Yes. There are many ways you can fundraise for your group if you absolutely need money for an activity. You could put on fundraising activities in your local area, such as sponsored events, cake sales, bike rides, walks, or runs. For inspiration
take a look at the support us section of our website.

You may wish to approach a local company for use of their office space, the donation of a raffle prize, or a small donation, for example. As a volunteer, you are a fantastic ambassador for Re-engage. If you know of a national company that wants to support our core work, please do get in touch with our fundraising team so that our dedicated corporate partnerships manager can approach them directly. You can email the team at knowledge@reengage.org.uk.

Many supermarkets run local community appeals. You can approach these local supermarkets for donations towards group funds. Please don’t make applications to the national schemes as they are already approached by Re-engage for nationwide charity support.

No, please don’t make applications to trusts or foundations for group funds. Grant management requirements mean that we must be able to show that funds have been used for the purpose they were given with specific guidance laid down by the Fundraising Regulator. If you know of a trust that may be interested in funding our work, either nationally or locally, please contact our fundraising team through knowledge@reengage.org.uk.

Of the money you raise, 90% is allocated to your tea party group and administered in line with charity finance rules and best practice guidelines. You will need to provide us with paperwork such as receipts so that we can show that all donations are used to further the charity’s objectives. The other 10% is set aside to cover:

• Staff in our welcome and support teams who are there to support you with volunteer and older guest recruitment, including obligatory criminal records, checks for volunteer drivers and coordinators.
• Being part of a regulated and safe charity environment and working in accordance with Charity Commission and OSCR regulations.
• Administrative costs relating to the managing of funds correctly and in line with Charity Commission regulations.
• Costs relating to recruiting older people through referral partnerships.
• PR and social media to recruit new guests and volunteers.

Funds raised before 1 April 2019, when the guidelines changed, will not be affected.

If it’s a donation from an individual or a local company, 90% of the donation will be allocated to your group funds, with the other 10% going towards overall running costs. However, please do bear in mind that the charity has a policy regarding the acceptance of donations and if we have a concern about the purpose or size of a donation we will get in touch with you.

Our finance team administers all donations in accordance with Charity Commission regulations and best practice. Our auditors must be confident that we’re fully in control of funds and funding applications.

Funds raised for your group must be used within our charitable objectives. Examples might include a summer outing to a local tearoom, a Christmas lunch at a garden centre, or small gifts for older guests, such as birthday presents or cakes. Please do not give older people money or spend group funds on gift vouchers.

Our charitable objectives

• To encourage older people who are lonely, isolated or in need of companionship to develop social interests by bringing companionship into their lives.
• To help older people to establish contact with their peers.
• To encourage younger people to devote some of their time to helping older people find companionship and new friendship groups.

• Seasonal small gifts for guests or volunteers such as: 
  • Christmas gifts and cards – this could include small hampers or gift bags, advent calendars or more personalised gifts such as books.
  • Easter eggs, cards and flowers
  • Valentines’ gifts and cards
  • Spring plants and pots
• Cards, flowers and gifts for guests or volunteers for various occasions such as: 
  • Birthdays
  • Weddings
  • Greetings cards and stamps for all occasions
• Cakes and biscuits for guests who miss a tea party.
• Items for special occasions organised outside of a host’s home such as: 
  • Table wear, food, presents and prizes.
• Occasional treats for guests such as trips to pantomime, theatre, restaurants, pubs, garden centres.
• Take away teas or lunches to guests during lockdown

Volunteers cannot claim for vouchers or draw out cash to give to members of their group.

Please complete our group funds claim form, so that we can process your claims.

Our group coordinators are able to claim expenses for some items related to their activity with Re-engage.

Please complete our group funds claim form, so that we can process your claims.

Group coordinators can claim for:

• Mileage to visit new hosts or guests before they join a group to check out suitability of hosts homes, and the needs of the older guests. Group coordinators must log mileage on their claim form and calculate the amount claimed at 45p per mile.
• Stationery and stamps in order to communicate information to volunteers and guests in your group.
• Telephone calls to guests. Please note that you must send us itemised phone bills.

You can see a list of the items you can spend group funds on in the question above 'What sort of items can I spend group funds on?'

Please remember that you are not able to claim for gift vouchers.

People and companies give to charity so that good things can happen so it’s best practice to spend funds, rather than keep them in a bank account. We would like to see group funds spent within one year.

No. Re-engage has a duty to track all donations made to the charity, and to administer them according to company and charity law and in line with regulations set out by the Charity Commission and HMRC. Any bank accounts related to our work need to be linked to these financial controls and would need to be administered by our trustees.