Home » Get Involved » Fundraise » Organise your own event » Keep it legal and safe

No matter what type of event you organise, there will be legal and safety issues that you need to consider.

Porchlight cannot take responsibility for any injury, losses or damage caused or sustained as a result of fundraising events held in aid of Porchlight. It is the responsibility of the event organiser to comply with legal and safety regulations.
 
Below are some best practice guidelines, please ensure you consider these before organising your fundraising activity, so that participants, guests and attendees have a safe and enjoyable fundraising event.

KEEP IT LEGAL

Licenses
Always contact your local authority to check you have the correct licenses to hold your event. You are likely to need a license if you are:

  • Providing alcohol or entertainment (including recorded music)
  • Holding a raffle, lottery or auction.
  • Doing any sort of public collection such as a street collection.
    (NB. If you are collecting on private property such as a shopping centre you don’t need a license but you will need permission from the owner.)
  • Putting up banners or signs in public areas

Please note that this list is not exhaustive so check with your local authority if you are not sure. Get in touch with them at least one month for smaller and 6-9 months for large events to make sure everything is agreed on and approved in time.

Insurance
Think about the type of insurance that needs to be in place before you start your event.
If your event involves the public in any way you will need to have public liability insurance. Check whether the venue you’re using has public liability insurance that will cover your event, most of them do. If it doesn’t you may need to take out your own insurance. If you are unsure, please check with your Local Authority or contact us for advice.

Raffles and lotteries
You probably will not need a license for your raffle or lottery if:

  • All tickets are sold at the same prize and sales and result announcements take place during the event
  • The raffle is not the main focus (eg it’s part of a larger event)
  • There are no cash prizes
  • No more than £500 is spent on prizes (there is no limit on the value of donated prizes) and no more than £100 is spent on the costs of running the raffle.

If any of these requirements do not apply to your raffle or lottery you need to contact your Local Authority for information on the required licenses and registration.

Porchlight logo
Porchlight’s charity registration number 267116 needs to be included on all posters and advertisements that invite people to participate or help. Please contact us for guidelines and permission to use the Porchlight logo at getinvolved@porchlight.org.uk

KEEP IT SAFE

Risk Assessment
Make sure that no-one at the event is in an unsafe environment. Assess the risk involved and make sure that they are eliminated or minimised to an acceptable level. The HSE has produced a handy step-by-step guide on risk assessments (PDF – opens in new window). Their materials refers to the workplace but many of the principles will apply to your fundraising activities.  Download our risk assessment form (PDF – opens in new window)

First Aid
It is good practice to have a first aid box and qualified first aider present at your event where appropriate. At larger events, it is worth arranging an agreed level of first aid cover with an organization such as the British Red Cross Association or the St John’s Ambulance.

Food
When you serve food at an event food safety laws apply and you will need to be aware of these and follow food hygiene procedures. A great site for advice on handling food and relevant pieces of legislation is the Eat Well website (opens in new window) provided by the Food Standards Agency; more information can also be obtained from your Local Authority’s Environmental Health Department.

Handling cash
Make sure you have a secure container or cash box. You can request Porchlight Collection Tins by contacting us on 01227 760078 or email getinvolved@porchlight.org.uk  Donations should be handled, counted and recorded by at least two people wherever possible. Any cash should be kept and counted in a secure and safe environment and should be passed on to us as soon as possible after the event is finished.

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