Directors: Dean Barnes, Phil Bowyer, Rachel Bowyer, Jo Douwes, Barbara McLean, Ross Nevette
Soul Action is registered as a charity in South Africa as NPO: 076–225 and PBO: 930 033 937.
50 Fundraising Ideas towards an excellent, affordable, and all-inclusive school
www.gamechangers.school | [email protected]
CONTENTS
i
01 CURRENT SITUATION
02 VISION AND VALUES
03 50 FUNDRAISING IDEAS
12 PLANNING YOUR FUNDRAISING INITIATIVE FROM A-Z
18 BANKING DETAILS, GIFT AID MAXIMISING THE MONEY
19 EVENT & SPONSORSHIP GIFT AID DECLARATION FORMS
20 PRINTABLE INDIVIDUAL GIFT AID DECLARATION FORM
Copyright © 2016 by Phil & Rachel Bowyer
All rights reserved. This pack or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner
whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief
quotations in a book review.
First Published in the Republic of South Africa, 2016.
Suite 214, Private Bag X0014, Ballito 4399, KwaZulu Natal. South Africa.
email: [email protected]
INTRODUCTION
© 2016 PHIL & RACHEL BOWYER – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
1/19
WHY IT IS TIME FOR A NEW APPROACH
THE CURRENT SYSTEM OF EDUCATION
If you are a parent and you would like your child to access quality education in South Africa you are
going to have to pay for it – if you’ve got more money, you have a better education (Dr Gallie, 2015).
South African schools are currently ranked 5 to 1, by government, based on the wealth of the
community in which they are located. Level 5 schools are generally located in the most well-resourced
communities, whereas Levels 1-3 are located in the economically poorest communities. Even though
more than 20 years have passed since the end of Apartheid, a system that segregated education by
race, Level 5 schools remain just over 60% ‘white’ whilst Level 1-3 schools are over 95% ‘black’ African.
With only about 2-5% of the South African population able to afford the fees required to attend the
country’s top schools, just over 90% of South Africa’s 11 million school aged children currently attend
low or non-fee paying government schools, where the quality of education children receive is low.
Children in the poorest schools are being taught half as much as children attending the wealthier,
former ‘white-only’ schools (3.5 hours teaching per day, compared to 6.5 hrs teaching per day).
OUR FIVE* APPROACH TO EVERY CHILD
Since Soul Action believes that every child, from every economic and racial background, deserves
equal opportunity to fulfil their God-given potential, we intend to overcome some of the current
barriers to an excellent, affordable, and inclusive / integrated education, in the following ways:
Excellence: multi-sensory teaching that caters for the whole child, when combined with strong
leadership, careful staff recruitment and ongoing personal development, leads to excellence
Affordable: a sliding scale for fees – based on each family’s household income – will mean every
child, regardless of their culture, race, wealth, will be able to access the school and its facilities
Inclusive: just as income linked fees opens up the possibility of greater integration, the school's
proximity to homes of families from different economic and racial backgrounds
RAISING ‘GAME CHANGERS’ IN 2017
Soul Action is offering you the opportunity to partner with us in making an excellent, affordable and
inclusive education a new reality, by pledging to raise £1000 as an individual, or by organising others.
This ideas pack will assist you as plan as many fundraising events as you require to reach your target
of £1000 by Christmas 2017. With all the funds in place Soul Action intends to acquire the equivalent
of five 4000m2 football (soccer) fields, each costing in the region of £72,000 GBP per field (R1.2m ZAR).
1/16
INTRODUCTION
© 2016 PHIL & RACHEL BOWYER – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
2/19
OUR VISION AND VALUES
Soul Action believes that high quality education increases the opportunities
that every child should have to make a positive contribution to society,
to have better job prospects and to have economic independence.
In contrast “...inequalities in terms of school quality can undermine efforts
to reduce earnings and income inequality” (Branson et al. 2012, p.12).
Research shows that, “If we provide a variety of pathways for learning to
occur, we are more likely to reach all students and each is more likely to
grasp the concept” (Knowledge to Action Guide, 2014). As well as a platform
to develop knowledge, understanding and skills, the classroom provides
opportunities to grow holistically, “…in wisdom, and in stature and in favour
with God and people” (Lk 2:52). Since all children learn differently, our multi-
sensory approach caters for visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learners.
In response to South Africa’s current education system, which, “…dictates
that if you’ve got more money, you have a better education” (Dr Gallie,
2015), Soul Action proposes an approach where every child benefits from
better education, a new model where the standards are high for everyone,
because everyone pays the same percentage of their families’ income –
similar the principle of tithing that operates in many Christian churches.
Soul Action believes that South African children, from different economic,
cultural and racial backgrounds, learning side-by-side in a multicultural
school, from a young age, offers a catalyst towards a more integrated society.
As children have the opportunity to learn and understand about different
cultures together they can appreciate and develop a respect for each other.
Soul Action’s co-founder and director, Rachel Bowyer, has over 20 years
combined teaching experience, both in the UK and South African education
systems. She has a BEd Hons in Music and Mathematics, a Post Graduate
qualification to teach adults and children with Specific Learning Difficulties,
and a Distinction in Education at Masters level. In 2010 Rachel’s work with
non-fee paying government schools was recognised by JET when she received
a community Education Award for school-level programmes of excellence.
