound for pound!

Show your support with our fundraising material Whether you’re taking part in a half marathon or hosting a family fun day, we have a range of promotional material and merchandise to help you raise awareness, and let people know you’re supporting Bluebell Wood. We can provide you with: • T-shirts, running vests, and cycling jerseys • Balloons • Family stories, promotional leaflets and stickers • Sponsorship forms (including one on the back of this leaflet!) • Disposable banners • Bunting • Gift Aid envelopes You can borrow: • Collection tins and buckets • Pull up banners • Branded tablecloths • Merchandise to sell Remember, all fundraising material is subject to availability.

Creating a poster for your event? Ask us for our ‘Supporting Bluebell Wood’ logo, as well as a copy of our brand guidelines!

The legal stuff As well as making sure your event is a big success, it’s also important to think about how to make it safe and legal too. You can find some of our top tips below which you might want to consider when you’re planning your fundraiser.

Collecting money

• Always make sure two people are present when you are handling or recording money. • Children under 16 are not allowed to take part in a public collection. • If you are holding a street collection, you need to have a street collecting permit from the local authority for where the collection is taking place. You need to apply for this at least four weeks before the event, and fill in the returns form after the collection. • Collections on private property (like supermarkets, pubs or football grounds) don’t need a permit, but it’s a good idea to ask us for a letter of authority to show to the landlord or manager when you’re asking to collect on our behalf.

Auctions and raffles

• If you’re holding a raffle and selling tickets over a period of time before a prize is drawn then you will need to use pre-printed tickets and have a licence from the council (you don’t need to do this if you are selling tickets and drawing prizes on the same day). • Holding an auction? Make sure all the items are listed with accurate valuations, and descriptions.

Events

• Before you start planning your event it’s a good idea to think of any risks you might need to address. Depending on what you’re doing, your event might be subject to a number of regulations, including licensing laws for alcohol, or food safety. You can find out more about how to keep your event safe at www.hse.gov.uk/event-safety. • A risk assessment is a really good way to make sure you have planned for the safety of the people attending your event. Jot down any potential risks or safety concerns below, and how you might address them, and then fill out a Bluebell Wood Risk Assessment Form (which you can download from www.bluebellwood.org).

Potential risks

How can I solve it?

After your event Once you’ve counted your cash, it’s time to send in your money so you can make a difference to local families. When you’re ready to send your money in, please choose a way to pay from the options below:

Online

One of the easiest ways to send your money to us is by setting up a fundraising page via Virgin Money Giving so the money goes straight into our bank account. You can also donate your fundraising money at www.bluebellwood.org/donate.

By bank transfer

If you’d like to pay us by BACS please contact our Finance Team on 01909 517 360 to get our bank details.

By post or in person

Please send cheques made payable to Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice to: Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, Cramfit Road, North Anston, Sheffield, S25 4AJ. You can also drop into our reception at the hospice between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, or 10-3pm at the weekend. Your donations can be in any form, including cash or cheque. If you’d like to send in a cheque please also send in any details to let us know how you raised the money, so we can thank you properly.

Over the phone

If you’d prefer to pay in your money over the phone, why not call our fundraising team on 01909 517 365, so we can take your donation by card?

Before you hand in your money, why not ask your friends, family and supporters to Gift Aid their donations to help you raise even more money? As long as they are UK taxpayers and have allowed us to claim Gift Aid, we can make an extra 25p from each £1 you raise, at no cost to them. Just remember to send us any paper sponsor forms or donation envelopes you use so we can claim the extra 25%.

Send us your photos!

Our favourite thing to do after hearing about your fantastic fundraising is looking through your photos of the day. Don’t forget to send us your pictures so we can share them on social media, and use them to showcase the work of our spectacular supporters. You can send your photos directly to your local Community Fundraiser (you can find their details on our ‘Get in touch’ page).

