Before your event 

Find your support team. Before you start planning your event, you might want to consider who may be able to support you. Organising any event can involve a huge variety of tasks! Make sure you have people around to assist and support so that your event is a great success. You may know friends and family with design skills, budgeting skills or who are able to access free resource. Make sure you utilise these.  

Location, location, location. Make sure you choose a venue that suits your event and is fit for purpose. Check the venue has the relevant permissions and licences to hold your event, read our Keep it Safe Keep it Legal fact sheet for further information. 

Choose a date! The date of your event may heavily depend on your venues availability but do consider days you may want to avoid so you don’t clash with any major events that may detract from yours.  

Create a budget. Try to create a budget and calculate any expenses well in advance and consider alternative ways these could be covered or reduced. 

Share your plans with Sands Make sure to complete the fundraising registration form on the Sands website. We can support you with your event, send you materials and give you access to extra fundraising resources.  

Promotion. Spread the word far and wide, to friends, family and more. Share posters, leaflets and posts on social media. Advertise in newsletters, magazines and on the radio if you can! Do have a look at community and public calendars to see if you can list your event on these types of platforms too. 

Create a fundraising page and QR code. Less and less people are carrying cash, do consider creating a fundraising page, alongside a QR code. If you set up a fundraising page on JustGiving you will also get a unique QR code. Make sure you display this at your event. 

During your event 

Fundraise. Keep fundraising at the forefront of your mind. Keep encouraging those attending the event to get involved with as much as they can to help raise money for Sands.  

Talk about Sands. If you are comfortable doing so, talk about your connection to the charity and the difference Sands makes supporting bereaved families and saving babies lives. Tell your supporter what their gift can help to do. We have a shopping list we can share that will show the impact funds can make. 

Have fun! Whilst you have worked hard to create your event, remember to take a moment to enjoy and celebrate your success. 

After the event  

Total up your fundraising. If you have cash donations, we recommend paying these on to your fundraising page, it’s the easiest way to collate your fundraising. Not only is it easy for team Sands to see the amount you have raised but it is also visible to all who supported your event. For alternative options please read our Paying In form. 

Remember to say thank you. Make sure to thank people who attended, to venue staff and volunteers, thank everyone who has helped make your event a success and share with them the final total raised!