Guest post by Jo
I thought it might be a good idea to write a blog about the prizes, as Louise has worked so hard sourcing such an amazing bunch of goodies, and also because we're in a bit of a quandary about them.
So, the first bit first. Louise mailed and phoned like a demon asking people who she had written about and worked with if they would donate prizes, and suddenly these fantastic things started rolling in thick and fast. Dinner in an amazing hotel near where Louise lives, a signed Stephen Fry book, a £250 haircut from the X Factor's resident hairdresser Jamie Stevens, a cupcake baking and decorating course from her friend who run's Leah's Pantry: people were so generous.
The folk at People Tree have donated an astonishing £1250 in vouchers which, if we're honest, we don't even know how to apportion as prizes. The just-opened and decidedly lush Rock Mill Estate in Devon has donated short break, and nearby Elizabethan manor Combe House Devon is giving dinner, bed and breakfast.
I thought I would try and help out with the prizes so I phoned a couple of contacts, hence goodie hampers from Triodos Bank and Confiserie Florian. I also decided to cold-call some friendly companies and the delightful people at Sawdays publishing, who don't know me at all, donated a set of their brilliant travel books.
But Louise's contacts just kept a steady stream of prizes coming in: a piece from award-winning jeweller Jamie Stevens, a voucher from Boden, another cooking course, this time with TV chef Rosemary Shrager at the stunning Swinton Park. There didn't seem to be much point me doing any more cold calling.
It has been heartening to receive so much support from companies donating prizes. They're still rolling in, with the latest being dinner, bed and breakfast at Lower Slaughter Manor and a week in journalist Sue Lloyd Rogers' Ca'n Reus hotel in Mallorca.
The prizes were designed to induce more people to donate but we didn't realise that UK rules state that you can't Gift Aid if you stand to benefit from something like a raffle. And it has been difficult to convey to people that they must not tick the Gift Aid box if they want to be entered into the raffle. One donator pointed out that it feels a bit wrong to say you're not a UK taxpayer, which is what you have to do if you don't want to Gift Aid. We have a feeling that JustGiving used to have a special page you could have if you were doing a raffle, but no longer. We keep meaning to phone them up about it but haven't quite had the time.
So really, the point of this particular raffleblog is to say: 'Look! Brilliant prizes," and also to say don't tick the Gift Aid box and do leave your email address with us so that you can be contacted if you win a brilliant prize.
And if you and/or your mates are all charitied out, just think of the prizes. Even a five pound donation gives you five chances to win. Who doesn't want a luxury break, fabulous haircut or basket of chocolate? We can't give the prizes to ourselves!
Give it a whirl here.
Thanks to: Boden, Calcot Manor, Combe House Devon, Hair by Jamie Stevens, Lower Slaughter Manor, Confiserie Florian, Divine, Stephen Fry, Mo Hayder, Leah's Pantry, Harrop Fold Farm, Sue Lloyd Roberts, Me&Em, Eve Menezes Cunningham, Rock Mill, Sawdays, People Tree, Rock Mill Estate, Swinton Park Cookery School and Triodos Bank.
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