Fundraising in aid of the RNLI: Terms and conditions for your event

Event Terms & Conditions (Fundraising in aid of ‘FIAO’) – October 2025

1. In these terms and conditions references to an activity includes all types of fundraising events and activities.

2. If you are organising an activity to raise money in aid of the RNLI you agree to:

• 2.1. Be responsible for all costs and expenses relating to the activity.
• 2.2. Be responsible for the safe conduct of the activity and take all steps necessary to protect the health and safety of activity participants and spectators, including carrying out all necessary risk assessments, providing all necessary safety equipment and the supervision of participants and spectators;
• 2.3. Obtain and maintain appropriate insurance for the activity, to cover, in particular, risk of injury or death to participants and spectators;
• 2.4. Comply with all applicable laws and regulations of any country in which the activity is to take place or be publicised, and obtain all necessary licences and consents, in relation to the conduct of the activity; and
• 2.5. Comply with the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice provisions and Charity Commission Guidelines for events and activities taking place in the UK.
• 2.6. Comply with the Charities Institute Ireland Fundraising Codes of Good Practice and the Charities Regulator guidelines for events and activities taking place in the Republic of Ireland.

The following provisions apply to all activities (whether organised by you or someone else):

3. You:

• 3.1. Agree to ensure that you are eligible to take part in the activity in accordance with any criteria published by the activity organiser (e.g. minimum age, height/weight or health restrictions etc.) and agree to comply with any safety guidelines or other activity rules;
• 3.2. Accept that the onus is on you to ascertain whether there are any risks associated with you taking part in the activity and confirm that you are not aware of, or have disclosed when prompted, any medical condition or impairment that may be detrimental to your health if you participate in the activity. If you become aware of any such medical condition or impairment you will withdraw from the activity. If you are in any doubt as to your physical ability to take part in the activity you must consult your doctor before arranging to take part;
• 3.3. Accept that you are taking part in and/or organising the activity on your own initiative and agree to participate in the activity entirely at your own risk; and
• 3.4. Agree that you will not hold the RNLI, its officers, employees, volunteers or agents liable for any loss, injury, damage or costs that may result from the activity or your participation in it caused in any way other than through the gross negligence of the RNLI. We recommend that you obtain personal accident insurance cover for any activity involving risk of injury.
• 3.5. Agree to be responsible for the collection of any donations that have been promised directly to you. You must make it clear to your donors what will happen to their donations, if you are unable to complete or need to postpone your fundraising activity.

4. If a claim is made against the RNLI in relation to the activity (except where the activity has been organised by the RNLI) or arising out of any breach by you of these terms and conditions, you agree to reimburse the RNLI for any sums which the RNLI pays as a result of that claim including, but not limited to, any associated legal or other costs and expenses.

5. You agree to make clear that you are raising funds in aid of the RNLI and will not indicate or imply that you represent the RNLI or that your activity is run by the RNLI.

6. You must only use any sponsorship forms, posters, banners, leaflets, badges or other RNLI materials provided to you by the RNLI (whether in hard copy or electronic form) (“RNLI Materials”) in connection with the specific activities which you have notified the RNLI of and in connection with which the RNLI has authorised you to raise money in aid of the RNLI (“Notified Activities”). You must not use any RNLI Materials in connection with any other activities without first obtaining the RNLI’s written approval.

7. The RNLI provides pre-designed fundraising materials for you to fill in with your activity details and use to promote your activity. You must not use the RNLI name or logo nor any other RNLI trade marks (“RNLI Trade Marks”) nor any images of the RNLI’s lifeboats, lifeboat crews, lifeboat stations, beach lifeguards or beach lifeguard units (“RNLI Images”) on materials created by you without the RNLI’s prior approval (see - Request to use RNLI Trade Marks or RNLI Images in fundraising materials).

8. You agree:

• 8.1. To comply with any guidance issued to you by the RNLI or made available on its website;
• 8.2. Not to take any costs relating to your activity out of funds raised unless:
  • 8.2.1. This has been agreed with the RNLI; and
  • 8.2.2. You have made this clear to sponsors and other donors before asking them to sponsor you/make a donation/buy a ticket etc. Part of the fundraising regulations is the requirement of transparency, and this means that the donor must know exactly what part of their payments or donation goes to RNLI.

9. If you send us any photos or video of your activity you agree that the RNLI may (free of charge) publish or broadcast them to publicise the work of the RNLI and to promote fundraising in aid of the RNLI.

10. You agree that you will not do anything to harm the RNLI’s good name and reputation. If you do the RNLI has the right to ask you to stop your fundraising activity immediately.

11. You must not use the RNLI Trade Marks nor any RNLI Images to promote your business (nor that of anyone else) without separate approval from the RNLI. In particular, you must not use the RNLI Trade Marks, RNLI Materials nor RNLI Images on or in relation to any of your products or services or on the packaging, advertising or promotional materials for your business, products or services nor as part of any domain name.

12. If requested to do so by the RNLI, you agree to immediately stop fundraising in aid of the RNLI and to then immediately:

• 12.1. Return any funds you have raised in aid of the RNLI to your sponsors or to any persons who have paid to take part in your planned activity (if the activity has not yet happened) and then immediately pay any money (not returned in this way) to the RNLI; and
• 12.2. Stop using any RNLI Trade Marks and RNLI Materials you still have and return them to the RNLI (or destroy them if asked to do so by the RNLI) and delete any electronic copies you have of the RNLI Materials.

13. Please remember that for the majority of event types, you are not registered for the event you have applied for and not authorised to fundraise in aid of the RNLI, until we have emailed or written to you to say that your application has been accepted. In some cases, we may first have to request further information before your application can be assessed.

14. These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.