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FAQs

FAQS

Sport Relief 2008

What is Sport Relief?

By getting active, having fun and raising money everyone can do good and feel good.

All the cash raised is spent by Comic Relief to help vulnerable people living incredibly tough lives both at home in the UK and in the world's poorest countries.

What can I do for Sport Relief?

Bike Week, one of the UK's biggest cycling events, has named Sport Relief as their official charity partner.

Since Sport Relief is all about getting active, having fun and raising money - what better way to get involved than through Bike Week? Click here for more fundraising ideas.

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Bike Week

What is Bike Week?

Bike Week is one of the UK's biggest cycling events and has named Sport Relief as their official charity partner.

The huge week of events will be taking place from 14th to 22nd June and it's all about promoting cycling as a source of fitness and fun for all the family. This year, Bike Week is giving you the chance to get in the saddle and raise cash to help change lives at the same time. Click here to find out more about how you can get involved.

Where is my nearest Bike Week Event?

There are hundreds of Bike Week events taking place across the UK from 14th to 22nd June, to find an event near to you Click here.

How can I become an event organiser?

For more information and to register your interest click here.

The Bike Week Steering Group

Bike Week is a company limited by guarantee, Reg. No. 4910069. The Steering Group includes representatives of 18 organisations that want to encourage 'more people to cycle more often'. Without their involvement - in particular where they have volunteer members or supporters - many Bike Week events would not take place. Click here to find out more.

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Fundraising Questions:

What online resources are there to help me fundraise?

You can set up your own personal or team online fundraising page, where you can collect online sponsorship for Bike Week or any other fundraising activity. Or you can download a sponsorship form here. There are also loads of other useful fundraising tools online, like fundraising ideas and a downloadable poster. For all our useful fundraising tools click here.

When do I start fundraising?

You can begin fundraising straight away. Start by having a look at our fundraising ideas, then set up your own personal online fundraising page and get sponsored for your efforts!

Where does the money go?

The money raised will be spent by Comic Relief to transform lives here in the UK and across the world's poorest countries. Visit Cash in Action to see the wonderful ways in which money is being spent.

Can I have sponsorship forms / event posters?

Sponsorship forms and posters can be downloaded here.

Can you donate prizes for a raffle I'm organising?

We'd love to help out but we get so many requests for this and we simply don't have the resources! Try contacting local businesses, who may be able to help you. Good luck!

Are there any legal dos and dont's I should consider?

Thank you for fundraising for Sport Relief! We really appreciate your support, but please remember that you are responsible for your fundraising, so please make sure it's safe and legally sound. Have a look at The Serious Bit to ensure everything is above board.

Can I use a Sport Relief 2008 logo for my fundraising event?

Yes, you can download our 'In Support of Sport Relief' logo here. It can be added to tickets, flyers or certificates of achievement. Please make sure you follow our guidelines to inform you on where and how you can use it.

How do I get my event in the press?

Download and customise your own press release here and contact your local press directly asking them to cover your event. Tell the world what you're doing to fundraise for Sport Relief by setting up an online fundraising page. The press and other fundraisers will then be able to search these pages for interesting stories.

Can a Comic Relief staff member come to our event?

Thank you so much for your invitation. We are lucky enough to have a dedicated, extremely hardworking staff team here at Comic Relief. We do our best to make sure our campaigns are a success and as much as we would love to be able to attend every event that people organise for us, it is not possible as we just do not have the resources available. We REALLY REALLY appreciate being invited and we know that it is people like you that make the campaign work by putting in so much effort - we couldn't do it without you and you continually inspire us. Thank you, good luck and keep in touch by emailing us at fundraising@sportrelief.com - it would be great to hear about your fundraising success!

Can you get a celebrity to attend my fundraising event?

We are incredibly lucky to get so much public support that we are overwhelmed with such requests and can't possibly fulfil them all.

And as our celebrities have already done a huge amount for us this year: from taking part in Sport Relief Mile Events to filming the Sport Relief TV show, we think it's time we gave them a well deserved rest. However, why don't you think about getting in touch with local celebrities or public figures, such as your mayor or MP, who might be able to come along? Contact your local council or media to find out how you might get in touch with these people.

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What is the Comic Relief Promise

The Comic Relief promise?