Excellent
Holistic
Affordable
Inclusive &
integrated
Strong
Leadership
FUNDRAISING IDEAS
© 2016 PHIL & RACHEL BOWYER – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
3/19
50 FUNDRAISING IDEAS Feel free to utilise the ideas contained within this pack directly, or to inspire you as you
consider, plan, publicise and host as many fundraising events as you require to reach your
target of £1000 in 2017. On behalf of Soul Action and South Africa’s children – thank you!
1. Aerobics-athon – organise a once off timed event or a regular weekly aerobics class,
with the goal of improving yours and others’ flexibility, muscular strength, cardio-
vascular fitness, and of course raising funds. You will need to think about a suitable
instructor, gym mats or flooring, music and space. Gather friends, get fit and raise £££’s
for the school by asking for a voluntary donation and / or seeking sponsorship.
2. Art and / or photographic exhibition – are you a budding artist or belong to an art club?
Or maybe you see yourself as more of an appreciator of art, but with the ability to
organise creative-types? Consider staging an exhibition, that either celebrates local
talent or highlights a certain theme. Given enough notice artists, designers or
photographers may wish to create new pieces. Be creative about how you raise funds,
for example, ask artists to donate works to sell or ask the public for a donation to enter.
3. Auction – some say that if you haven’t used something in the last six months you
probably don’t need it. Well, six months may not take into account the impact of
seasons on what we use or wear, but if you haven’t seen or picked something up in over
a year it is definitely time to let it go. Imagine what treasures lie dormant in your attic,
cupboards or under the bed, then multiple that by the number of colleagues or friends
you have, and you have a potential charity auction on your hands. Add some higher
value items, like donations from local companies, sports clubs, or expertise like advice
or training and you have an auction the whole community won’t want to miss out on.
4. Bag packing – if you know your fresh fruit and veg from your dairy, or even your breads
from your bottles and cans, why not consider visiting your local supermarket(s) and
asking if they would allow you and a team of willing volunteers to pack shoppers’ bags.
Speak to the store manager, explain
the vision and values behind the
school, and ask if they’d be willing to
support your fundraising efforts –
either in this way or maybe they will
even have other ideas on how to
raise £1000. Ask family and friends
to sponsor you per bag, or ask the
manager if they would be
comfortable in you asking for
donations from customers –
remembering that every little helps!
FUNDRAISING IDEAS
© 2016 PHIL & RACHEL BOWYER – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
4/19
5. Barbeque – spot a break in the weather and organise a bbq, barbie, or if you’re proudly
South African, a braai. In addition to steak and boerewors (sausage), homemade patties
(burgers) and pork bangers (sausages), South African side dishes include biltong,
butternut, chakalaka (spicy vegetable relish), cheesy garlic bread, braaied potatoes,
creamy potato gratin, mieliepap (maize porridge) and sweetcorn. Remember dietary
requirements such as gluten free, halal and vegan if you plan to invite the community.
Be bold, ask the local butcher or supermarket to donate food, consider whether asking
for donations for food or charging for each item will maximise your fundraising efforts.
6. Bike ride / cycle race – next time you’re thinking about a casual Sunday afternoon cycle,
don’t just ‘think bike’ but ‘think bigger’ by inviting your friends, family, colleagues or
wider community to join you in a sponsored cycle. Or perhaps you take your cycling
seriously and regularly compete in races – Mountain, Road or Single Speed – then, why
not put all that effort and energy to even better use by raising some £££s as you pedal!
7. Book club – have you or your colleagues, friends, neighbours ever considered forming
your own book club? Well 2017 is the ideal year to start! Things to consider include
which day / evening and time you’ll meet each month or week, the location and
atmosphere you want to create – especially how to include everyone and facilitate good
discussion – people’s passion and how that might influence whether you look for titles
amongst Critics Circle, Firecracker, Nebula and Hugo and Pulitzer prize winners, or where
the group has specific interests. Ask members for a donation each time you meet.
8. Book sale – what to do with all your books once they have been read? Why, a book sale,
of course! Put out a plea for book donations and set up a book stand or a book sale
outside your home or at your local community hall. Ask for donations per book / bag.
9. Bring and buy – exactly what it sounds like; you beg or borrow a space, badger people
you know to bring something they are willing to donate, broadcast it to the wider local
community, and before they leave you encourage them to buy a bargain and bag up with
more than they came with. It is sure to bring in a healthy profit for the school.
FUNDRAISING IDEAS
© 2016 PHIL & RACHEL BOWYER – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
5/19
10. Cake sale – bake as many cakes as you can, or better still get your colleagues, friends,
family to bake as many cakes as they can, and sell at a central location. You could even
turn it into a Bake-off type competition if you like, selling the winners (and losers) cakes
either to the highest bidder or suggest a donation. A cake sale can be an event all by
itself or it could be a stall as part of a bigger event celebrating local creativity and taste.
11. Car boot – clear out your attic, garage or spare room and drive whatever you haven’t
used for a while down to your local boot sale. Be prepared to get there really early and
don’t be surprised to find bargain hunters ready and waiting to root through your loot
even before you get chance to open your boot. If there aren’t any car boot sales locally,
speak to the local and relevant authorities about organising your own at your church,
school or the local community centre. Think about asking for a donation from every car.
12. Car wash – do you live on one of those streets that is blessed with parked cars, bumper
to bumper, on both sides? Well, sometimes fundraising involves spotting the
opportunities that present themselves nearest to you; so whether it is your neighbours,
teachers, supermarket shoppers, the office block or passers-by, you could literally clean
up by asking for donations or sponsorship to wash as many cars as you can in a
weekend. Explain what a good cause it is as people wait for their wash and polish.
