Sponsored Challenges Information:

How to... do something amazing!

Vision Care for Homeless People - Charity number 1118076 C/o Crisis Skylight, 66 Commercial St, London E1 6LT

www.vchp.org.uk 020 3286 4186 info@vchp.org.uk

Welcome to our Sponsored Challenges Fundraising pack

Thank you for choosing to test yourself with a sponsored challenge in aid of our charity. Here you’ll find stories to inspire you, ideas for challenges, tips on getting started with your fundraising and some information about useful resources. With your support we can continue to provide our opticians service through our clinics for free, enabling more homeless and vulnerable people to receive eye care and glasses.

Important Contacts:

Alison Gordon: Community & Challenges Fundraiser

07999473748

alison.gordon@vchp.org.uk

VCHP office: C/o Crisis Skylight, 66 Commercial St, London E1 6LT020 3286 4186 info@vchp.org.uk

1. Stories to inspire you

Another step

I met Tiggi at our Leeds clinic. He was very articulate about his situation. He’s in a bind. He had been working but lost both his home and his job when his grandmother died, which hit him hard. He’s living in supported accommodation now which is paid for. He would like to get work, but a job won’t pay his current rent. So, he needs to find other place to live first, but he’s not been homeless long enough to be eligible for a budgeting loan which would help him with rent in advance. Tiggi stays bright and positive, but that doesn’t stop the tears in his eyes when he describes the frustrations of trying to put it all together. When he came to VCHP’s clinic, he had been getting headaches when he used a computer, so a free eye test and glasses are, in his words, “another step”. This one, at least, was straightforward.

Vision Care for Homeless People run 8 regular optician’s clinics which are free at the point of access, in a friendly accessible venue. Our volunteer opticians helped over 2000 vulnerable people receive eye tests last year and glasses for those who needed them.

We’re there to help people like Tiggi see better when other parts of their life present challenges. Or Drew, who has had lots of problems with his right eye since it was split during a fight 2 years ago. He ended up in prison and just before his release his glasses were smashed when another inmate stood on them. He has been sleeping rough since he got out.

“Going to an optician isn’t an option for me. I came here and the people were so friendly and helpful, and they gave me some new glasses and a case to keep them in. They definitely do the business! I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”

Preparing for your event won’t be easy, you’ll have many steps ahead of you, but we know that your hard work will be worth it – for the satisfaction you’ll feel when you finish your challenge and for the difference you’ll make to the lives of people like Tiggi and Drew, in helping them see better.

2. Choosing a challenge

Do something amazing and take on a sponsored challenge for VCHP. Whether its trekking up a mountain, running in a distance race, doing a bungee jump or competing in an obstacle race we can help you find the perfect challenge event to test yourself this year.

Featured on the Events & Challenges pages of our website are many exciting challenges organised by reputable event providers, both in the UK and abroad. Individuals or groups of friends or colleagues can sign up to take part in a sponsored challenge event. If you can’t find anything to suit you, we can help you find something in your area: just get in touch.

Some of our fundraisers prefer to test themselves by organising their own challenges, such as Michael (pictured), who cycled coast to coast from Whitehaven to Tynemouth in a weekend with a group of friends.

We’d love to hear your ideas and plans for signing up to a sponsored challenge. If you’ve already signed up for a challenge you can of course still fundraise for us. Get in touch and tell us what amazing things you are doing.

3. Getting started with your fundraising

Once you have registered for your challenge, as well as starting your physical training you will want to get started with your fundraising.

3.1. Set up an online fundraising page

We encourage supporters to use the Virgin Money Giving page as we are already registered with them.

Visit the Virgin Money Giving site and click on the tab ‘Create your own fundraising page’.

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-portal/userSignIn

Follow the instructions as prompted.

When prompted, ‘Choose your charity’ enter ‘Vision Care for Homeless People’.

Top tips when setting up your page:

1. Set a target:

Tell people the total you are aiming for and they will want to help you reach it. People who set targets can raise 50% more. Once you’ve reached your target, increase it.

2. Set a date:

Rather than have your page end on the date of your event it is a good idea to keep it open for a couple of weeks longer for late donations. Some people like to give once you have shown you have done your challenge. Also, you might pick up some new supporters when you tell people through your social media/ local press/ other channels about completing the event.

