- Macmillan Cancer Support

Start fundraising
for Macmillan today
Macmillan Cancer Support
89 Albert Embankment
London SE1 7UQ
0300 1000 200
fundraising@macmillan.org.uk
www.macmillan.org.uk
We’re thrilled to hear that you’re interested in supporting Macmillan
Cancer Support by taking part in a fundraising activity. Together we
can help change the lives of millions of people and make sure no one
faces cancer alone.
By 2020 almost one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetimes. At Macmillan, we know a cancer
diagnosis can affect everything, so we’re here to support people to take back control. And now,
thanks to your incredible efforts, we’ll be able to reach even more people who need us.
You may be keen to take on an activity for us because a loved one, friend or colleague has
been affected by cancer. Perhaps you’re getting involved because you’ve set up a tribute fund.
This is an inspiring and positive way of remembering someone and supporting Macmillan at the
same time – you can find out more at macmillan.tributefunds.com
Maybe you are organising Your Event because you simply want to help others through their cancer
journey. Whatever the reason, you can rest assured that every single pound you raise for us will help
us improve lives every single day.
Putting the ‘fun’ into fundraising
From a jolly wine tasting evening at home to a high-energy Zumbathon at your local church hall, pretty
much anything goes when it comes to fundraising activities. Whether you’re celebrating an occasion or
doing your own thing, why not pick something that’s as unique as you are? And don’t worry if you need a
hand choosing – we’ve enclosed lots of ideas to spark your imagination. In fact, every part of this guide to
organising Your Event has been designed to make your life easier. Take a look through and you’ll find lots
of handy information including:
• From auctions to Zumba® and everything in between – fundraising ideas for Your Event;
• Ask the experts – top tips for fundraising success courtesy of our super supporters;
• Supercharge your fundraising – it’s packed with practical advice;
• Your Event planner – pop it on your wall today and get organised;
• Stay legal and keep it safe – useful guidelines to follow; and
• How your money could help – read Kate, Bill and Charmaine’s stories.
Printed using sustainable material. Please recycle. Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017),
Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland. MAC15207_1114_LETTER_CATB November 2014
We’re with you every step of the way
As a member of Team Macmillan, you will receive our guidance on organising Your Event and
fundraising for it. We will be with you until the big day and beyond, and we’ve got loads of
resources that are available to you. Once you’ve decided what you’d like to do, why not head to
be.macmillan.org.uk to order from a selection of promotional materials and merchandise for
Your Event? You can also choose from hundreds of poster, flyer and invitation templates that you can
customise and print. Not only is be.macmillan.org.uk really easy to use, but it’s also absolutely free.
Make life easy and make more money
Why not set up a JustGiving page for your fundraising activity? It’s so easy and,
because it collects money from your supporters automatically, it takes all the hassle
out of rounding up your sponsorship. JustGiving will also claim Gift Aid from HMRC
on Macmillan’s behalf, just head to justgiving.com today.
And, while we’re on the subject of Gift Aid, please make sure you don’t forget about it. For every
£1 your supporters donate (provided they pay tax at the time of donation), we are able to claim
an extra 25p from the taxman. This extra money can make a huge difference to the lives of
people affected by cancer, so please do encourage your eligible supporters to say that they
are happy for us to claim Gift Aid on their donations when they fill in your sponsorship form.
You can find out more about Gift Aid, JustGiving and be.macmillan.org.uk in the
Supercharge your fundraising section of this guide to organising Your Event.
Finally, whether you need information, advice or some moral support before Your Event,
don’t forget that we are always on hand to help. Just give our Fundraising Support Centre
a buzz on 0300 1000 200 or drop us a line at fundraising@macmillan.org.uk
In the meantime, we hope you find a fundraising activity that’s just right for you and you have
a great time taking part. Thank you for choosing to support us and help people with cancer
to take back control of their lives.
Best wishes,
Claire Singlehurst
Director of Regional Fundraising
Please follow these guidelines for the different methods
you can use to pay in the money you have raised or
donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.
Head to the bank
If you’d like to make a donation in person, you can pay in cash
and cheques at the bank. For a paying in slip that you can use at
any branch of NatWest, RBS or Ulster Bank please contact our
Fundraising Support Centre. Call us on 0300 1000 200 or email
fundraising@macmillan.org.uk and make sure you leave your
details with us so that we can send you an acknowledgement letter.
Pop to the post box
Cheques made payable to Macmillan Cancer Support can be
sent by post to: Freepost RTHE-KYHB-TRTJ, Supporter
Donations, Macmillan Cancer Support, Camelford House,
87-90 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7UQ. Please make
sure you include the donation form included in the pack and don’t
forget to tell us about your amazing fundraising efforts.