13. Coffee morning – organise some quality Fairtrade beverages, biscuits or cakes, and
invite family and friends around for a cuppa and a chin wag. You could show the Game
Changers film, available at https://youtu.be/pRIu8A2szDs to stimulate educational
debate or facilitate a discussion on dreams. Either ask for donations there and then, or
perhaps some people will be inspired to organise their own year of events to raise funds.
14. Dancing – whether you see no harm in barn dancing or you’re strictly ballroom, organise
a sponsored dance-athon that raises funds by the hour, minute or per song. Or how
about a competition, with a panel of experts commenting and scoring, and maybe an
audience that donates funds for every vote they cast to keep people dancin’ or out.
Perhaps you’d prefer something a bit more social, if so, why not consider a ceilidh, rave
in the nave or a 70’s night, where you ask for donations from dancers on the door.
15. Dress down / up day – store away that school uniform, save the suit and ditch the posh
dress, in favour of your most colourful, outrageous or comfiest outfit. You could
organise a once off event where people donate to dress up or pare down, or consider
picking a day and push for a monthly or even weekly event. Imagine every Tuesday for
Trainers (Tekkies in South Africa), or Wellie Wednesday (gumboots in South Africa),
Thursday would become furs-day (choose your African animal print?), and Friday, in
preparation for the weekend, would have to be about the Football (soccer) shirts.
FUNDRAISING IDEAS
© 2016 PHIL & RACHEL BOWYER – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
6/19
16. Dinner party – invite your friends, family, neighbours to join you for dinner, asking them
to donate what they would expect to pay for the same meal at a local restaurant, or – if
you’re cooking with confidence – as much as they think the meal is worth. If you’d like
an African ‘flavour’ to your dinner party, see Idea 5 for inspiration on the different types
of food you could serve. If you’re feeling really adventurous, you could organise what is
known as a ‘safari’ dinner, where people travel to different homes for each course.
17. Dish washing – before the days of automatic dish washers there was such a thing as
washers of dishes, a communal tradition utilising H2O, soap suds and a second person
as a dryer-upper. In honour of what is fast becoming a lost art, why not offer to wash
the dishes every evening for a year and see what your parents will pay you in return; it
must be worth at least a £ a day! If you must use an automatic dish washer, you could
always offer to stack, empty and put away every day for a reasonable price of course.
18. Dog walking – ask around, see if your neighbours have hounds that need walking for
£££s on a regular basis. It’s a win win win: local pooches get exercised, you get exercise,
and as a result African school children get access to some quality cognitive exercise!
19. Easter – organise a supervised session for local children where they decorate, dye or
paint blown or hard boiled eggs. Ask each child’s parents for a financial donation and
keep your costs down by asking people to donate whatever equipment you may need.
20. Egg hunt – Ask colleagues, friends, family, or local businesses and shops, to donate foil
wrapped chocolate eggs of various sizes, or plastic eggs filled with sweets and treats.
Hide the eggs, in or out doors. Offer official collection baskets; for a donation of course.
21. Fashion – put your creative talent to the test and let the catwalk raise the rest by
inviting individuals with a creative flare – from your office, school or wider community
– to contribute to a fashion show. Be creative about how you raise awareness and
funds, e.g. approach local art and design students and commission designs that
highlight the value of education, or ask local designers to donate items to auction off.
Local boutiques could be invited to show their latest designs – for a donation or course,
or members of the pubic could donate on the door to see what’s hot on the high street.
22. Five-a-side football – challenge friends or local community groups like builders,
firefighters or shopkeepers, to a five-a-side tournament as part of a football fundraiser.
Teams could be sponsored by the number of goals, tackles, clean sheets. They could
simply pay to play and / or you could charge fans a fee to see. Who wouldn’t want to
make a substantial donation to see the local High School students take on the Teachers?
Just make sure you also have a team of medics, both to play and to patch up any injuries!
FUNDRAISING IDEAS
© 2016 PHIL & RACHEL BOWYER – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
7/19
23. Games night – cut the console, tie down the tablet and lock up the laptop for a once
off or monthly games night. Loan a load of board game and ask gamers for a donation
to enter your celebration of traditional games, such as backgammon, cards, checkers,
chess, Cluedo, Connect4, dominos, Monopoly, Operation, Pictionary, Risk, Scrabble,
Settlers, Uno, Yahtzee, to name a few. You could plan a single evening, one night a
month dedicated to a single game, or give people time to play multiple games by setting
up a circuit of games that take more or less the same length of time to play.
24. Garage sale – is your garage full of everything but the kitchen sink and the car? Do you
love to hoard, just in case it might be needed in the never near future? Well now it is
needed, but to sell rather than to use! Organise a single garage sale at your home, or
multiple garage sales the length and breadth of the street, if you want to go big big big!
Don't forget to advertise in the community using flyers, posters and maybe even a
newspaper article highlighting your efforts and the great cause you are cleaning up for.
25. Garden party – are you a keen gardener or know some green fingered guardians? It
doesn’t matter if your garden is large or small, square or round, secluded or surrounded,
a wide open space or a window box, you can raise funds for our school by asking the
public for donations to see your prized annuals, bulbs, fruits, perennials, roses, shrubs,
trees, or even your selection of house plants. Clotted cream, jam and scones are
optional extras, and who wouldn’t dip into their pocket for a glass of homemade
lemonade in summer heat or even a selection of hot teas to take the chill off.
