Keeping it legal

For some events, you may need to get permission to hold the event first, either from the owner of the property and/or the local authority.

For some events, you may also need to notify your local authority of what your event involves and in certain cases get a licence. These events include but are not limited to:

• Events where you are consuming or selling alcohol.
• Events where there is live or recorded music.
• Events where there is entertainment provided, including showing a film.
• Indoor sporting events such as boxing or wrestling matches.
• Cash / bucket collections.
• Events where you will be erecting signage in public areas.
• Running competitions or lotteries.

If you are planning an event that includes any of the above please give our Supporter Care team a call on 0300 330 0740. We are more than happy to provide appropriate advice and support.

The Health & Safety At Work Act 1974 applies to volunteers as well as paid staff. Think about how your event could be harmful to organisers, guests, volunteers and the public, and then assess how you can minimise these risks.

Make sure your venue is suitable for your event, and consider parking, capacity, telephone connectivity, safety marshals and emergency access etc.

It is important you risk assessing your event /activity. Risk assessments consider what could cause you - or anyone else involved with or attending your event - harm, and checking you have taken the relevant steps to prevent harm.

Things to consider when thinking about risk assessing your event include but aren’t limited to:

• What is your event e.g. cake sales are low risk but ‘higher’ risk events could include fun runs, bike rides, inflatable bouncy castles etc.
• How many people are likely to attend; children, elderly, disabled access etc.
• Location / venue; access, facilities etc.
• Considerations for bad weather.
• Experience of volunteers.
• Welfare and first aid provision.

If you are moving items around make sure that you are not lifting anything too heavy, or anything that obscures your view, for information on proper lifting techniques check out the Health and Safety Executive.

If you plan to invite the general public to your event then it’s important to check if the venue you are using has Public Liability Insurance in place. If not, you might have to organise this yourself.

If you’re holding your event in your home, check that your own insurance will cover this too.

If you’re unsure please don’t hesitate to contact our Supporter Care team on 0300 330 0740.

You should have adequate emergency and first aid procedures for your type of event. At the very least, you should ensure you have a first aider, some emergency contact numbers and a well-stocked first aid box to hand.

Depending on the size of your event you might need to consider having more first aid support in place. You can get advice from St John Ambulance or the British Red Cross . If you have any queries about what First Aid provision your event should have please get in touch with our Supporter Care team on 0300 330 0740.

Raising funds for the Stroke Association is key to any successful fundraising event, but it’s important to make sure you’re doing it legally.

If you organise a collection in a public place you’ll need a license from the local authority, or the Metropolitan Police if you’re in Greater London. If it’s on private property, you’ll need permission from the owner.

You must ensure you abide by any rules relating to cash collections if you have been supplied a license to do so by a local authority.

For information on getting permission to collect see government websites for England and Wales , Scotland and Northern Ireland and if you need any further advice please contact our Supporter Care team on 0300 330 0740.

When handling cash, please ensure that you have plans in place to stay safe. When collecting /taking payments, make sure that the cash is secure by using a cash box with a lock or a sealed collection bucket.

Wherever possible please have two people available to count or transport cash. Choose busy and well-lit routes if you do need to transport the cash and try to conceal it – don’t carry it in a Stroke Association labelled bucket or collection box.

If you are ever confronted by someone demanding the money, do not put up a fight, simply hand over the money and report it to the police and our Supporter Care team on 0300 330 0740 as soon as possible.

With the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), it is important that you take care of the personal data (information) that is collected. It is important that you only collect information that you really need. If you do need to collect information for your event, you must:

• Ensure that it is held in a safe place.
• Not share it with other people.
• Not use it for any purpose other than your event.
• Make suitable plans to securely destroy the information once it is no longer needed.

For information on how we store and use personal data please see our privacy policy on our website. If you have any questions regarding your fundraising and GDPR, please contact our Supporter Care team on 0300 330 0740.

There are strict legal requirements about the organisation of raffles, lotteries and prize draws. More information about these rules can be found at the Gambling Commission.

As a general rule, if you are planning a raffle or other game of chance (such as a tombola) as part of an event, and tickets will only be sold at that event, you would not require a licence for this.

If you wish to sell tickets in advance, or to people not attending the event, this would require a licence. As an alternative, you could hold a prize draw instead.

It is not possible for our supporters to use the Stroke Association’s raffle licence.

If you’re unsure whether or not you need a licence, or if you would just like some further guidance please contact our Supporter Care team on 0300 330 074.

Make sure children and at-risk adults are properly looked after.

You will need to have permission from a parent or guardian for any child to take part in your event. Please note that children under 16 are not able to collect donations or sell lottery/raffle tickets without adult supervision.

Where adults will be looking after children, consider whether you need to carry out appropriate checks. See the Government's Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) information for more guidance.

Please make sure you always have a plan in place in the event of a lost child.

According to the Law Commission’s definition, an at-risk adult is defined as being a person who: ‘is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself against significant harm or exploitation’. It is important that you ensure that everyone is safe, both physically and mentally, at your event.

Keeping everyone safe at your event is vitally important, especially when it comes to food hygiene. The Food Standards Agency provides guidelines you should use on preparing, handling, cooking and storing food. All food handlers should also read the NHS tips on the Prevention of Food Poisoning .

If there is BBQ food, follow the guidelines of the Food Standards Agency leaflet, Beat the Barbeque Bugs .

If you’re using a caterer, you must ensure that they have a food hygiene certificate and public liability insurance – you should ask for a copy of these before the event takes place.

If you are planning to take photos at your fundraising event, especially if inviting members of the general public, you will need to make attendees aware. In some cases, you might ask people to sign a waiver if you plan to use photography of them after the event. If people don’t want their picture taken, you may give them the chance to move to a part of the event where photos will not be taken.

If you are using external suppliers and/or contractors for equipment or service provision at your event, please make sure you have checked they are a reputable business. You should also ask to see a copy of their public liability Insurance and their risk assessment for the service they are providing you.

If you’re using tables and shelving, please check the stability and strength of them before using.

If you are using electrical equipment, make sure it is in good repair and operated by people who are competent to use it. It must be tested and passed as safe to use, and you must ensure that all trailing cables are safely secured at all times.

If you’re going to publicise your event with posters or on social media etc. please ensure that all materials specify that it is ‘in aid of’ Stroke Association.

Please do not use the Stroke Association logo or other images without first obtaining our written permission to do so. We may wish to see and approve your materials before we allow our logo to be added to it.

If you need any materials to help publicise your event please contact our Supporter Care team on 0300 330 0740.

Thanks for taking the time to ensure that your event is legal, safe and fun! If you need any other help with your fundraising idea or event please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our Supporter Care team on 0300 330 040.