Fund-raising, donations and grants
Ensuring that there are sufficient funds to underwrite our various activities is always high on the agenda. “Exclusive use” of venues is perfect for our needs, but an expensive option, while the play-scheme – hugely successful and hugely necessary - costs a great deal of money to organise and run, because of the need to have a high number of qualified and dedicated staff.
Our income has a variety of sources, including membership fees, donations and grants, and monies raised through specific fund-raising projects. We rely very much upon the generosity and support of both individuals and organisations/companies.
Fund-raising events
Our first major fund-raiser took place in May 2007. An “Aerobathon” – co-ordinated and led by committee member Alison Dickson – was held at Surrey Health & Racquets Club in Croydon.
The charity dipped its toes in the water of fund-raising golf days in the summer of 2008, and feedback was both enthusiastic and complimentary.
What was originally proposed as a “couple of days on the river, collecting money for charity” snowballed into a once-in-a-lifetime major fundraiser – Three Men in a Boat - achieving a total of nearly £45,000!*
We are delighted to have a regular young fund-raiser, Charlotte Marsh, who has a brother on the autism spectrum. Charlotte has not only taken part in fund-raising events (such as sponsored walks), but has organised a number of her own projects, including an auction, a fashion show, and various raffles.
Grants
We have also been fortunate enough to receive a number of grants. For some years now, Surrey County Council has underwritten a proportion of the cost of running the summer play-scheme, and we were able to stage a number of one-off projects thanks to funding provided through Surrey Community Action.
Volunteers
Although we can’t very often take up offers of “people help” at our events, there are some areas where volunteers have been used – and very successfully. This applies, in the main, to the play-scheme where, since summer 2008, we have had, as part of the team, students from Nonsuch High School for Girls. They are thoroughly briefed as to what they might expect (tantrums, shrieking, repetitive or challenging behaviour and fears and phobias), and are assigned alongside key staff as “support workers”. They also get all the “just jobs” such as tidying up and fetching and carrying – all of which they seem perfectly happy to do (we know they enjoy the experience, because they volunteer to come back again!).