26. Golf day – thinking of organising a charity Golf day? Well you’d better know your Better
balls (where pairs use their best score on each hole), from your Four balls (where 4
players compete in a round), or your Foursomes (where 2 players play against 2 others,
each pair hitting alternative shots with one ball), from your Scrambles (where a team
hits from the best position). Got it? Now all you need is a course of course, local
companies to donate prizes, and to sell green fees, plus other money making schemes
like ‘get out of bunker’ cards and try-that-shot-again cards (also known as mulligans).
27. Jam bull see – organise a sale of totally miscellaneous second-hand articles, yes, you’ve
got it: a jumble sale! Being jumbled is not compulsory, so whether you’re a touch OCD
or simply want to sell more, you could make things a whole lot easier by organising
donations into colours, sizes, themes and / or providing shelves, rails and tables. Given
the good cause you’re raising for; you could even explore an education theme by asking
your local school if you could organise a sale where parents can buy old school uniforms.
28. Karaoke – do you love a good sing song? Well if quality is what you’re after it might be
worth considering a musical recital (see Idea 32), rather than karaoke. But if you just
love listening to people as they try to sing, then grab your sequin jacket, get hold of a
microphone and a sound system, throw in a whole load of classic anthems and ballads,
and host a karaoke evening at your local church, club or pub. You could ask for a
donation at the door, or to sing, or even raise sponsorship for world’s longest karaoke.
FUNDRAISING IDEAS
© 2016 PHIL & RACHEL BOWYER – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
8/19
29. Knitting competition – why not challenge your friends, family or colleagues to learn how
to knit, or if you know enough competent knitters, ask them to find sponsors and knit
the world’s most collaborative, colourful, largest, longest, or unusual knitted thing ever.
There are a load of knittable fundraising options quite literally at your fingertips.
30. Light party – host an alternative October 31st party on the eve of the Christian feast of All
Hallows; the bit of the year Christian’s remember loved ones past, martyrs and
saints (hallows). Make it everything Halloween isn’t by including lots of light, or holding
the event indoors rather than knocking on doors, or honouring people’s gifts through a
talent show rather than tricks, or organising a treasure hunt as a treat. Add a disco –
silent or otherwise. Parents will be sure to donate to ensure their kids are safe.
31. Litter picking – organise a group of volunteers, and sponsorship, for a mass litter pick,
either on a specific day every week or commit to once a month for the whole year.
Whether you decide to get sponsored by the minutes you spend cleaning up or the
quantity you collect / recycle, it won’t be wasted, as not only will you raise money for a
school in South Africa, but the local environment will soon start to look better too.
32. Musical and / or poetry recital – do you appreciate prose, rhyme and sonnet, or maybe
play the cello, piano, or something less typical, then spread the word through flyers,
posters and / or radio, and invite the wider community to attend and participate. If a
variety of artists show an interest, you could organise a battle of the bands, or a festival
of literature, music and performance (also known as an Eisteddfod in Wales). Artists
could donate to play and / or the audience could make a donation to hear / see.
33. Online auction – if you’re not already one of the 25 million sellers using online auction
sites, like the one where Everyone Bids And You make money, then think about setting
up a profile and start selling what you no longer need. Alternatively ask friends or family
if they’re already members and see if they will sell your items and / or think about
donating a percentage of their sales to charity for a month or year if they feel generous.
34. Pampering – spoil yourself, your friends, and your loved ones by pampering them (for a
donation of course). What pampering feels and looks like is down to the individuals you
have in mind to invite, but it could include such things as facials, massages, nails,
chocolate Fairtrade fountains, craft beers, a movie night, a major sports final on the big
screen or wine tasting – it is all a matter of knowing your audience well enough, what
they love most, and what would make them feel most loved and left pampered.
FUNDRAISING IDEAS
© 2016 PHIL & RACHEL BOWYER – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
9/19
35. Pancake race – how many pancakes can you make, how high can you flip and for how
long, how far can you race or – best of all – how many can you eat? Challenge your
colleagues, school friends, family members, or even the whole street, to a pancakathon.
Whether you decide on a single event or go multiple – pan is Greek for ‘all’ after all –
you will need to consider whether it would be most profitable to ask for donations
towards entrance or to seek out sponsorship by the cake, flip, mile, or mouthful.
36. Parachute jump or sky diving – if there is ever a quick way to raise £1,000 in one go it
has to be by jumping out of a plane at 13,000 ft (4,000m), at speeds up to 120mph
(190km/h). Think about it, even if you are only sponsored £1 for every metre, you could
raise enough in a single jump to buy a whole penalty-box-sized worth of space for our
school. Organise a few friends to jump and you could be looking at half a fields worth!
37. Pets win prizes – plan a pet show in your community with categories that include best in
show, best bird, cat, dog, rabbit, or exotic pet. And what about the pet that is most like
its owner and the most obedient? Want to add an educational element, then consider
approaching local organisations like the Police or RSPCC or SPA to give a talk on pet care
and responsibility. Ask for donations for prizes and to enter.
38. Plant sale and / or garden question time – if you know people with green fingers, now
is the time to turn those relationships into a load of blooming cash, by enabling them to
showcase and offload their beautiful creations (for a donation). In addition, or as an
alternative, most keen gardeners will love and / or benefit from being on a panel or
being able to quiz a panel of horticultural experts. Invite the community along, suggest
a donation for entry / per question and get to the root of those tricky problems.
