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5th May 2023
If you’re reading this guide, you are already well on your way to beginning your Erskine Fundraising journey. Your efforts are vitally important to Veterans at Erskine. To continue running our services, including our three care homes, Activities Centre, Assisted Living Apartments and Transitional Supported Apartments, Erskine needs to raise around £12 million a year. This guide will ensure you can maximise your fundraising income and minimise the stress. So, what are you waiting for!? Start today.
It’s great to have a goal in mind that is realistic but will test your ambitions. You might like to think about a tangible product or service that Erskine Veterans could benefit from, and how much it would cost, using that as a target.
To give you some inspiration:
£250 could help maintain the upkeep of our minibus, allowing it to bring Veterans together at the Erskine Activity Centre.
£500 could pay for 5 woodwork classes for up to 12 Veterans, helping them develop some valuable skills and build worthwhile relationships with their comrades.
£1000 could help fund our specialist dementia nurse, who will provide one on one care to residents living with dementia.
Deciding how you want to raise your money might be your biggest challenge. There are so many fun and effective ways to raise money for charity in 2023. A great source of inspiration is the Erskine fundraising pack, full of ideas on how to get started. But for now, here are a few key suggestions to get your started
There are a range of challenge events that you can take part in to raise money for Erskine from cycling or swimming, to ziplining and hiking. These are just a few:
Kiltwalk
Kiltwalk events take place up and down the country across the year and with routes ranging from 3 miles to 23 miles, there is something for everyone. Join fellow fundraisers to walk the Kiltwalk in aid of Erskine, and we have a great community team who will help you prepare. It’s a wonderful day out, and with the participation fee starting at just £12.50, you will be able to protect your fundraising income to support the cause.
Take Part in a running race
There are various running events throughout the year, The Edinburgh Marathon Festival and the Great Scottish Run among just a couple of examples. If you are a runner, or looking to start, giving yourself a focus like this can really improve your performance.
Tough Mudder
Not for the faint hearted, Tough Mudder is an action-packed obstacle course that will really test your endurance. Rope in a few friends as this can be a great teambuilding event. And with course lengths between 5k and 15k, you don’t have to throw yourself in the deep end!
Zipslide the Clyde
This adrenaline adventure is a unique and thrilling way to see Glasgow's cityscape whilst raising funds for Erskine Veterans Charity. This is a 100ft high and 1000ft long challenge, launching off from a crane next to the stunning Glasgow Riverside Museum - which has never been done before! Be the first to experience the thrill of zipping down the Clyde towards the Tall Ship.
There are many types of events, both large and small, that you could host to raise money for Erskine. You are most likely to have success doing something that you are already good at and enjoy. If you get regular compliments on your Victoria Sponge, then why not try a bake sale or coffee morning. Pub Quiz, Karaoke nights and Garden Parties are among some events that go down a storm. Our fundraising support team will be able to provide you with the tools to ensure your event is a winner.
Like a lot of people, you might already have everything you need as a big birthday approaches. Which makes birthdays a wonderful opportunity to raise money for a charity. Facebook fundraiser makes it really easy to do this. With all your friends in one place, it’s the perfect platform to set up your fundraiser and take donations. And the best thing is, there are no fees, so the full donation comes to Erskine. Learn more about how to set up a birthday fundraiser.
Wedding
And there are lots of opportunities to incorporate fundraising into your Wedding Day. Why not have Erskine pin badges as wedding favours? Or even just a collection box or bucket at the bar. Contact our community fundraising team to find out more.
Your workplace can be a major source of support for your fundraising campaign. You can engage your colleagues with dress down days, quizzes, skill sharing, collection cans and lots more. However, there are also many ways that your employer can support a charity. Why not encourage them to support Erskine too?
Matched Giving- whatever you raise, your employer can contribute a percentage. They might even match the full amount! Just ask your internal teams to find out more about this – you might find your workplace already has a system in place for this.
Payroll giving- your employer can initiate a salary giving scheme, where employees are able to donate a small amount or round up their salary for our Veterans – all pre-tax!
Find out more about workplace fundraising
The best way to set up your online fundraiser is via a third-party platform. We recommend Just Giving or Enthuse. Both are easy to set up and have step by step instructions on their website. While online fundraisers are usually the easiest way to raise money, you can also download our sponsor form to capture your offline donations.
Bonus Tip: Kickstart your fundraising by being the first to donate. Supporters are more likely to donate to a page that has already been started.
With so many incredible causes and fundraising initiatives out there, it is more important than ever to make your fundraiser stand out. Here are a few tips:
Tell your Story- Share your story in as much detail as possible and highlighting any personal connection you have to the cause; you will incentivise your contacts to donate. And remember to keep your supporters up to date with your progress. You might also want to tell your local newspapers and magazines what you are up to, to gain even more support. Click here to get a press templates.
Use great images and video- eye-catching content will help engage your social followings. This is usually a good time to rope in a friend who is crafty with a camera.
Ensure you take lots of eye-catching images and video content to engage your social media friends and followers. Our team can also help you with tips and guides on how to do this!
Erskine has a dedicated fundraising team who are waiting to help you with your challenge or activity. Whether it is providing guidance and advise or making sure you have plenty of promotional material for your fundraising activity, they are here for you.
Donating through Gift Aid means Erskine can claim an extra 25p for every £1 given. The best bit is it’s at no extra cost to you! Simply let us know if you are a UK taxpayer and we will take care of the rest! You can also boost your own fundraising efforts by asking the people donating to your activity to tick the Gift Aid box, where it is available!
If using an online platform like JustGiving, your donors will be automatically asked if they are eligible.
If you have set up an online fundraising page your donations will be sent automatically to Erskine. If you have collected cash, you can:
We couldn't do what we do without the likes of you! To get started, visit our fundraising resources and download the fundraising pack.
Veterans achieve tip top shape with first-class equipment thanks to Veterans Foundation
Our reliable, warm and comfy padded jacket is a must for chillier days ahead
Our thanks to all who walked through fiery embers for Erskine.
