Organising and Promoting Events in Parks

Using a park during a lesson, or as the focus of a lesson that involves a visit is no problem, just go ahead. If you want to use the park to run an outdoor event such as a sponsored walk or a summer fair, for example, you will need to get permission and there may be a fee.

• Contact the Parks Events section of Bristol City Council (0117 922 3808) for permission and advice
• Appoint an Event Manager who has overall responsibility for, and control of the event. This will also be the person who liaises with Emergency Services should the need arise
• Give some thought to parking and traffic management
• Appoint a volunteer with a First Aid qualification or contact St John Ambulance (0117 953 3880) or the Red Cross (0117 973 8242). These organisations will provide cover in return for a donation. Contact them well in advance
• Seek advice on whether you need to apply for any licences, complete a risk assessment form or require public liability insurance

Useful contacts

City parks make ideal terrain for sponsored walks. They are traffic and pollution free, pleasing environments with good, child-friendly paths to walk on with play areas after the hard work is done. Here are some tips on organising a walk.

• As far as possible check that the date you have in mind won’t clash with other events e.g. the World Cup Final
• Seek appropriate permissions

Planning the Route

Think about:

• distance - a short walk that anyone can do or a series of laps for a challenge?
• you may raise more money if you work in kilometres as they are shorter than miles!
• the best place to start, maybe with nearby loos and drink/snack facilities
• walk the route before the actual day to check how long the proposed distance takes to walk and preparing/checking route maps and directions
• staffing at main access points/crossings to the start point
• having drinks/snacks available at intervals and at the end. It may be a good idea to finish near a play area
• route chosen must be agreed with Parks Events Team

Map and directions

Depending on the type of walk, people may well need a map and directions. This could tell people such things as the route, points of interest, toilets and refreshment facilities along the route, and what to do at the end, You can either give this to people on the day, or you can send it out in advance in which case of course you would also tell people such things as where the start is and when to arrive.

Use some of the resources, such as a map from www.parkdetectives.org to add interest and interactivity on the walk. Completing one of the surveys could mean walkers qualify for a bonus prize.

Wet Weather

Try to get the message across that wet weather isn't going to put you off. Suggest walkers have at the ready: good raincoat, hat, waterproof trousers (or wear shorts), bag of dry clothes to change into, fresh footwear. You could ask for a sponsorship bonus if it's wet on the day so there's an extra incentive to turn up.

Safety

Make it clear to walkers that they are responsible for their own safety on the walk. Before crossing roads each person should make sure that it is safe rather than just following the group as people tend to do.

Sponsorship Form/Leaflet

The main leaflet can be the sponsorship form itself. You will probably want to include:

• what is being done, for how far and how the money will be used
• when and where the walk begins, including enough description for people to be able to find the start easily
• suggest how long to allow for the walk
• a tear-off reply slip to 'register' for the walk - this may be important if you have agreed particular maximum numbers with the authorities, or if you want to make arrangements for refreshments
• the name, phone number and address of a contact, including a mobile phone number so that people can contact an organiser on the day
• a table, with rows marked where a sponsor will put his/her name, details and the amount pledged.

Costs

There may be costs such as postage and photocopying. Decide who's paying for these and keep track.

Acknowledgement

Thank people for taking part, perhaps with a badge or a certificate for successful completion.

Collecting the Money

• This should be done primarily by the participants from their own sponsors.
• Equip each participant with some form of identification from the school such as logo, badge etc
• Encourage people to bring friends, family and colleagues on the walk as participants, who will in turn raise sponsorship from their own friends etc
• Encourage participants to go to their most generous sponsors first as sponsors are often guided by what the people before them have pledged
• Support people in collecting the money from their sponsors. Stress how important collecting in the money is and give a deadline by when they should receive it all. You should ask for the sponsorship form too so that if you want, you can check all the money is accounted for. Someone should keep a list of the participants and money collected from them.
• Although sponsorship is usually linked to scale of achievement, in practice most people (especially family) are happy to pay up front which saves you time in collecting
• You might give a prize for the largest amount actually collected, to encourage participants to collect.

Debrief

Debrief - what was good, what could you do better next time?

A Disclaimer

Park detectives cannot accept responsibility for any problem arising from reading the material on this web page

1. Organise a summer fête or autumn fair
2. Stage a school fashion show using pupils' designs and charge an entry fee
3. Hold a sponsored walk with a seasonal theme, e.g. local history, spring flowers, minibeast hunt
4. Stage a car boot sale
5. Organise an auction of promises
6. Stage a talent show for pupils and staff
7. Organise a bucket collection of loose change
8. Stage an art exhibition with works for sale
9. Link up with a local group to prepare a joint bid for a project
10. Organise a raffle or tombola
11. Lay a line of 10p pieces from one football goal to another
12. Ask a local football team to hold a soccer skills day

Preapre a news release to tell the media what is happening. The first sentence should tell them who, what, when, where and why e.g:

"St Mary Redcliffe Primary SchooI, Windmill Hill is running a sponsored walk at 11am, Saturday 14 June starting at the top entrance to Victoria Park to raise funds for play equipment". The rest should be short, (one side of A4 maximum) include a quote from someone significant or perhaps from a child, be dated and include a mobile phone number.

If you can send this by email and attach a photo in jpeg format so much the better (a child dressed up as a Victorian to complement the quote for example). Prepare what you want to say in an interview and for any questions you think might be asked – a journalist just might phone the mobile you offered on the news release.

Use what's on columns in free papers

If there will be any sound that might interest radio (drummers etc) make sure it's in the news release or adapt one especially for radio.

Remember to do a poster and splash it around neighbouring shops and house windows.

Photo Opportunities

You could theme your walk for fun and photos: funny walks, Victorians, fancy dress. If you have a media-friendly celebrity in your contacts list, enlist their support. Giving out badges, arm bands, T-shirts etc helps identify walkers and give a sense of team work.

Media List

Back to top of page