39. Present-free birthday, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day and / or Wedding – now this is a
hard one, because it means personal sacrifice rather than just expecting others to foot
the funding bill…have you considered offering your next potential gift givers the option
to donate what they would have spent on you to a greater cause, like establishing an
excellent, affordable and inclusive school in South Africa? It’s actually not that big a
sacrifice when you put it like that is it? Who wouldn’t go without, or have less, for one
year so others have the opportunity to access quality education for the next 15 years!
40. Present wrapping – skilled with scissors, sticky tape and strategic folding? Why not
approach your local shopping centre, retail park, toy store or mall and offer to wrap
purchased presents on key occasions like Christmas, Valentines, Mother’s and Father’s
Day? You may have to spend a bit on paper – although some stores might provide
resources for free, given the good cause that you’re wrapping for and the extra business
that you being present will no doubt encourage. Ask shoppers for donations per wrap.
FUNDRAISING IDEAS
© 2016 PHIL & RACHEL BOWYER – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
10/19
41. Quit something – can you ever imagine giving up biscuits, cakes or even caviar? Maybe
you know that you would benefit from a choc-a-block, but you haven’t had a good
enough reason. Well, don’t give up quite yet, first get your friends and family to sponsor
you by the day, week, month or year. You never know they might even join you and get
sponsored themselves; you could form a support group if it helps! In addition, why not
donate what you would have spent on luxury snacks, dining out, sports channels, or
whatever expensive leisure activities you’ve downgraded, for the whole of 2017?
42. Quiz night – whether you keep it general or go the specialist subject route in a
Mastermind kind of way, everyone loves a good quiz night. Hire a hall (for free), pitch
it to the local pub, stage it at school, or convert the church for the night – it doesn’t
matter as long as the location is accessible and you include a good mix of general
knowledge, sporting questions, trivia and things only a child would know. Suggest a
donation to enter, including enough to cover prizes and funds for the school, or maybe
you think bragging rights is enough motivation for some people to compete.
43. School reunion – love them or loathe them, a school reunion is either just an
opportunity to impress with stories of what and where long lost classmates and
playground adversaries have been up to beyond status updates, or it could be the
perfect place to raise awareness and ask for investment in the future of African school
children with donations towards an excellent, affordable and integrated school.
44. Sell yourself – well rather than ‘sell’ self, perhaps profiting from your expertise, talents
or time, is a better way to put it. Whether you are fluent in French, a master mechanic,
or music maestro, consider offering regular lessons, once off advice for a sizeable
donation, or auction off your time to the highest bidder. It is all for a good cause and
you would be using the resources that God has given you for the benefit of others.
45. Sponsored silence – keep ‘mum’ for 24 hours, or at least for a set number of hours,
either as a once off event or the same slot every week, alone or with others. Ask
colleagues, family or friends to sponsor you by the minute or hour.
46. Swimathon – what could be better than raising money by doing what you love most,
keeping fit, and being really really clean? You could ask people to sponsor you based
on the number of lengths you swim, the overall distance, or total time in the pool.
Perhaps you could convince a whole shoal of colleagues, family and friends to swim for
24 hours, maybe for longer, or for as far as you can, in a non-stop never ending relay?
FUNDRAISING IDEAS
© 2016 PHIL & RACHEL BOWYER – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
11/19
47. Talent contest – hold a contest to showcase your talent, your friends’ and / or their
families. Imagine a kind of ‘Your location’s got Talent’ as a one off event, or if you really
want to make the papers and get the town buzzing, go for once a month for the whole
year! Artists could donate to enter, you could suggest a donation at the door, or be
creative, e.g. ask the audience for a donation as they vote to keep acts in or out!
48. Theatrical production or school play – ‘sell’ tickets to your next school play and send
the proceeds to Soul Action’s school. If you’re part of a local drama group, you might
like to consider writing your own play, perhaps inspired by the themes excellence,
affordability and integration and perform it to an audience for a donation, highlighting
the issues and solution offered by Soul Action’s school. Alternatively, some local
theatres will block out performances, e.g. matinees or full dress rehearsals, and give
any profits from tickets sales to a good cause or charity. Approach your local theatres.
49. Treasure Hunt – think about organising a fun hunt for children and /or parents, or just
adults (with vehicles). Participants enter in teams (for a donation). You provide written
clues, drawings or close up pictures of famous local buildings, road signs, street
furniture, various local monuments, etc. Clues can either be strategically positioned on
route, or all handed out at the start in envelopes marked 1, 2, 3, etc. Start each team
with a different first clue so they’re not all looking for the same answer every time.
When a team finds a clue / place they could take photos of themselves and the answer
using their phone. The first team to return with all the clues / answers are the winners.
50. Walk, park run, fun run, Marathon (full or half) – did you know that over 70% of South
African children walk to school, college or university; in the Province of KwaZulu Natal
(where Soul Action is based) 40% walk more than 3km / 60 minutes. Since children in
the lowest income groups are more likely to walk than higher earners, our school will
be located to cut down on Kms, but for the purposes of fundraising we want you to max
out those sponsorable miles, and see how far people are prepared to go to make
excellent, affordable and inclusive education achievable for rich and poor children alike.
APPENDIX I
12/20
A-Z OF FUNDRAISING As you begin to explore potential ideas and plan your fundraising initiative(s) it is always helpful to start by taking time to consider what you’re aiming to achieve, when, where, why, with whom & how.
