Fundraising FAQs

Thank you so much for choosing to fundraise for Tommy’s If you would like some ideas on how you can fundraise, check out our A-Z of fundraising ideas

If you know what you would like to do and would like some support running your event, please register your event and someone from the team will be in touch.

Yes please get in touch if you would like us to send you donation boxes, banners, stickers.

Our Fundraising downloads page has poster templates, Tommy's branded bunting and other materials that you can download and print out at home. 

Sign up to receive your free fundraising pack using this form.

Please email us at [email protected] and we will get back to you as quickly as we can. 

Yes we can send things like a T shirt, banners, bunting template and collection boxes. Get in touch at [email protected] and we’ll help work out what you need.

We also have some printable templates and downloads available on our fundraising downloads page.

Unfortunately, we don't ship to addresses outside of the UK. 

Check out our downloadable resources page to print out materials yourself instead.

In many situations we can supply a Tommy’s T-shirt for you to wear at your event.  Drop us a line at [email protected] and we’ll help you work out what you need. 

Yes you may use our 'in aid of' logo if you are fundraising for Tommy’s. This is different from the main charity logo, and makes it clear you are fundraising in aid of Tommy’s but do not represent the charity. 

To get a copy of the 'in aid of' logo,  and some instructions on how to use it, please email us at [email protected].

Tommy's is the leading UK charity stopping the heartbreak and devastation of baby loss and making pregnancy and birth safer - for everyone. 

Your donations fund vital research into pregnancy complications and baby loss and help us provide expert pregnancy information and specialist support to help more UK families bring their babies home.  

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we’re able to carry out more than £2 million of research every year into the causes of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth. This money also funds our midwife-led helpline service, providing free expert advice for parents-to-be and health professionals. 

Check out our How your money helps page to find out more.

There are lots of ways to pay in your fundraising:

• Pay in your fundraising online
• Email us at [email protected] for details of paying by bank transfer
• By post - pop a cheque payable to Tommy's in an envelope with your name, address, contact number and email along with details of how you raised the money or your paper sponsorship form and send to Finance team, Tommy's, Nicholas House, 3 Laurence Pountney Hill, London EC4R 0BB. If required, you can download a paper sponsorship form to list your sponsors' names and address.
• If you’ve fundraised using JustGiving or Facebook, there’s nothing you need to do – the money will make its way straight to us

For more details, visit our Pay in your fundraising page.

We can claim Gift Aid from individual donations but not from any collective fundraising donations or for sales of goods. For example:

• We cannot claim Gift Aid on a bucket collection or other collective donation
• We cannot claim Gift Aid from cake sale donations or other events where the donor receives something for their donation
• We cannot claim Gift Aid from donations made by a company or group
• We cannot claim Gift Aid if you are paying in cash given to you by others to an online fundraising page (eg. JustGiving)

To claim Gift Aid ask your donors to:

• When using JustGiving: Fill in their Gift Aid details when prompted by JustGiving
• When using a paper sponsorship form: Fill in their Gift Aid details and tick the box on the form
• When donating in another way: Register their Gift Aid status using our online form.

If you'd like to know more, visit our Gift Aid explained page or contact our Community Fundraising Team. 

Visit our page on JustGiving and choose 'Fundraise for us'. Set up or log into your JustGiving account and then follow the instructions to set up your fundraising page.

Remember, pages that have a personalised story and photo raise more money so include some information on why you are supporting Tommy’s for your friends and family to read.

Check out this guide to find out how to set up a Team page on JustGiving: How to create a team page – JustGiving Help

If you have set up a JustGiving fundraiser you do not need to do anything, JustGiving will send the money to Tommy’s directly. If you have set up a JustGiving Crowdfunding page you will need to send us the money.

If your raffle is held at an event as an “incidental non-commercial lottery” and follow certain rules you don't currently need a licence. This includes tombolas, raffles and sweepstakes.

The raffle tickets must be sold at the location and while the event is taking place. The tickets can't be sold in advance of the event or online (which includes social media). 

The result of the raffle can be announced either at the event or after it has finished. It is recommended that you make it clear when the draw will be. 