Hop online
You can pay your money in to us directly at macmillan.org.uk/
youreventdonate or you can make a bank transfer or BACS payment.
Just contact the Fundraising Support Centre (you’ll find our details above)
and we’ll provide you with a reference number and our account details.
Or, why not set up a page on justgiving.com? It will collect money from
your supporters automatically and take all the hassle out of collecting your
sponsorship.
We’d absolutely love to hear about your
fantastic fundraising efforts. If you’d
like to share your experiences and help
inspire others, please drop us a line
at fundraising@macmillan.org.uk
answering these questions:
• What activity did you do for
Macmillan?
• What motivated you to fundraise
for us?
• What did you get out of taking part
in your activity?
• How would you feel about taking
part in another activity in the future?
So you’re keen to get stuck into a fabulous fundraising activity and
raise bundles of dosh for Macmillan. Super duper. The only problem
is, you’re not quite sure what you’d like to do yet. No problem.
Below are just a few fun-tastic ideas that will
provide you with some food for thought. Whether
the aim of Your Event is remembering someone,
celebrating an occasion or doing your own
thing, you’re sure to get your friends, family and
colleagues digging deep to make sure no one
faces cancer alone.
A
Auction it off
Persuade your pals to declutter their homes
and hand over their unwanted bits and bobs so
you can put them under the gavel for Macmillan.
Whether you hold the auction at the
local church hall or in your living
room, tons of fun is guaranteed.
Alternatively, you could tempt
online bargain hunters by
putting all of those CDs,
clothes and collectibles that
are gathering dust on eBay.
The great news is that eBay
allows you to automatically
donate all or part of the proceeds
of your sales to the charity of your choice, so it
couldn’t be easier. To find out how, just head to
ebay.co.uk/ebayforcharity
B
Bop at a ball
Get out your glad rags, dust off your top
hat and tails and organise a swanky night to
remember in aid of Macmillan. You can ask local
businesses for raffle prizes and fizz, and sweet talk
that friend of a friend who’s in a band to provide
the evening’s entertainment. Pumpkins and glass
slippers are optional.
Turn to the Ask the experts section of this guide
to discover Della’s top tips for organising a ball.
C
Car boot sale
Here’s a traditional Macmillan proverb:
one man’s unwanted Christmas jumper is another
man’s golfing sweater. So dig out your unloved
clothes and all of those other bits and bobs that
are clogging up your drawers and throw a car boot
sale or bring and buy sale in aid of Macmillan.
D
Dine in for Macmillan
Who needs fancy restaurants when
you can invite your friends over for dinner
and ask them to donate what they’d spend
on eating out to Macmillan? Or, if you’re
feeling ambitious, why not get a gang
together and create your own version
of Come Dine With Me? From lobster
thermidor to fish fingers, chips and beans,
you all take turns to rustle up your finest
dishes, then rate each other’s meals and vie
for the title of ‘hostess with the mostess’.
E
I
F
J
Easy gifting
Did you know that you can buy a fabulous
range of gifts and goodies from Macmillan’s
award-winning online shop? With a range of
branded products like our diary, calendar and
bags, you’ll always find the perfect presents
for loved ones and friends. It’s also the ideal
destination if you’re looking for a little
something to thank the people who have
supported your fundraising event. Just head to
macmillan.org.uk/shop to find out more.
Fancy dress
Fairies and gnomes, animals and birds,
heroes and heroines, and country and western.
When it comes to fancy dress, the options are
endless. So too is the amount of fun that you
can have whilst donning your finery, so why
not organise a fancy dress party at your place
in aid of Macmillan?
In memory
If you’re fundraising in memory of a loved
one or friend, why not take on an activity that
reflects something they
were passionate about?
From a knit-a-thon to
a comedy night, you’re
bound to come up with a
brainwave, and we’ll be
right here to support you.
Jazz night
Know some cool cats who’d love to swing
out to the smooth sounds of a jazz night for
Macmillan? Then why not organise one? Not only
will it be a great showcase for local jazz talent,
but it will also be a great way of putting brass in
Macmillan’s pocket. Nice.
K
Karaoke
Love to belt out a power ballad?
Then hold a karaoke night at your local pub
or restaurant and dazzle your pals with your
rendition of Livin’ on a Prayer. People can pay for
a party ticket, pay for each song they sing, or be
paid not to sing at all. However you choose to do
it, remember that air punches are obligatory.
G
Give it up
Got a sweet tooth? Can’t get through
a morning without a latte? Get twitchy at the
prospect of being parted from your smartphone?
