Staying Legal and Safe
There are several laws relating to charitable giving and fundraising and we have listed below some important information to consider before your event.
Paperwork - you must ensure that all paperwork includes our name, charity number & company limited number - Wessex Heartbeat Registered Charity No. 1116510; Company Limited by Guarantee No. 5924982. For a copy of our logo, please contact the fundraising team.
Collections - to collect on private properties (pubs, shopping centres....) you only need the permission of the owners or management, but to collect in public places, a special license is needed. Applications are coordinated through us so please call us and we will be glad to advise you. Whenever a collection takes place, properly sealed and labelled collection boxes and tins must be used - we can supply these. We can also provide letters authorising your fundraising.
Raffles - raffles are closely regulated, therefore the only raffle which can take place without a license is one where the tickets are sold and drawn on the same day and are not pre sold outside of the event. Public lotteries and raffles must be registered with the local authority - https://www.southampton.gov.uk/licensing/fundraising/default.asp or the Gambling Commission - http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/UploadDocs/publications/Document/Lotteries%20Leaflet.pdf.
First Aid - whatever your event, ensure you have adequate emergency and first aid procedures, you can always contact your local Red Cross - http://www.redcross.org.uk/ or St Johns Ambulance - http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/ for advice.
Venue - It is important to check that the venue has suitable facilities for your event, check lighting, sanitary facilities and fire exits as a minimum.
Money - Keep money in a lockable box and always take care of your personal security when carrying money. Your safety is paramount. After the event, bank the proceeds and send a cheque payable to Wessex Heartbeat to the address on our contact page.
(N.B. Wessex Heartbeat cannot accept responsibility for any injury, loss or damage sustained as a result of fundraising for the charity.)
