Run your own raffle

A good raffle can bring the money in thick and fast - but there are a few things to be aware of before you get started.

Make sure you stick to the following rules:

• A raffle can only be held at an event where the raffle is not the main focus e.g. a coffee morning, fete, dress-down day, dinner or fun day
• Alcohol can only be used as a prize if it's in a sealed container
• Prizes mustn't roll over from one raffle to another
• The maximum you can spend on prizes is £500 (but this doesn't include the value of any donated prizes)
• There's no minimum or maximum restriction on ticket prices
• Tickets can be sold to and by anyone over the age of 16, as long as they are sold at the event only

Please be aware that if you'd like to sell raffle tickets in advance of the date of the event, the raffle will be classed as a public lottery and you'll need to get permission from your Local Authority. If you're running your raffle this way, your tickets will need to include more than just the number found on standard cloakroom tickets. They'll need to show the name of your society, the purpose of the lottery (to raise funds for NUH Charity), ticket price, the name and address of the organiser and the date of the draw.

Here are some phone numbers for local authorities in the East Midlands:
Nottingham City Council 0115 915 5555
Nottinghamshire County Council 08449 808080
Derbyshire City Council 08456 058058
Derby City Council 08456 058058
Lincoln City Council 01522 881188