Then why not get sponsored to give up your vice
for a day, a week or even a month? You can
boost your total with a self-imposed fine for when
you fall off the wagon. Alternatively you could
become a sober-hero by registering for Go Sober
for October at gosober.org.uk
H
Head shave
Change your style and shave your head
to keep cool during the summer months, or to
avoid bad hair days at any time of year. Set a
target (aim high), then take a deep breath and
brave that razor.
Turn to the Ask the experts section of this
guide to discover Becky’s top tips for taking
on a sponsored head shave.
L
Get literary
Everyone loves to lose themselves
between the covers of a literary gem, so here’s
a novel idea: set up a book sale or library at
work, at school or in your local community
centre. Ask everyone you know to donate
their old Dostoevskys, Harry Potters and Jilly
Coopers, and then sell them or lend them out
in return for a donation to Macmillan.
M
Midsummer barbecue
After a sizzling idea for summer?
Then fire up the barbie, invite your family and
friends over, get some burgers, buns, sausages,
sauces and cool drinks (cocktail umbrellas are
optional). Then all you need to do is ask for a
tasty donation for the gorgeous grub and enjoy
yourselves. Oh, and make sure you have a
full-size umbrella ready – just in case.
Q
Quiz the night away
Q. What’s guaranteed to get the grey cells
working, the perfect excuse for a pint and tons of
fun to boot?
A. A super duper pub quiz night in aid of
Macmillan. Why not organise one at your local?
Turn to the Ask the experts section of this guide to
discover Mitch’s top tips for organising a pub quiz.
R
Raffle off some goodies
A holiday to the Seychelles. A night out
with Brad Pitt. A cuddly toy. When it comes to
organising a raffle for Macmillan, the prizes can be
as extravagant as you like. And, if you’d like some
advice on how to get your paws on some prizes,
just give our friendly fundraising team a buzz on
0300 1000 200.
N
A night at the races
Giddy up and organise a horse racing
evening at a local venue or turn your living room
into a bookies and show all
the races on your TV. Get your
guests to pay to ‘bet’ on who will
cross the finish line first. It may
get a little loud and competitive
so expect horse voices all round.
Ahem.
O
Odd job day
Put on your overalls, grab your tool box
and offer to take on all of those odd jobs that
your friends and family never find the time to do.
From mowing lawns to hanging pictures and from
washing cars to cleaning ovens, go forth and get
handy, then donate your fees to Macmillan.
P
Push yourself to the limit
Keen on getting super fit and super
strong? Then why not get sponsored to take on
a sensational amount of sit-ups or a punishing
number of press-ups? Alternatively, if you live or
work in a tower block, you could ditch the lift and
get sponsored to take the stairs every day. One
thing’s for sure: you’ll make money while you
shed the pounds.
S
It’s showtime
Bring The X Factor to your local community.
After all, everyone’s got a party piece that they’d
love the chance to show off for a good cause.
Wannabe Simon Cowells can stand in judgement or
you could have a good, old-fashioned clap-o-meter.
T
True beauty
Let your natural beauty shine
through by giving up make-up for
a day, a week or even a month.
Share a snap of yourself au naturel
on Facebook each morning and
watch the cash pour in.
U
X
V
Turn to the Ask the experts section of this guide to
discover Megan’s top tips for dressing for success.
Upcoming occasions
If you have a birthday or anniversary
coming up, why not suggest to your family and
friends that instead of giving you presents, they
make a donation to Macmillan? And, if you’re
tying the knot soon, why not make your day even
more special by supporting Macmillan? To find out
the many ways in which you can do this, head to
macmillan.org.uk/weddings
Virtual tournament
Like sports but don’t want to leave the
house? Hold your own championship from the
comfort of your sofa. You won’t break a sweat and
you can ask friends and family to sponsor you to
reach your personal best. Consoles at the ready.
Xmas costume challenge
Want an innovative way to fill people full of
festive spirit and raise a sleigh-load of money for
Macmillan? Then why not get spruced up and dress
festive every single day in December? Whether
you’re an elf, a gingerbread man, a snowman
or even Santa Claus himself, you’re bound to get
plenty of attention. Be careful, though. You could
get tinsel-itis.
W
Wine tasting evening
‘A full-bodied, fruity character with
an exquisite nose and a crisp finish.’ Unleash
the wine critic within by holding a wine tasting
evening with a group of discerning friends.
You could draft in a local wine merchant to
help you train your taste buds, charge an
entry fee, and then simply quaff up a storm.
Y
Your game
Why not hold a board game tournament
featuring everything from Snakes and Ladders to
Uno®? Whether it’s at home or in your favourite
pub, it’s a great excuse to spend a lovely day
with friends and family while you raise money
for Macmillan. Ask for a donation from every
player for every game played, and why not
award glittering prizes to the winners and
packets of pork scratchings to the losers?
