Forming a fundraising team for CancerCare is a great way to support the charity, raising vital funds and the profile of CancerCare in your local area.

CancerCare’s community fundraiser will meet with you and guide you through the process of setting up a group. They will provide on-going support as you fundraise for CancerCare. Please don’t be put off by what follows as reading it makes it seem much more onerous than it will prove to be in practise and the fundraising department will be there to help at every step along the way.

The role of CancerCare charity fundraising group:-

• To be representatives of CancerCare within your area
• To organise events and activities to raise funds in your local area
• To collect money via collections and collecting boxes sited in locations such as
• local shops and pubs
• To be the local point of contact for fundraising for CancerCare in your area - this
• may involve attending events and presentations, which have been organised by
• other people on behalf of CancerCare.

First steps

If you want to set up a fundraising group the first step is it recruit a group of friends and contacts to work with you. It is recommended (but not essential) that you then elect a committee and appoint people to the following roles:-

• Chairperson – has overall control over the group, keep committee meetings in order and act as the main spokesperson for the group.
• Secretary – has responsibility for taking minutes of all meetings. Committee members and, if appropriate, all the members of the group should be given a copy of the minutes. The secretary also deals with and keeps records of all letters to and from the group, and keeps the list of members up to date.
• Treasurer – has responsibility for collecting and controlling the group’s money. They would deal with any money the group receives or pays out and would keep full financial records of income and expenditure. The CancerCare can supply the Treasurer with a small cash box, petty cash slips, receipt books and a cash book for keeping the financial records.

The group can run with a committee of three officers, but it usually works out better to choose other officers to be on the committee to help to run the group by taking other responsibilities. Other useful roles may include Vice-Chairperson, Public Relations Officer, Collection Box Officer and Events Secretary.

Meetings

The election of the officers and the committee should take place at the first meeting. It is recommended that Fundraising Groups hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) at least once a year. This is a good opportunity to review the past year’s activities and financial situation, make any necessary changes to your “constitution” if you have one, elect a new set of officers for the following year and discuss plans for activities for the year ahead.

Do I need a bank account?

It is normal practice for committee based fundraising groups to set up an account at a bank or building society branch, which is convenient for the Treasurer and other members of the Group. Take your letter of recognition with you when opening the account as proof of authorisation from CancerCare.

The recommended wording for the name of the Group’s Account is the name of the Group followed by “for CancerCare” e.g. Silverdale fundraisers for CancerCare.

There should be at least 2 signatories on the bank account. In order to cover for absences, it may be best to organise for four possible signatories, with two of the four signatures required for withdrawing money from the account. The signatories should not be related or living in the same dwelling. Please advise your Community fundraiser of the details of the bank account.

Developing a constitution or rules for your group

It can be beneficial to have a ‘constitution’ for your Fundraising Group so everyone involved is clear about the aims of the group and how the group is going to be run.

Here are some suggestions if you would like to run your group in this way:

Aims and Objectives

1. To raise money to support CancerCare (registered Charity number 1120048)
2. To receive monies and any other form of assistance in order to further these
3. aims and objectives only.

Membership

1. Membership shall be open to anyone who is sympathetic to the aims of the group.
2. The secretary shall keep a membership book with full details of members.
3. Only members shall be entitled to vote at meetings of the group, with no member having more than one vote.
4. All applications for membership shall be decided by the committee.
5. Membership shall be renewable following each Annual General Meeting.
6. Any person whose membership is terminated by the committee shall have the right of appeal at the next General Meeting or Annual General Meeting, whichever is the sooner.

Meetings

1. The secretary shall keep a minute book recording the proceedings of all group meetings.
2. The secretary shall arrange committee meetings, and shall consult other committee members on the timing and frequency of meetings.
3. The secretary shall arrange meetings at the request of the committee.
4. The secretary shall arrange for an Annual General Meeting in each calendar year, to be held shortly after the completion of the financial statement and annual report. A written notice shall be sent to every member not less than twenty one days before the meeting.
5. The secretary can arrange with the agreement of the committee any other type of meeting or event in the name of the group, providing that no votes are taken on any matters relating to the running or the policies of the group.
6. The quorum for any committee meeting shall be four members.

Officers and Committee members

1. The first committee of the group consists of the initial members listed below, who shall arrange the first General Meeting within x weeks following the adoption of this constitution.
2. Committee elections shall be held at each Annual General Meeting for the positions of Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and Vice Chairperson.
3. Nominations for these positions must be received by the secretary at least three days before an Annual General Meeting. Nominated persons must be members of the group.
4. The method of election shall be a ballot during the meeting, or by a show of hands if no representative present objects.
5. All persons nominated and elected to, and persons co-opted on, the committee shall serve in a personal capacity.
6. The committee may co-opt up to x people to serve on the committee until the next annual general meeting. The committee shall consist of up to x persons in total.
7. In the event of a tied vote during a meeting, the resolution shall be minuted as having failed.