3. Tell your story:

Explain in a few lines what you are doing, what inspired you take on this challenge and why you are raising money for Vision Care for Homeless People.

4. Inspire your supporters:

Share the impact your supporters’ donations will make to the running of our clinics. e.g. ‘Every £100 raised could pay for 5 eye tests, every £200 raised could pay for 5 pairs of prescription glasses. Can you help towards this?’ Or ‘An eye test costs £20, a pair of prescription glasses costs £40.’

5. Asking for sponsorship

Start with your nearest and dearest. Ask family and close friends for sponsorship first. Their generosity will set the bar for others.

6. Reminding people to gift aid

People will be automatically prompted to Gift Aid their donation when they donate on your page, but you could also remind them how important it is to ‘tick that box’. Gift Aid will add 25p to every £1 donated.

7. Shout about it

Share your page with friends, family and colleagues on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and by emailing everyone you know.

8. Share your journey:

Post photos of your progress for your supporters and share updates on the highs – and the lows – of your training. Pages with pictures raise more than double than those without. Share your progress as you go through your social media platforms as well as updating your giving page - We can also help by publicising your story and progress through our social media channels so please do tag VCHP.

3.2. Raising funds with a sponsorship form

You may want to raise money off- line as well. You’ll find a sponsorship form to print in the resource’s appendix.

Don’t forget to ask people if they would like to gift aid their donation. If they are UK Taxpayer and have paid enough tax in the previous tax year to cover their gift aid claim, then we can apply to claim gift aid on their donation on their behalf which will increase their donation by 25%. (25p extra on every £1 raised). Please make sure your supporters write their full home address on the form, including a postcode. It is a good idea to check back with them at the time to clarify any parts that are unclear if handwritten.

If you are looking to leave a form in a community outlet, e.g. on your work, faith group, local shop notice board it is a good idea to also leave some information so people can see what you are doing, who for .. and don’t forget to include a picture of yourself as that can really help. People may well not had heard of our charity but will recognise you and want to support you. In the appendix you’ll find an example from Paul, who wore shorts all winter to work in aid of the charity. He delivers veterinary supplies and left a sponsorship form and poster at each of the veterinary practices he visits on his round.

3.3. Raising additional funds

Why not hold an event in your office, college or community group, such as a bake sale. This can be a fun way to boost the amount you have raised, as well as an ideal way to tell people about your fundraising challenge. Another idea could be to organise a quiz as an additional fundraiser (We have some prepared quiz rounds if you need a little help).

If you hold an event don’t forget to include the link to your fundraising page in the invites and other publicity... and bring a paper copy of the sponsorship form along with you so people can sponsor you. It can help to have a donations pot, for people to put in extra coins etc. We can claim gift aid on money donated this way too, through the governments Gift Aid on Small Donations Scheme. However please don’t add any money raised through e.g. the bake sale. This must be kept separate.

3.4. To pay in money raised off-line:

Our bank details are:

Vision Care for Homeless People, A/C 02395161, Sort 309465, Lloyds Bank

Please put your name as reference and contact us to tell us you have made a deposit.

If you are paying in money from a collection, please use the Gift Aid on Small Donations (GASDS) form (see appendix). The cash must be paid directly into the VCHP bank account at Lloyds, and the denominations listed on the paying in slip or form. Under the Gift Aid on Small Donations scheme if there are any individual cash donations in a collection of £20 or under which are not accompanied by a gift aid declaration we are able to reclaim a top up payment equivalent to gift aid (25p for every £1).

4. Fundraising Resources

4.1. Leaflets

Please let us know if you’d like any of our leaflets about our work in our clinics to support your fundraising. We’d be happy to send you some to share with your supporters.

It is useful to have a look at our webpages, www.vchp.org.uk where you’ll find lots of information about the work we do. Please also sign up to our supporters enewsletter through this link or by visiting our webpages.

4.2. T shirts

Show the crowd who you are fundraising for! We can give you a VCHP sports T shirt to wear for your challenge so please get in touch if you’d like us to post you one. We have them available in M& L sizes, men’s & women’s. They can be great to wear during your training as well as the event … ideal for that photo opportunity which we can both share on our social media platforms.