You should take note of the following:

• A physical ticket must be provided
• Prizes must be awarded by chance
• No more than £500 can be spent on prizes. Prizes can also be donated, there isn't a limit on how much donated prizes can cost
• No more than £100 can be taken from the proceeds for expenses to run the raffle.
• There can be no rollovers of prizes from one raffle to another.

For more information see the Gambling Commission guides to running fundraising, raffles and lotteries.

This advice is not comprehensive or a binding interpretation of the law and anyone intending to run such a raffle should direct any questions to The Gambling Commission.

Start with who you know! Ask the businesses you are a customer with, get family and friends to do the same. Then ask other local businesses or national companies with a local presence. Tell them a bit about your event, why we matter to you and how the money you raise will help families.

Be clear what you can offer companies in return for a prize, such as a mention at your event, their name on a poster or your social media. Tommy's can give you an official letter on headed paper that you can show companies that you are asking prizes from. Register your event with us and email us for the letter.

Many events don’t need a licence. However you should check the situation early on, as if you do need a licence or other permission, this can take some time, even months in some cases.

There is a very useful guide on the government website which tries to help you run an event with the minimum amount of red tape. Read the guide here. 

Providing entertainmet

The following events do not need entertainment licences between the hours of 8am and 11pm:

• performances of live unamplified music for audiences
• performances of live amplified music in licensed premises for audiences of up to 200 people
• performances of plays and dance for audiences of up to 500 people
• indoor sporting events for audiences up to 1,000 people
• karaoke – between 8am and 11pm in licensed premises for audiences of 200 or less if there is any amplification
• incidental music - live music that is incidental to other activities that aren’t classed as regulated entertainment

GOV.UK also holds more detail on entertainment licensing.

If you are planning on playing pre-recorded music at an event that is open to the public, check with your venue to see if it holds licences from PRS (Performing Rights Society) for Music and PPL (Phonographic Performance Limited).

If your venue does not hold these licences you should check with those organisations whether you need a licence. A fee will probably be payable.

Providing alcohol

You don’t need a licence to provide alcohol at a private event, as long as it is not being sold. You must not sell tickets that can then be exchanged for an alcoholic drink, or to ask for a donation in return for alcohol.

You also don’t need a licence if the venue has either of the following:

• a ‘Premises Licence’ and that there is a named ‘supervisor’ who holds a ‘Personal Licence’ to sell alcohol
• a ‘Club Premises Certificate’ which includes the sale of alcohol

This is something you can check with the owner of the venue.

If none of the above apply and you want to:

• have a bar where alcohol is sold
• sell alcohol in another way
• provide entertainment to the wider public
• charge to raise money for your event

You will need a Temporary Event Notice.

If you want to provide or sell food at an event you need to consider some basic points.

• Make sure the places the food will be prepared, stored and served are clean and in a good state of repair.
• Make sure the food can't be contaminated by pests, animals or waste
• Make sure the washing facilities are adequate

For more information, see the Food Standards Agency advice on providing food at community and charity events

Labelling food and allergies

Food sold for a charity, currently only has to follow food labelling regulations if the seller is a registered food business. This includes food sold at one-off events.

However, labelling food voluntarily may be helpful for people who follow certain diets and particularly if the food contains a common allergen that buyers may need to be aware of, such as nuts in a cake. 

There is currently no law that says you must buy insurance for a voluntary or community event – but you might want to make sure you are covered in case something goes wrong and someone makes a claim against you. 

Public liability insurance covers the organisers of events if they are held to blame for injury, loss or damages. You can buy different levels of covers, the costs are often relatively low, sometimes as little as £50. Talk to an insurance broker who can help you find the right level of cover.

Sometimes the venue owner or local council may ask you to have public liability insurance. If you are holding the event in your own home or garden you may be covered by your home insurance. Talk to your insurer for advice. 

If you are using someone else's building or land you may be covered by their insurance, do ask.

If you are hiring equipment such as a marquee or bouncy castle check with the company you are hiring it from whether their terms of hire include insurance and read any conditions carefully, especially any exclusions.

If external businesses are providing services, such as food or rides, you should check they have their own insurance, and that it is in force on the day of the event.

We can provide an authorisation letter for you. Please email us [email protected] with details of your fundraising event, including when and where it will take place.