In order to run itself in a professional and effective way Comic Relief incurs necessary significant costs. Raising funds, making grants and organisational overheads cost real money.

Despite these costs, Comic Relief is still able to promise that for every pound the charity gets directly from the public a pound goes to helping transform the lives of people living with poverty and social injustice. If Sport Relief raises £20 million, Comic Relief will spend at least £20 million doing just that.

It can make this promise because its operating budget is covered in cash or in kind from all types of supporters like corporate sponsors and donors, suppliers, generous individuals and government (including Gift Aid) as well as from investment income and interest.

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Financial Questions

How can I pay in fundraising money?

By cheque/postal order - make payable to 'Sport Relief 2008 (Bike Week)', and send to: Sport Relief 2008, Ernst & Young, PO Box 51543, London SE1 2UG

Through your online fundraising page - log back in to your online fundraising page to top up your total and pay in any cash.>

I've collected some foreign currency. What shall I do with it?

Banks and Building Societies will only accept sterling. If you have a bank account you could pay the money into your account and then write a cheque to Sport Relief 2008 (Bike Week), or convert the money at a foreign exchange teller and then donate the money to Sport Relief

Matched Giving - I know that my employer operates a matched giving scheme, what can I do to get them to match my donation?

Ask your employer for a matched giving form. Send this to Sport Relief 2008, Ernst and Young, PO Box 51543, London SE1 2UG with your cheque. This will provide us with confirmation that your donation has been received.

Can I set up a standing order for Sport Relief 2008 / Comic Relief?

Thank you so much for considering donating to Comic Relief on a regular basis. It's possible to make regular donations to Comic Relief by emailing fundraising@comicrelief.com and requesting a 'Regular Giving form'. Alternatively you can request a form by writing to us at Comic Relief, National Fundraising Team, 5th Floor, 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP. Remember to let us know your address. Thank you!

Can I use payroll giving to make regular donation to Sport Relief / Comic Relief from my pay?

Yes - if your employer operates a payroll giving scheme then you can set up a regular deduction from your pay to come directly to Comic Relief. Please ask your employer.

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Gift Aid

What is Gift Aid and how can it mean more money for Sport Relief?

Help us to get at least 25% extra! If you say yes to Gift Aid when you pay money in, the government will give us 25% (subject to current tax rates) on top of your donation. It won't cost you a penny, but it will make a huge difference to us in continuing to make sure every donation we receive directly from the public goes to help tackle poverty and social injustice. To be eligible you must be a UK taxpayer and we must have your full name and home address.

In addition following the 2008 Budget, the Government will pay a transitional relief of 3 pence on every pound on every Gift Aid donation made from 6th April 2008 until 5th April 2011. This means that we can claim in total an extra 28% on top of your donation if you Gift Aid it.

All you need to do is tick the Gift Aid boxes on your sponsorship form or online fundraising page.

Gift Aid - do all donations qualify?

Gift Aid can apply to personal donations of any amount, large or small, by cash, cheque, postal order, debit or credit card or even in a foreign currency (including the Euro). It does not however apply to CAF cards (as the tax has already been reclaimed in this case). If you are a UK taxpayer, all you need to do is tick the Gift Aid boxes on your sponsorship formor online fundraising page

How can I be sure my donation qualifies for Gift Aid?

By ticking the Gift Aid box, you are declaring that you are a UK taxpayer for the current tax year, beginning April 6th 2008, and you have paid (or are going to pay) the government more tax throughout that year than we are claiming back. If you have donated £10, for example, and have ticked the Gift Aid box, we can claim an extra £2.50 from the Inland Revenue. Therefore, you must be sure that you have paid (or will pay) more than £2.50 (subject to current tax rates) in income or capital gains tax to the government for that tax year. This is because the government cannot give the money you've already paid in taxes back to us if you haven't paid any!

Please remember that fundraising events do not qualify as personal donations. Therefore, if you are paying in fundraising event money, you should not tick the Gift Aid box. But we can claim gift aid on the money given by your individual sponsors if you send us the sponsorship forms with your cheque.

Where can I get further information about Gift Aid?

Visit the Inland Revenue website or the Giving Campaign website or get in touch with your local Tax Office.

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