Z
Zumbathon
For a high-energy fundraiser, why not
encourage your local Zumba® group to take part
in a Zumbathon for Macmillan? Bust a move and
watch the money mount up.
After some further fundraising boosters? Head to be.macmillan.org.uk
and search for The little book of 101 BIG ideas or our Five marvellous
money-spinners guide – they’re choc-a-block with inspiration. Just enter
‘101 ideas’ or ‘five marvellous’ in the search field.
Printed using sustainable material. Please recycle. Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017),
Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland. MAC15207_1114_IDEAS_CATB November 2014
Who better to offer advice
on making a Macmillan
fundraising event or activity
go with a bang than some
of our super supporters?
We asked four fundraisers
who took on four very
different challenges to share
their top tips to help make
Your Event a success.
After being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in
2005, Della received physical, emotional and
financial support from Macmillan.
She wanted to make sure everyone affected by cancer
was able to benefit like she did, so she decided to give
something back by organising a ball for Macmillan.
The result was the extremely glamorous Splash of Green
charity ball. The event raised an astonishing £20,999 in
its first year and was so successful that Della has since
organised two more, and has a fourth in the pipeline.
Play to your strengths
‘Before my cancer diagnosis, I worked in marketing
and I was also the office social secretary. So, when it
came to my event, I tapped into my promotional and
organisational skills.’
Tell your story
‘I’ve found that the key to gaining support and donations
from people is to speak from the heart. I share my
cancer story and explain how much Macmillan helped
me. Your passion for Macmillan can really inspire people
to dig deep.’
Set a target
‘Before I got stuck into organising my event, I set myself
a fundraising target and worked backwards from that. It
meant I knew exactly how many tickets I needed to sell, and
I found it really useful for keeping my planning on track.’
Do your research
‘When I was organising the ball, I thought
about the ‘side-entertainment’ that always went
down well at these kinds of events. I arranged
a magician, face-painters, dancers and
comedians – the guests loved it. There was
something for everyone.’
When Becky’s friend’s mum lost her hair
during cancer treatment, Becky decided
that shaving off her own hair in solidarity
would be a great way to fundraise for
Macmillan.
Losing her long, blonde locks was a big deal but,
in order to raise as much dosh as possible, Becky
bravely decided to do it in front of everyone she
knew at a band night that she organised. Becky’s
event raised a fantastic £3,161 for Macmillan.
Tell everyone
‘I found the prospect of losing my hair a bit
scary but once I’d let everyone know what I
was doing there was no going back. It was a
great motivation.’
If you don’t ask, you don’t get
‘It’s amazing how generous local businesses can be
if you just let them know what you need. I found
that speaking face to face often gets the best
results. I ended up with a hog roast from my
local butcher’s, and 74 brilliant raffle prizes.’
Get your timing right
‘Local businesses often decide how they will be
using their resources to help charities at the
beginning of the year, so that’s the perfect time
to ask for donations.’
Use your contacts
‘Some of my old school friends are in a band, so
when I asked if they would play at the event at a
discount, they said that they would be delighted.’
As an enthusiastic Macmillan fundraiser,
Megan had always been passionate about
our work.
She was keen to take on a fundraising challenge
with a difference so, with Christmas on its way,
she vowed to get sponsored to wear a different
festive costume every day in Advent.
Her 25-day challenge saw her sporting a weird
and wonderful array of tinsel-tastic outfits to work,
to the shops, on nights out and on her daily train
commute. It certainly got people talking, smiling
and – most importantly – donating. Megan raised
a jolly superb £1,000 for Macmillan.
Dare to be different
‘The more unique and silly the challenge you take
on, the more people will be interested in what
you’re doing. Not only will that mean more money
for Macmillan, but it also means you’re more likely
to make people laugh and brighten up their day.’
Get creative with your
fancy dress
‘Fancy dress needn’t be expensive. I pieced 25
outfits together with the clothes I already had and
cheap accessories like elf ears and Santa hats.
My auntie chipped in by sending me a Christmas
tree outfit and a colleague lent me a light-up
Christmas jumper.’
Stay on brand
‘I wore a Macmillan sash over my costumes and I
found it was a great way of explaining to people
why I was dressed so strangely. It was also a great
conversation starter and a way of promoting
Macmillan’s work.’
Use your social media
superpowers
‘I set up a blog on which I posted pictures of my
outfit every day. I promoted it on Facebook and
Twitter and made sure that all my supporters could
see what I was up to.’
