Running any group costs money, and it’s a good idea to start thinking at the beginning about where to get it from and how to look after it. As soon as your group has some money, it is a good idea to give someone responsibility for keeping track of it (the Treasurer). Having a group bank account is the best way to make sure the group’s money is kept safely. Most high street banks offer special accounts for community groups. You will need to have a…

Social events, performance nights and gigs can be fantastic ways to bring your community together, showcase your work or raise money. When organising these types of events you may need to think about ensuring you and your venue are meeting regulations and have the right licences in place, for example for playing music or selling alcohol. You may also wish to take out insurance, and conduct a risk assessment, particularly if your event is open to …

Whatever event you are running, planning an event generally involves similar basic tasks and things you need to think about. Getting an idea to become a successful reality can be hard work, and there are common mistakes which it is easy to avoid. This section contains a range of tips and information to help you to plan and run a successful event. Thanks to funding from the Big Lottery, all the information in this section has been updated and impr…

If you provide food and drink at an event you need to make sure you comply with simple regulations. In particular, you need to make sure you have done what is necessary to ensure food safety, and that you do not break the law regarding the sale of alcohol. Information about both of these is available on our Licensing and Regulations information page. Click on the Links tab for useful contact details, including food hygiene training providers and …

Transporting groups of people can take some organising. The cheapest way to do this varies depending on the number of people and the specific journey. When planning transport for your group it is worth thinking about the specific needs of your group members and what will suit them best. Do they need to be collected from somewhere close to their homes in a minibus? Can they all travel at the same time or would it be better if everyone organised th…

This section includes practical information and useful contacts to help you get the logistics of your event right. The Links tab gives contact details for useful local organisations who can help with the practical things you need for your event, like a venue, water and electricity supplies, tickets and first aid cover. The Resource Centre has lots of equipment available to hire that you may find useful for your event. Whether it’s a meeting, summ…

Social enterprises are businesses that have clear social and/or environmental aims. They generate most of their income through trade (rather than, for example, grants), and reinvest most of their profits to further their social and/or environmental aims. A social enterprise is not a legal structure in itself. There are a number of legal structures a business could adopt when setting up as a social enterprise. Our information on Legal Structures f…

Meetings need not be boring! This section can help you to organise meetings that involve your members, generate new ideas and give everyone a chance to contribute to the running of your group. If you are organising a public meeting or conference, you may also find the information in our Planning and organising events section useful. Click on the Equipment tab at the top of this page to see our range of low-cost equipment for hire, to help make yo…

Whether you are organising a one-off crèche or are running an organisation especially focussed on activities for children, this section contains information about the things you will need to consider. It also contains links to our Favourite Funders for children’s and young people’s activities. We have a wide range of games and toys available for hire at low cost to community groups in Sussex. Click on the Equipment tab or see our Equipment sectio…

… Sports activities are a great way of getting people together to spend time with one another, have fun and get fit. This section provides information and advice to help you organise sports activities. It also contains information about funders that fund sports projects and groups. …