Fundraising FAQs

If you can’t find the answer below, please do contact us!

It seems like you have to fundraise for such large amounts of money, how can I possibly make a difference?

We need to raise in excess of £9 million a year. Every single event, donation and offer of support will help us to achieve this. We cannot care for over 2,000 local people every year without the wonderful things that the local community does to fundraise for us. Please get in touch with one of the team to find out how we can make the most money (and therefore help the largest number of people) possible from your ideas!

I really want to do some fundraising for Pilgrims Hospices. Who do I contact and when?

If you have any questions at all or need any fundraising materials, please call our fundraising offices:

For Canterbury please call 01227 812621
For Ashford please call 01233 504111
For Thanet please call 01843 233934

Please contact us - even at the early planning stage we’d love to hear from you.

Help – I can’t think of anything original to do!

Simple fundraising ideas work best. Why not try fundraising ideas that you or your friends have done before, or that you know work well? Ask around to see what has worked well for others or have a look at our A to Z of ideas.

Can I have a sponsorship form please?

Call us and we’ll send you one in the post, or you can download one here.

Download a Sponsorship form

Will it cost me or my sponsors any more to Gift Aid donations?

No. We claim Gift Aid direct from the Government. There are a few rules: the donation must be from an individual and they must be a UK taxpayer who has paid the equivalent amount or greater in tax, in the year of the donation. Please encourage anyone who has sponsored you to tick Gift Aid if they meet this criteria – it can add at least 25% extra to the donation, making reaching your fundraising target much easier. However we cannot claim Gift Aid on donations from companies, raffle tickets, sale of goods or entry ticket sales.

I want to help but I don’t get out much. What can I do?

Why not keep a jar by the telephone and collect your loose change to send in? Every penny helps!

How much do you spend on administration?

Over 80p in every pound you raise goes directly on patient care.

Will you tell the newspapers about what I’m doing?

We can give you advice on how to contact your local media and what information they would like to know about your event. The more unusual the event the better! A good photograph of your event will also help with publicity.

Will cloakroom tickets be ok for my raffle?

Only if they are sold on the same day as the draw. For advance tickets sales you need to produce printed raffle tickets via the hospice showing our charity number and promoter’s name – please call one of the team for advice.

Do I need public liability insurance for my event?

Check with the venue first to see if their insurance will cover the activity you plan to hold. Depending on the type of event you intend to hold, it may be that our insurance will cover you. You may have to do a risk assessment. Please call one of the team for a chat if you need any help. You can also download our Risk Assessment Template.

Can I hold a street collection?

Yes. You will need to contact the local council to get a licence and you will need to get official collecting cans and buckets from us. Please call us for help.

What promotional materials can you give me to help publicise my event?

Take a look at our promotional materials page for downloadable poster templates and details of other items we can provide. If you let us know what you are doing we can put your event on our website and social networking sites as well.

Do I need a licence to have alcohol at my event?

Check with the venue you are using first – they may have a licence in place. You will need to contact the local council if they don’t.

I want to approach companies for prizes or sponsorship – do I need to tell you?

Yes please! We need to know of any companies that you approach as this ensures that should the company contact us we can confirm that the approach is genuinely for us. We can provide you with a letter acknowledging that you are holding an event in aid of us.

Why do you send out postal appeals/newsletters? Isn’t it a waste of money?

Appeals and newsletter are a good investment. The reason we do this is because many of our supporters wish to make ad hoc gifts in addition to their regular support. It only takes a small number of people to respond to make an appeal worthwhile. At the same time, even if supporters are unable to respond, we hope they will find the letter interesting and informative.

We send out newsletters because we do think it is important for our regular supporters to feel involved in the work that we are able to do with their generous support.

How do I ensure that I’m acting legally?

If you are unsure about anything please contact one of the team for advice. Here are some of the examples of the sorts of things you need to bear in mind:

Please do not collect money door to door without a licence – it is illegal.
If your fundraising involves collecting money or selling goods in a public place, you need to obtain permission and a licence from your local authority.
Where events take place on private property you must obtain permission from the landowner or manager.
You must have printed tickets if you are planning on selling raffle tickets in advance of an event. Please contact one of the team for advice.
If you are supplying food and drink, you are responsible for seeing that it is deemed fit and safe, even if the public aren’t paying for it. The Food Safety Act (1990) covers all food prepared for public consumption – including raffle prizes, free ice creams and buffets.

Do you have any recommendations for safety?

Pilgrims Hospices cannot accept responsibility for accidents. Please check with the venue and/or other suppliers you are using to ensure there is good insurance cover or speak to one of our team about using ours. You will need to assess the risk involved in any activity you undertake – our team can provide a Risk Assessment Template or you can download one.

Download the Risk Assessment Template

If you are going to be carrying money around please be careful and think about your personal security. Always use a safe route and always be accompanied and/or carry a personal alarm.

Always ensure that children are safe and that you do not allow them to solicit money or collect money alone without an adult.

Where can I hand in my donation/sponsorship money?

You can come in to any of the three Hospices (Thanet, Canterbury or Ashford) and hand it in to one of the volunteers on reception where they will give you a receipt. The receptions are open from 9am to 7pm everyday.

Who do I make cheques out to?

Pilgrims Hospices

My event is happening this weekend. When shall I get the money to you by?

We would like you to send in any money you raise ideally within 30 days.

Can I claim back any costs involved in holding an event?

Try to keep costs low so that the money you raise is all profit! Hand in all the money you raise with costs taken out.

What is your charity number?

293968

I would like to make a complaint about Pilgrims Hospices fundraising. How do I go about this?

Pilgrims Hospices is committed to providing excellent palliative care to the people of east Kent. We are dependent on our voluntary funding through fundraising and we are committed to the highest standards. We operate within fundraising guidelines set down by the Charity Commission, the Institute of Fundraising and the Fundraising Standards Board and we strive to ensure that all our fundraising activity is open, fair, effective and honest.

Step 1. Please contact our Supporter Services team. You can telephone on 01227 782062 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday, contact us online, or write to Supporter Services, Pilgrims Hospices, 56 London Road, Canterbury, Kent CT2 8JA.

Step 2. If your complaint hasn’t been resolved and you would like to make a formal complaint please contact us online or write to Chief Executive, Pilgrims Hospices, 56 London Road, Canterbury, Kent CT2 8JA.

If you make a formal complaint about our fundraising activity you should expect to hear from Pilgrims Hospices within 20 working days of receipt. If it is not possible to give a full response then an interim response will be sent by the Chief Executive informing you of the progress which has been made. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome then you may ask for it to be referred for further consideration by the trustees.

If you are not satisfied with this outcome or further review you may refer the matter directly to the Fundraising Standards Board, Hampton House, 20 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7JT.

Email this page to a friend | Print this page

In Support Pilgrims