After sadly losing both of his parents
to cancer, Mitch was determined to do
something to thank Macmillan for the
support that his mum and dad and the
rest of his family received.
As a keen pub-quizzer, it didn’t take long for
him to work out what kind of fundraising event
he wanted to organise.
After a little research – and a lot of help from his
wife Cheryl – Mitch held his first quiz in the local
church hall. It was such a roaring success that he
did it all over again the following year and raised,
in total, an incredible £1,400 for Macmillan.
Think about the little extras
‘As well as charging people for tickets, we also
held a raffle, a bring and buy sale, a rollthe-pound-coin-closest-to-the-whiskey-bottle
competition, and we sold Macmillan pin badges
during the interval. All of these things boosted
the total.’
Ask people to bring their
own food
‘We held our event at a church hall, so we asked
people to bring their own food and drinks. Some
brought nibbles while others brought full banquets,
so there was more than enough to go around.
Hosting a fundraising event needn’t be expensive.’
Plunder your phone book
‘We texted everyone we knew and asked whether
they fancied getting a team together for the
quiz. The response was amazing. What’s more,
so many people who weren’t able to make the
event donated a tenner when they heard what
we were doing.’
Google is great
‘You don’t need to be a boffin when it comes to
creating quiz questions – just hit the internet and
type in ‘free quiz questions’. You’ll discover loads.’
It’s always a great idea to say thank you to your
supporters and the people who’ve helped out
with Your Event.
A simple thank you card – which you can order for
free at be.macmillan.org.uk – can go a long way.
These stories just give you
a flavour of the types of
fundraising activities you
can do. Whatever activity
you do, no matter how
big or small, will make a
difference to the lives of
people affected by cancer.
What’s more, if you decide to repeat Your Event again
(or take on something new), you’ll have built great
relationships for the future.
Printed using sustainable material. Please recycle. Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017),
Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland. MAC15207_1114_FRCASES November 2014
This guide has been created to help make Your Event as
successful as possible, so here’s everything you need to
know about getting the most out of your efforts.
be.macmillan.org.uk
Publicity and PR
Welcome to the wonderful world of be.Macmillan
– our fabulous website designed to support you in
your fundraising efforts.
Promoting your fundraising activity through the
media will help you shout about your efforts
and ultimately raise more money for Macmillan.
You could obtain excellent publicity in your local
media, be it local newspapers, radio stations or
even TV stations. Our fundraising team can help
advise you on gaining publicity, so if you’d like to
find out more, just get in touch with us using the
contact details shown opposite.
Visit our Ideas of the month section (enter ‘ideas
of the month’ in the search field) and discover
tons of topical fundraising ideas. Further ideas
can also be found in the fundraising ideas
section of this pack or, if you want to discuss any
ideas of your own, you can contact our friendly
fundraising team on 0300 1000 200 or at
fundraising@macmillan.org.uk
If you need an eye-catching poster to advertise
Your Event, a flyer, invitation or tickets, you can
choose from hundreds of templates. All you
need to do is add Your Event and contact details,
download it to your computer and print. Simple.
You can also check out all the great merchandise
we have to support you from t-shirts, balloons
and collection tins through to our famous green
wigs and more.
And, if you’d like to find out how other Macmillan
supporters have promoted their events using
be.Macmillan, just take a look at our videos at
be.macmillan.org.uk/supporters
Social media
If you have a Facebook page, or if you’re on
Twitter, make sure you tell your friends and
followers all about your Macmillan fundraising
efforts. Social media is a great way to keep
everyone updated. We’d love you to share your
amazing fundraising achievements with us too,
so make sure you connect with us at:
/macmillancancer
@macmillancancer
Set a target
Fundraisers often tell us that they find it helpful
if they set themselves a fundraising target – just
take a look at what Della told us in the Ask the
experts section of this pack. Not only does it help
them to stay motivated right up until the big day,
but it also helps boost the total that they raise,
so it’s definitely worth considering. After all, the
more money you raise, the more people affected
by cancer you can help.
If you fancy thanking your friends, family and
colleagues and keeping them up to speed with
your success, why not download and customise
our totaliser poster from be.macmillan.org.uk?
Just enter ‘totaliser’ in the search field.
To discover how the vital funds you raise will be
used to help people affected by cancer, take a
look at the How your money could help section.
justgiving.com
JustGiving is the easy way to raise money for
Macmillan. It makes it simple to set up your own
fundraising web page and collect donations from
friends and family online. That means no more
paper sponsorship forms.
It’s super simple to create your own page. Just go
to justgiving.com and share the link to let your
supporters see how you’re fundraising is going.