A is for Aims
As one of Game Changers’ 360 fundraising individuals and / or groups it goes without saying that your primary aim is to raise funds towards your target of £1,000 and our target of £360,000. That said, perhaps you’d like to create something lasting in your church, community, office or local school, see this an opportunity to bring people together for something meaningful, or it’s just a once off event?
These Ideas also available to view online at http://gamechangers.school/category/fundraising-ideas, categorises 50 ideas as i) acts of service – where people, members of the general public, or the wider community benefit, ii) buying and / or selling initiatives, iii) home based initiatives, i.e. fundraising opportunities that takes place within the comfort of one’s own home, iv) community wide events, and finally v) various sponsored events. Some ideas will naturally fall into multiple categories.
Service Buy & Sell Home based Event Sponsored
B is for Budgeting
As you plan, make sure you have a clear budget in mind – or better still written down or saved to your computer – one which includes what you will have to spend and how much revenue you expect to be generated from things like entry fees, donations and / or sponsorship. Remember to build in a contingency for those unpredicted expenses! If you do have to cut back on spending in order to save and raise more money it will be important to refer back and to try and stay true to your original aims.
C is for Communication
If you want people to attend, buy tickets or even help out, they’ll obviously need to know exactly what will be happening, when, where and why. Whether you’re planning an initiative with colleagues, family, friends, school, or for the community, you’ll know the best way to get your message out there, but things to consider might include Facebook groups and twitter, local newspapers and radio, shop windows, church notices, staff noticeboard, school bulletins and / or assemblies. If you’re expecting an upfront commitment from people, whether that’s financial or just some assurance that they’ll be there, think about how you’re going to facilitate that – do people need to buy tickets or just sign up?
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D is for Donations
You may be surprised to hear that it is a good idea to avoid charging an attendance fee, for one thing it may impact the kind of licence required to host your initiative (see point G page 5 for information on licences and permission). Soul Action would prefer you to ask for voluntary donations to capitalise on Gift Aid tax relief (see page 14 for more information). Please ask sensitively and without coercion, and try not to avoid rattling tins or collection buckets – these may require a collecting licence.
E is for this calendar of Events
This document offers a selection of almost 60 events, celebrations, commemorations and occasions
which we think could provide opportunities to highlight and raise funds for the school. As you read
through Pages 6 – 14, you no doubt be aware of or familiar with some of the highlights we’ve picked
out, although you may not have thought of them as potential fundraising opportunities before.
Depending on your interests, relationships, resources and location, etc. we expect that you will be
aware of others, opportunities which you should feel free to use as you reach your target of £1,000.
F is for our Fundraising Ideas Pack
These Ideas are also available to view at http://gamechangers.school/category/fundraising-ideas
G is for Giftaid
Gift Aid can be claimed whenever a donor attending one of your fundraising initiatives is a UK
taxpayer; provided you take the time to capture their personal details on the forms that we have
included in Appendix II on Pages 18 and 19, or online at www.gamechangers.school/gift-aid. It is
important that all donor(s) complete their details clearly and in full; they are required to sign to say
they agree to our friends at Assemblies of God Incorporated treating as Gift Aid all qualifying gifts of
money they’ve made. For more detailed information on Maximising the Money, see Page 17.
H is for Hygiene
If you’re considering serving or selling food at any of your fundraising initiatives be aware that any
food supplied, sold or provided outside of the family / domestic setting is currently subject to EU food
law and must be safe to eat, regardless of whether the operation supplying or selling the food is doing
so to make a profit. Food must not be ‘injurious to health’ or ‘unfit for human consumption’. For
advice on providing food in a village hall or other community setting for volunteers and charity groups,
visit https://www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/caterers/food-hygiene/charity-community-groups
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I is for Insurance
If you and / or the organisation you represent already have existing household or other insurances it is worth double checking the policy before you plan your initiative to see what is and is not covered, or whether you require any extra insurance. If you are in any doubts about what insurance you might need, seek advice from the Association of British Insurers or charity brokers like Unity Insurance Services who will be able to offer you advice on Public Liability Cover to protect you and / or your organisation against claims for any injury to the public or damage to other people's property.
J is for Just Giving (tbc)
We are in the process of registering with Just Giving, the world’s leading online fundraising platform.
K is the prefix of ‘kilo’ from the Greek word khilioi, meaning thousands!
By agreeing to be one of the 360 individuals and / or groups committing to raise least £1k towards the
Game Changers total fundraising target of £360k you understand how vital your contribution is.
Although you may be convinced of this already, it is important that you communicate the reason
behind your fundraising to potential donors with clarity in as many creative ways as possible so that
they might begin to comprehend the impact of what may seem to them a small contribution to the
cause. For Christian audiences, why not make use of the Game Changers film, available to view at
https://youtu.be/pRIu8A2szDs. As you communicate the vision and values behind the school, you
might find some people are so inspired that they simply want to donate £1,000 – we’ve already had
this happen – or an individual may wish to host their own initiative & raise £1,000 – we’re already had
this happen too! Please encourage them to visit www.gamechangers.school for more information.
L is for Licences
To use certain public locations, you may require go-ahead from relevant authorities, for example, under the Licensing Act 2003 some events require a licence or a Temporary Event Notice (TEN), which can be obtained from your local authority. Permission must be obtained well in advance, and a copy of that permission must then be sent by you or the organiser to the local police as soon as possible.
M is for Music
If you plan to have live or recorded audio visuals, even in the background, you may need a licence. Contact PPL UK or PRS for Music for a license to play live or recorded music at public events. If your event is private, the performer or venue has the relevant licences, or you only use specially recorded copyright-free music, you may not need licences. If you’re concerned about whether or not you need licences, the easiest thing to do is not to use any audio visuals unless your initiative depends on it.