If you are signing up to do a sponsored challenge through your work with a group of colleagues why not ask your manager if the company would be interested in paying for some ‘bespoke’ t shirts printed with your company name as well as VCHP?

Pictured, Sam who ran the Bath Half for VCHP.

4.3 . Social media

Don’t forget to like our pages and tag us when you post on your channels.

https://www.facebook.com/Vision-Care-for-Homeless-People-215167255174329/

https://twitter.com/vchp_uk

https://www.instagram.com/vchp_charity/

Finally… Good Luck from everyone at VCHP & we hope you enjoy taking

part in your chosen challenge!

Please support Paul’s Challenge for

I’m taking on a ‘Challenge’ to raise money

for Vision Care for Homeless People

– Please will you sponsor me?

I am going to brave the cold weather this winter and wear shorts to

work every day to raise money for Vision Care for Homeless People.

I deliver veterinary supplies to around 20 practices across Somerset and

Devon. My route starts early in the morning and takes me over Exmoor which

had heavy falls of snow last winter. From November through to the end of

March I have braced myself to wear shorts to work, whatever the weather, to raise money to help homeless people receive the eye care services they need.

Vision Care for Homeless People is a small charity which was set up in 2003 by 4 optometrists who recognised the difficulties faced by homeless people in getting the eye care and spectacles they need. Homeless people find high street opticians hard to access, are prone to losing or breaking their glasses, and often miss out on having their glasses paid for by the NHS, so simply can-not afford them.

The charity runs 8 eye clinics across the county, including one in Exeter, which are staffed mainly by volunteer opticians and assistants. As only a third of their patients are eligible for an NHS eye test fee and glasses voucher the charity makes up the difference by using volunteers, through gifts in kind and with charity fundraising.

Many thanks for your support

Vision Care for Homeless People, Charity Number: 1118076

66 Commercial St, London, E1 6LT 0203 286 4186 info@vchp.org.uk www.vchp.org.uk

Vision Care for Homeless People, Charity Number: 1118076 66 Commercial St, London, E1 6LT

0203 286 4186 info@vchp.org.uk www.vchp.org.uk

SPONSORSHIP AND GIFT AID FORM

If you pay tax in the UK, you can Gift Aid your donation. Make every £1 you are giving worth an extra 25p to VCHP, without it costing you a penny more. Your Gift Aid declaration: By giving my name and address and ticking the Gift Aid box, I confirm that I am a UK Taxpayer and would like Vision Care for Homeless People to treat this donation as a Gift Aid donation. I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for the current tax year that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for the current tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand that Vision Care for Homeless People will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I have given. Please don’t give your work address – it’ll stop VCHP claiming Gift Aid

Instructions to participants/hosts Please pay the donations (cheques and cash) directly into the VCHP bank account at Lloyds: Vision Care for Homeless People, A/C 02395161, Sort 309465. For the reference use “EVENT YourName” . Scan and send the completed form to info@vchp.org.uk

Event Participant(s)/Host (s) Date(s) Page of

Title

First Name Surname House name or number

Postcode Date paid Donation (£)

Gift Aid (tick)

VCHP GASDS Collection receipt 0.3.xlsx

Vision Care for Homeless People - Collection receipt

Use this form to record donations received at an event or into a collection box/tin

Date of Collection

Location of Collection

Count the cashSTAMP

Denomination No Total£20 -£ £10 -£ £5 -£ £2 -£ £1 -£ 50p -£ 20p -£ 10p -£ 5p -£ 2p -£ 1p -£

TOTAL -£

Collection host's name

Collection host's signature

Collector's name

Collector's signature

The cash has to be paid directly into the VCHP bank account at Lloyds, and the denominations listed on the paying in slip. That way we can claim Gift Aid as a Small Donation (GASDS) from the Inland Revenue.Under the Gift Aid on small donations scheme (GASDS), if there are any individual cashdonations of £20 or under which are not accompanied by a gift aid declaration, then we are able to reclaim a top up payment equivalent to gift aid if the cash is deposited directly into our bank account (not by cheque).

VCHP’s bank details are:Vision Care for Homeless People, A/C 02395161, Sort 309465, Lloyds BankAsk the bank teller for a stamped paying in receipt with denominations listed.Alternatively, ask them to stamp this form