Once you’ve created your page, please let us know
so that we can help support you. And, of course,
if you need any help setting it up, please just
contact us at fundraising@macmillan.org.uk
Set up a unique text code
Why not make it even easier for people to support
you with a unique text code? It will mean that
anyone can send a donation by text and it will
be added automatically to your JustGiving total.
Genius.
Why not find out more about how the taxman
will happily give his money away to us from
you by downloading Your quick and easy
guide to Gift Aid leaflet. It’s just the thing for
explaining Gift Aid in plain English.
Log onto be.macmillan.org.uk and simply
enter ‘gift aid’ in the search field to order your
free leaflet.
Setting up a unique text code is a piece of cake.
First of all you’ll need to make sure your JustGiving
page is set up, then you just log into your account
at justgiving.com/macmillan and follow the
instructions.
Once you’ve got your code, make sure you let
everyone know about it. Pop it on all of your
fundraising materials and post it proudly on
social media.
For more information, and to download a text
giving support pack, head to justgiving.com/
justtextgiving
Gift Aid
It’s no secret. At Macmillan we love the taxman as
much as we love you and your supporters. That’s
because for every £1 the people who are sponsoring
you donate (provided they are paying tax at the time
of the donation) HMRC will give us an extra 25p
at absolutely no cost to them. So, in order for us to
magically turn every pound you raise into £1.25,
please make sure all of your supporters use Gift Aid
on their donations. If every supporter who qualifies
agrees to Gift Aid their donation, we will be able to
raise even more money to support people living
with cancer. In fact, Macmillan could raise millions
of pounds each year from Gift Aid alone.
A huge thank you
Finally we just want to let you know how grateful
we are that you’ve chosen to fundraise for
Macmillan. We hope that you will enjoy raising
money for us. We believe that no one should
face cancer alone and, with the continued
support of people like you, no one will.
Printed using sustainable material. Please recycle. Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017),
Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland. MAC15207_1114_TIPS November 2014
My event:
Whatever incredible fundraising activity you’re
organising, here are a few handy pointers to help
you get organised in the run up to the big day.
Why not slap this chart on your wall today then scribble down some notes?
Remember, if you have any questions, our friendly fundraising team are here to help –
just call 0300 1000 200 or email fundraising@macmillan.org.uk
Useful phone numbers:
Check out local venues
Shortlist your options
Confirm the date and capacity
Don’t forget to invite:
Tell your friends on Facebook
and Twitter
Customise promotional posters and
flyers using be.macmillan.org.uk
Send a press release to your local
newspapers, websites and bloggers
Send invitations to local dignitaries,
celebrities and of course your friends
Printed using sustainable material. Please recycle. Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017),
Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland. MAC15207_1114_PLANNER November 2014
Print tickets and order merchandise
from be.macmillan.org.uk
Select and book entertainment
Contact local businesses to
organise raffle prizes and food
Create a JustGiving page
Set up a unique text code (find out how
at justgiving.com/justtextgiving)
Tell your supporters to use Gift Aid
Consider raffles and bucket collections
Extra money-spinning ideas:
Don’t forget the green wigs
Thank everyone who helped with free
thank you cards from be.macmillan.org.uk
Pay in the money you’ve raised
Let us know how it went
Give yourself a pat on the back. If you
fancy doing it again, consider ideas to
raise more and make it easier.
Fundraising is all about having fun and raising money but
it’s also subject to laws and legislation. Don’t worry though
we’ve broken down this need-to-know info for you.
Collections
Food hygiene
Collections are a great way to raise money,
especially in a busy area. However if you’re
planning a collection that takes place in a
publicly owned place then this is governed
by strict legal requirements and must be licensed
by your Local Authority (Northern Ireland has
slightly different regulations).
Please take great care when handling food and
work to basic rules for safe preparation, storage,
display and cooking. No one likes a poorly
tummy, especially as a reward for raising
money for charity.
Before you approach your Local Authority for a
license, please advise us of your plans and await
approval. Licenses are not required on privately
owned land – just ensure you have the permission
of the owner or business.
Raffles and lotteries
Raffles, lotteries and prize draws are all governed
by legislation – so before holding one and
spending money on getting tickets printed,
please contact our Fundraising Support Centre.
Also, be aware that lottery laws cover any events
which are purely down to luck or chance, such
as duck or balloon races even.
Insurance
When you organise a fundraising event, you’re
responsible for making sure it poses no risk to
others. That’s why we’d recommend you take
out public liability cover for events such as a
sponsored walk or sports event. Unfortunately,
Macmillan’s own policy won’t cover you but
we can advise you about the kind of cover you
need. Just get in touch with our Fundraising
Support Centre.
Data protection
Make sure any electronic or paper records you
keep about people involved in a fundraising
event complies with the Data Protection Act.