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N is for Notify
Please notify the Game Changers team with regards to any fundraising initiatives that you are planning beforehand – so we can keep track of what is going on and encourage others – and do keep us updated afterwards as to how your fundraising initiative went. To pledge and register visit www.gamechangers.school and click the Pledge and Event Registration page to keep us updated.
O is for keeping things Official
As well as pledging and officially registering your initiative(s) online, official sponsorship forms are also available to download at www.gamechangers.school and as part of the Appendix of this pack. For donations to qualify for GiftAid tax relief feel free to print multiply copies; it is very important to use these official forms and to encourage donors to take the time to sign and complete them properly.
P is for Public Safety
Although public safety rests with you as organiser, the owners of the land where you host your event, and the local authority – if the event takes place on a public road – you do have a responsibility to notify the ambulance service, fire, police or safety advisory group(s), and to incorporate any recommendations made by these services. Although the police have no, or at least limited, authority to approve or ban an event, or even regulate things such as traffic, they will intervene if they feel there is an imminent or likely threat to life. Throughout the event either yourself as event organiser, or your deputy, should be contactable and available to liaise with the police and / or safety advisory groups.
Q is for Quality
Although the main aim is try and raise as much funds as possible, we wouldn’t want you to do so at the expense of quality, one of our values is after all excellence (see Vision and Values - below). Please don’t feel you have to cut corners or skimp, especially if it means the possibility of endangering the public’s safety or damaging property in any way (see Safety – above, and Risk Assessments – below).
R is for Risk Assessments
As you focus on fun-draising during your planning it may be difficult to imagine a worst case scenario, like someone getting hurt or something getting damaged. Whilst it is impossible to plan for every eventuality, a good risk assessment beforehand will help to identify potential hazards, who might be harmed and how, evaluate risks and decide on preventative precautions. Some of the more obvious risks to consider include alcohol availability, bouncy castles, children running about, fireworks, large crowds, sports or other physical activities, or safety hazards at the venue (including outdoor events).
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S is for Small beginnings
With all this talk of Licences, Public Safety and Risk Assessments you may be wondering if the simple fundraising idea you had in mind measures up or will make any significant dent in the £1,000 we’ve asked you to raise, let alone the £360,000 we believe we need to raise. Well, the beauty of having a whole year to fundraise is that you can choose to make your initiative(s) as large or small and frequent as you like, from a big one off concert to a weekly coffee morning or book club. You can also team up with other fundraisers in your community, church and / or local schools to raise the £1,000 together. There is no limit to the number of initiatives you do or with whom you work to reach your target. Just as Zerubbabel, the leader tasked with rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem c.520 BC must have thought his task was insurmountable and / or overwhelming, take heart from God’s encouragement through His prophet Zechariah that, “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit” (Zech 4:6). The apparent size of this task, and overcoming any difficulties ahead of you along the way, do not depend on your ingenuity, skill or strength, but on God – if you allow the Spirit to flow through you. As you prepare for your first fundraising initiative, or whenever you and / or others think you’re not making the progress you imagined you would, God says: “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin” (Zech 4:10, NIV). The temple was completed in c.516 BC.
T is for Teamwork
Rather than collaborate with a number of individuals to reach a target of £1,000 by Christmas 2017, you may feel that the size of your fundraising initiative(s) requires a team of people to pull if off. The makeup of this team will most likely be determined by the scale of the initiative & the skill set it requires.
If you find your team is growing to the extent that you feel like you are spending more time managing people at the expense of organising the actual initiative(s), it is probably worth considering breaking down into smaller sub teams with sub team leaders who reports back to you (as the overall project manager). It will be important to be clear about roles, responsibilities, who reports to who, and what decisions people can or can’t make. The key thing from a Game Changers point of view is that you make the most of what might turn out to be a whole year working together by having as much fun as possible, whilst as the same time raising awareness and funds for what is a great and worthy cause.
U is for Updates By submitting your pledge at http://gamechangers.school/pledge, along with each of the fundraising initiatives you’re planning to do thereafter, you and your fundraising team – if you have one – will benefit from receiving regular encouraging and informative updates from the Game Changers team.
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V is for Vision and Values Be sure to make the most of your fundraising opportunities by continually returning to, reflecting on,
and communicating the Game Changers vision for a new approach to schooling in South Africa.
Familiarise yourself with our dream for education, the stark contrasts within the current system, our
feasibility study amongst parents, and our values – all accessible at http://gamechangers.school
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the
hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15, NIV).
W is for Wisdom Never forget to always pray for wisdom, imagination and discernment as you plan, prepare and host your fundraising initiative(s). Prioritise time with God by yourself and whenever you gather your team.
X is for Xmas, or if you prefer ‘Christmas’ If Christmas is coming it means the year is almost over and your fundraising year is coming to a close. One last push over this period could enough to see you over the line or surpass your target for 2017
Y is for You On behalf of South Africa’s children, the Game Changers team wishes to thank YOU for a great year.
Z is for Zero If you’ve followed the advice above, there’s nothing more to do apart from see the funds flow in
APPENDIX II
18/20
MAXIMISING THE MONEY Soul Action is looking to raise £360,000 GBP, and we think we can do so by partnering with 360
individuals and / or groups that each pledge to raise £1,000 GBP throughout the year in 2017.