What else can I do? As well as holding a fundraising event for Bluebell Wood, you might want to think about supporting us in other ways. Here are just some ideas to get you started:

Volunteer for us

Volunteer with Bluebell Wood and you can learn new things, meet new people and know you’re making a difference. We think all our volunteers are amazing, whether you’re a green-fingered guru, an outstanding organiser or an Ebay egghead. It’s because of your skill and dedication that we can offer specialist care to children and families. We’re always on the lookout for fantastic people to join our team, so if you have the time, we’ll find the perfect place for you. To volunteer with us, please call our Volunteer Co-ordinator, Terry Lowell, on 01909 508 116 or email terry.lowell@bluebellwood.org.

Leave a gift in your Will

We know that, when you decide that it’s time to make your Will, you’ll think of your family and friends first, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Once you’ve thought of those closest to you though, you might like to look at what a wonderful difference leaving a gift for Bluebell Wood in your Will could make. If you believe, like we do, that every family should have the chance to create magical memories, however long they have together, then get in touch with our Trust and Legacy Fundraiser, Julie Booth, on 01909 508 119 or email julie.booth@bluebellwood.org. Leaving a gift in your Will costs you nothing now, but it means you can continue to make a difference even when you can’t.

Play our lottery

A pound doesn’t go very far these days. It will get you a chocolate bar or half a cup of posh coffee, but is there a better way you could spend it? For just a pound a week, you can be part of the Bluebell Wood Lottery and be in with a chance of turning that quid into £1,000 (or one of our other seven cash prizes).

Play for

£1

a week!

Whoever scoops the top prize each week, it’s the families that visit Bluebell Wood who are always the winners. By playing the lottery, you are helping to support children who just don’t live long enough. Visit www.bluebellwood.org/lottery to sign up now.

Get in touch Thank you so much for joining ‘Team Bluebell’ and supporting children and young adults whose lives are just too short. If you have any questions about your fundraising, or just want some advice, please call 01909 517 365 or get in touch with the fundraiser for your area directly, who will be happy to help. Our Community Fundraisers are also on Facebook, so give their pages a ‘like’ to keep up to date with the latest fundraising and volunteering opportunities in your area.

Our community team

• Sally Baker - fundraising in Doncaster /SallyBluebellWood

01909 517 364

• Gail Parkin - fundraising in Sheffield /GailBluebellWood

01909 517 362

• Mel Rose - fundraising in Mansfield, Worksop and Retford /MelBluebellWood 01909 517 363 • Anna Gott - fundraising in Rotherham and Barnsley /AnnaBluebellWood

01909 508 109

• Hannah Saunders - fundraising in Derbyshire and Chesterfield, and out of area support /DerbyshireBluebellWood

01909 517 368

Our corporate team

Fancy getting your work involved in fundraising for local families? Our corporate team can help. From choosing us as your charity of the year, to joining our 365 Business Club, there are so many ways to get involved. Contact us to find out more: Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice 01909 517 367 corporateteam@bluebellwood.org

Fancy taking part in an event?

Whether you want to build your very own soapbox or take to the skies in our Wing Walk, we’ve got an event for you. Contact our events team using the details below: eventsteam@bluebellwood.org 01909 517 365 You can also get in touch with us on our website, www.bluebellwood.org.

I’m fundraising for What’s happening?

Where? When?

Find out more?

Get in touch with me using the contact details below

Find out how your support will make a difference to families 01909 517 360

Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice

www.bluebellwood.org

Please sponsor me to Date of event: Full name: Address: Tel:

Postcode:

Did you know that by signing up to Gift Aid you could boost the value of your donation to us by 25p for every £1 you donate at no extra cost to you? We will only use your details to claim Gift Aid. By ticking the box below you are agreeing to the following: • I want to Gift Aid my donation and any donations I make in the future or have made in the past four years to Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice. • I declare that I am a UK taxpayer and that if I pay less UK Income Tax/Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on my donations in that tax year it is my responsibility to pay any difference. • I will notify Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice if I change my name or address, no longer pay sufficient UK Income Tax/Capital Gains Tax, or if I wish to cancel my declaration. If you pay Income Tax at a higher or additional rate and want to receive the additional tax relief that is due to you, you must include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self-Assessment tax return or ask HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code.

Full name

First line of address

Mr Bluebell Wood

Children’s Hospice, Cramfit Rd S25 4AJ

Postcode Amount pledged

£ 10.00 £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £

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