As a rule of thumb, don’t keep information
about people any longer than you have to, and
don’t share information or data about someone
without their permission. For further details
of our Data Protection policy please refer to
macmillan.org.uk/termsandconditions/
privacypolicy.aspx
If you have any further questions, or if you
have any specific fundraising ideas you want
to discuss you can contact our friendly
fundraising team on 0300 1000 200
or at fundraising@macmillan.org.uk
Printed using sustainable material. Please recycle. Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017),
Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland. MAC15207_1114_LEGAL November 2014
Read Kate, Bill and Charmaine's
stories to see how every pound
you raise will help us make sure
no one faces cancer alone.
When Kate was diagnosed with cervical
cancer, her Macmillan nurse Vikki supported
her. Kate says it’s thanks to Vikki that she has
been able to take a positive approach to life.
When Kate’s cancer spread and her consultant said there was nothing
more he could do for her, Vikki was still there fighting Kate’s corner.
She was always on the end of the phone to answer any questions, no
matter how silly Kate thought they were. Vikki even sat and waited with
her in hospital on her day off when Kate was waiting to go in for an
examination. Kate says not many people would do that.
Kate’s aim is to make memories for her young daughter now,
and they have a list of things they want to do together as a family.
‘My Macmillan nurse Vikki stopped
me from spiralling into despair.
She caught me before I got there.’
You can watch Kate's story at
macmillan.org.uk/Kate
Macmillan relies on donations
from supporters like you for
99% of our funding
Without people like you there would be no Macmillan
nurses like Charmaine and we would not be able to
provide services to help people such as Kate or Bill.
It’s thanks to your generosity that we’re able to offer the support, energy and
inspiration that people affected by cancer need to take back control of their lives.
The figures below show what the money you raise could fund. If you wish
to set a fundraising goal, why not use these examples to demonstrate the
impact you are making in helping people affected by cancer?
£27
could pay for a Macmillan nurse for
an hour, helping people living with
cancer and their families receive
essential medical, practical and
emotional support.
£132
could fund a Macmillan cancer
information and support officer for a
day. This would mean more people
affected by cancer would have
someone to answer their questions
and talk to about their concerns.
£500
could help a father or a mother
apply for a grant for childcare
during his or her cancer treatment.
£2,026
could fund a Macmillan
rehabilitation support team for a
week, providing a range of services
including physiotherapy and diet
advice to people with cancer.
£4,393
could pay for a Macmillan nurse
for a month, helping people living
with cancer and their families
receive essential medical, practical
and emotional support.
£10,000
could lead to our cancer support
specialists on the financial support
section of our phone service help
people affected by cancer claim
£340,000 in benefits.
Bill’s wife Betty was
diagnosed with pancreatic
cancer in 2007. Sadly
doctors were unable to
remove the tumour.
While Betty was recovering from
the operation, the couple met Tony,
who went on to become their
Macmillan nurse. Bill says the
whole family became very fond
of Tony, and wouldn’t have
coped without him.
You can watch Bill’s story at
macmillan.org.uk/Bill
‘Without Macmillan
it would have been one
hell of a bad journey.’
Charmaine has been a
Macmillan cancer nurse
specialist for 14 years.
Her main role is making sure that patients
have the information they need to make
informed decisions about their treatment
and cancer journey, helping them to feel
more in control of what’s happening.
You can watch Charmaine’s story at
macmillan.org.uk/Charmaine
‘Being a Macmillan
nurse is like wearing
a badge of honour.’
Printed using sustainable material. Please recycle. Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017),
Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland. MAC15207_1114_CASES November 2014
Thank you so much for raising money for Macmillan.
Every single penny raised will help make sure no one faces cancer alone.
If you have any questions about your activity we’re here to help. Get in
touch on 0300 1000 200 or at fundraising@macmillan.org.uk
When you have cancer, you don’t just worry about what will happen to
your body, you worry about what will happen to your life. At Macmillan,
we know how a cancer diagnosis can affect everything and we’re here
to support you.
From help with money worries and advice about work, to someone who’ll
listen if you just want to talk, we’ll be there. We’ll help you make the choices
you need to take back control, so you can start to feel like yourself again.
No one should face cancer alone.
For support, information or if you just want to chat, call us
free on 0808 808 00 00 (Monday to Friday, 9am–8pm)
or visit macmillan.org.uk
Printed using sustainable material. Please recycle. Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017),
Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland. MAC15207_1114 November 2014
Printed using sustainable material. Please recycle. Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017),
Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland. MAC15207_1114_NOTES November 2014
We need your support
Please read the information below to help us benefit even more from Gift Aid.