Whilst we’re confident that God – through your efforts – can raise all of the funds, there is further
assistance available, which, with your help, could help us to surpass the total that we think we require.
For a small administration fee, Assemblies of God Incorporated (AoG) have agreed to collect, manage
and process whatever funds you raise on Soul Action’s behalf, which means the British Government
will add 25p to every £1 GBP donated by UK taxpayers – adding as much as £85,000 GBP to our total!
Gift Aid can be claimed provided the donor is a UK taxpayer and provided you take the time to capture
each individual’s full details on the forms that we’ve provided. Donor(s) also need to sign to say they
agree to Assemblies of God Incorporated treating as Gift Aid all qualifying gifts of money they’ve made.
Whilst Soul Action recognises not everyone donating to your fundraiser will be eligible for Gift Aid tax
relief, we think you’ll agree that it makes sense to make the most of the British Government
willingness to make a sizeable contribution to our school, when it is appropriate and ethical to do so. Not all acts of service, events, or sales will lend themselves to Gift Aid, but we would request that
wherever possible that you would make every effort, and encourage others to make every effort, to
ask people for a donation or sponsorship, rather than charging a fee for an event and / or goods. Overleaf we have provided specially designed forms – approved by Assemblies of God Incorporated –
which can be used to claim Gift Aid as people enter, donate, or sponsor your fundraising efforts.
All you need to do after your event, is collect all the funds, make sure they tally, transfer the funds to the AoG’s bank account below, and send your completed form(s) to the AoG Finance Department, at the Assemblies of God, National Ministry Centre, Retford Road, Mattersey, Doncaster, DN10 5HD.
Account: Assemblies of God Inc. World Ministries
Sort Code: 20-63-25
Account No. 10125830
Address: Barclays Bank, 2 High Street, Nottingham, NG1 2EN
Please include GCS-B6P if / when asked for a beneficiary reference by your bank AND where it is
possible, your Surname, Church or Group name; this way Soul Action and AoG can track and
allocate the funding appropriately – thanks in advance for taking time to ‘pile on those pounds’!
NAME OF CHARITY: ASSEMBLIES OF GOD INCORPORATED GIFT AID DECLARATION FORM (EVENTS & SPONSORSHIP)
Assemblies of God Incorporated is a company limited by guarantee (No. 2873415) registered in England, having its registered office at National Ministry Centre, Retford Road, Mattersey, Doncaster, DN10 5HD, and is also a registered charity (No. 1032245).
Name of Missionary / Organisation Receiving Donation: RACHEL BOWYER as co-director of SOUL ACTION PROJECT (B6P)
I want Assemblies of God Incorporated to treat as Gift Aid all qualifying gifts of money I have made from the date of this declaration and in the past four years. I am a UK taxpayer and
understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year, it is my responsibility to pay any difference.
Donor’s Title AND Forename AND Surname
Address Post Code Amount per (specify km, hr, etc)
Total Amount Donor’s Signature Date
Notes: i) Please notify Assemblies of God Incorporated if you want to cancel this declaration; change your name and/or home address; no longer pay sufficient tax on your income and or capital gains tax, ii). Gift Aid is linked to basic rate tax,
currently 20%, which allows charities to reclaim 25p for every £1 donated, iii) If you pay Income Tax at the higher or additional rate and want to receive the additional tax relief due to you, you must include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self-Assessment tax return or ask HMRC to adjust your tax code, iv) If you are unsure whether your donations qualify for Gift Aid tax relief, contact the AoG Finance Department (at the address below). Alternatively, ask your local tax office for leaflet IR113 Gift Aid, v). Under the Gift Aid Scheme there are restrictions on giving to a missionary who is a close relative (i.e. your child, grandchild, parent, grandparent, sibling or the spouse of any of these). If you are considering doing this, please check first.
APPENDIX II
Gift Aid Declaration Name of Charity: Assemblies of God Incorporated
COMPLETE FORM & RETURN TO: AoG, National Ministry Centre, Mattersey Hall, Retford Road, Mattersey DN10 5HD
Your Details (Please complete in BLOCK CAPITAL LETTERS)
Title .................................. Surname ................................................................................................
Forename(s) .....................................................................................................................................
Address .............................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................... Post Code ..............................
Church or Group Name: ………...........................................................................................................
Missionary / Organisation Receiving Donation: RACHEL BOWYER as co-director of SOUL ACTION PROJECT (B6P)
I want Assemblies of God Incorporated to treat as Gift Aid all qualifying gifts of money I have made from the date of this declaration and in the past four years.
I am a UK taxpayer and understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year,
it is my responsibility to pay any difference.
Donor’s Signature ........................................................................................ Date ............................... Notes:
1. Please notify Assemblies of God Incorporated if you:
Want to cancel this declaration;
Change your name and/or home address;
No longer pay sufficient tax on your income and or capital gains tax.
2. Gift Aid is linked to basic rate tax, currently 20%, which allows charities to reclaim 25p for every £1 donated.
3. If you pay Income Tax at the higher or additional rate and want to receive the additional tax relief due to you, you must
include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self-Assessment tax return or ask HMRC to adjust your tax code.
4. If you are unsure whether your donations qualify for Gift Aid tax relief, contact the AoG Finance Department (address
below). Alternatively, ask your local tax office for leaflet IR113 Gift Aid
5. Under the Gift Aid Scheme there are restrictions on giving to a missionary who is a close relative (i.e. your child, grandchild,
parent, grandparent, sibling or the spouse of any of these). If you are considering doing this, please check first.