Tips on running a successful fundraising event!

Use these simple suggestions to enable your event to be a fun fundraiser without being a headache!

1. Get Help. Try and find someone to help you organise the event. Two heads are better than one! Even better have a committee of family and/or friends who'll take responsibility for particular tasks.

2. What's going to happen? Decide what the main event will be. Is it a disco, a race-night, a dinner or a quiz night? If you're organising the event in memory of someone who has died on the roads, how about linking it to one of their interests? Perhaps they were part of a dance group? You could ask the dance group to perform? Perhaps they played rugby? You could organise a charity rugby match.

3. Decide on a date. Plan the event well in advance, to give you plenty of time for organisation. If you are organising the event in memory of someone who has died on the roads, perhaps you could tie the event in with a special occasion (ie their birthday, anniversary etc).

4. Be organised. Write yourself a list of all the jobs you need to do. Tick them off one by one. That way you won't forget anything.

5. Find a venue. Remember to keep it central and preferably accessible by public transport and find out how many people the venue can legally hold.

6. Think about furniture. Does the venue have tables and chairs? Or do you need to beg or borrow from somewhere? If you're having an auction do you need staging or a podium? Ask someone to be your auctioneer and have spotters to ensure you keep an eye on who is bidding - it can be chaotic!

7. Do you need refreshments? Are you having a bar? If so do you need to arrange a licence? Are you having catering? Decide now and book if necessary or ensure that the venue has the required facilities. If serving alcohol, make sure you put up posters warning against drink driving and reminding people that this is a road safety fundraiser and not to drink anything if driving. Ask someone, such as a bar, to sponsor free soft drinks.

8. Will there be entertainment? What entertainment will there be? If you're having a band or a DJ book them now! Do you need microphones, lighting? Check whether these are being provided by the performer or if you need to arrange yourself. If the event is in memory of a loved one you may like to have some of their favourite songs played.

9. Issue tickets. Don't ask people to 'just turn up on the night' because you won't know how many people you have coming. Number the tickets and get the money up-front. It's OK to have additional people paying on the door, but you need to know that you've got enough people for it to pay for itself and raise some funds. Decide on a ticket price which will cover everything you've booked i.e. venue, catering, DJ, and will still give you funds on top of that for Brake. You could also approach local companies for sponsorship of particular items like catering, so that even more of your ticket sales raise funds.

10. Keep accounts. Keep an accurate record of how much you are spending as you go along.

11. Market your event. Design posters, tickets etc. Perhaps the local printer can run them off for you at a discount (or free!) because it's for a fundraising event? Remember to include your phone number or email address for information. Contact the local newspapers and radio stations and ask them to publicise the event for you. Put posters up around the local community.

12. Use a bucket for donations. It's easier than a smaller container, notes can't fall out easily, and it encourages people to give big! It's also a great container for putting your own home-made poster on the side encouraging people to give to Brake.

13. Give prizes. If you've having a raffle or an auction, contact local companies and shops asking for donations and prizes.

14. Confirm bookings. A few days before the event, telephone the venue, the caterers, the band etc to confirm the booking and to clarify the venue details etc.

15. The day of the event. Give yourself plenty of time to get organised. Don't leave things until the last minute. Set out the venue, put the posters up, reconfirm the catering and entertainment arrangements (if necessary).

16. Enjoy yourself! Take plenty of photos or task someone to do this as you'll be busy.

17. After the event. Send thank you letters to all who donated prizes/time etc. Perhaps put a thank you in the local paper to all who attended. Send photos to Brake. Collect all monies in, pay the appropriate people. Send the remaining monies to Brake using the 'donate' button at the top of this site, or by calling +64 (0)21 407 953 to pay by credit card over the phone, or send a cheque to PO Box 133026, Auckland, 1146. Thank you!