If you require more fields on your form you could photocopy it, or alternatively
download a copy from be.macmillan.org.uk
Raise even more with Gift Aid
Using Gift Aid means that for every £1 you give,
Macmillan Cancer Support can claim back 25p
from HMRC, helping your donation go further.
This means that £100 can be turned into £125 just
so long as donations are made through Gift Aid.
Imagine what a difference that could make – and
it doesn’t cost you a thing.
So if you want your donation to go further, Gift
Aid it. The money raised from Gift Aid goes a long
way to helping Macmillan make sure fewer people
face cancer alone.
Guide to Gift Aid
Write your full name
To claim Gift Aid, the form must
be clearly completed in the sponsor’s
handwriting.
Fill in your home address
Please do not include your work
address as HMRC need to know
where you live to claim Gift Aid.
Avoid ditto marks
Unfortunately, we can’t claim Gift Aid
on your donation if ditto marks (“)
are used.
£2 could keep a Macmillan
information and support
centre stocked with free
cancer information leaflets
for an hour.
£10 spent on running our benefits
advice service could help
someone with cancer claim
£190 in entitled benefits.
£27 could pay for a Macmillan nurse
for an hour, helping people living
with cancer and their families
receive essential medical, practical
and emotional support.
Write down your donation
The most important bit – how much
would you like to sponsor someone
for their event?
Tick the Gift Aid box
If you’ve read the declaration and are
happy to include Gift Aid, please tick
the box.
Tip: please do not fill in the
form on someone else’s behalf
or as a couple.
Printed using sustainable material. Please recycle. Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604).
A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales company number 2400969. Isle of Man company number 4694F. Registered office: 89 Albert Embankment,
London, SE1 7UQ. MAC8058_0914
Please make sure you fill in all of these details.
Name
Address
Postcode
Email
Need more copies?
Simply download extras
from be.macmillan.org.uk
Phone
Event name
Please return your completed sponsorship form to:
Freepost RTHE-KYHB-TRTJ, Supporter Donations, Macmillan Cancer
Support, Camelford House, 87-90 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7UQ
Make every £1 worth 25p more at no extra cost to you
It’s just a little box to tick, but Gift Aid makes a huge difference when it
comes to how much money we can raise to support people affected by cancer.
Title
Initials
Surname
House name
or number
Postcode
Date paid
Your
donation
Mrs
J
Smith
CR1 3FG
26.04.13
£10.00
Mr
P
Johnson
321 A
26.04.13
£15.00
65
GU3 2SQ
Gift Aid
(please tick)
k)
(Please fill in your name and home address in your own writing – otherwise we can’t claim Gift Aid.)
Total
Date paid to charity
Your Gift Aid declaration: By ticking the Gift Aid box, I confirm that I am a UK taxpayer and I would like Macmillan Cancer Support to treat
this donation as a Gift Aid donation. I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for the current tax year
(6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate
to will reclaim on my gifts for the current tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand the
charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I have given.
By submitting this form you agree to us recording your details on our database, so we can provide you with the best possible support every time you contact us. We will also contact
you from time to time by phone, email, text or post to tell you about how we can support you and how you can get involved with our team. Your details will be kept securely and
only shared with our suppliers or partners who work on our behalf or with us to deliver and improve services for people affected by cancer. We never sell or swap your details
with third parties. If you prefer us not to use your details in this way, you can email contact@macmillan.org.uk, telephone 0300 1000 200, or write to us at Macmillan Cancer
Support, 89 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7UQ.
Please use this form when sending us money you’ve raised through Your Event
Title (Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms/Other)*
Name*
Home address*:
Postcode*
Telephone number
Email address
* Fields marked with an asterisk must be completed
Please let us know if your circumstances or address details change so that we can amend our records. If you are happy
for us to contact you in the future, about our work (including fundraising) by phone or email, please tick here □
Please return this form with your gift to:
FREEPOST RTHE-KYHB-TRTJ,
Supporter Donations, Macmillan Cancer Support
Camelford House, 87-89 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7UQ
Thank you for helping people living with cancer by supporting our work.
Please make your*
Cheque  Postal order  Charity voucher 
Payable to Macmillan Cancer Support
OR you can debit your
Visa  Mastercard  Switch/Maestro 
Card number
Security number
Valid from date
Card expiry date
Issue number (Switch/Maestro only)
Please tell us about Your Event, for example what you did:
If you’ve used Gift Aid forms you can enclose these too.
By submitting this form you agree to us recording your details on our database. We may contact you about how we can support you
and how you can get involved. Your details will be kept securely and only shared with our suppliers or partners.
If you prefer us not to use your details in this way please call 0300 1000 200.