Plan an event

Thinking about holding an event to raise funds? It can be hard work but incredibly rewarding, knowing your efforts will help improve the lives of disadvantaged young people and communities. An event is also a great way to raise funds whilst having fun in your community with friends, family and colleagues.

Top tips for planning an event

Set a target for how much you are trying to raise, this will help you plan, and will motivate people to help you get there! A good balance is to aim to raise three times more than you spend.
Set a budget. Work out what you will need to spend money on beforehand, so you can make sure you are raising more than it costs you.
Check the calendar. People are less likely to be able to come if your event clashes with a major sporting event or a national day. You also need to give yourself enough time to make all the preparations and to publicise what you’re doing.
Plan what you will need to do beforehand and what you will need to do on the day. This will help you work out what help you might need, identify any challenges early, and make sure it all runs smoothly.
Get help. It’s often more fun, as well as less work, when friends and family get involved. You never know, you may find that they have hidden talents!
Tell everyone what you’re doing and why. You might want to create some flyers or posters. Email friends and colleagues with information that they can send on to others. Social media is also a great way to advertise what you’re doing.
Don’t forget to thank everyone. After the event, remember to send a big thank you to everyone who has helped, and let everyone know how much you raised.

You can find more helpful tips on our Fundraising Resources section.

IN THIS SECTION

THOMAS AQUILINA

STEPHEN LAWRENCE DAY FELLOW, LONDN SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

The London School of Architecture has appointed Thomas Aquilina as its inaugural Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation Fellow through the generous donation of the Foundation in September 2021 under the instigation of founding LSA Vice-Chair Elsie Owusu OBE and the RIBA, marking another significant step in the LSA’s commitment to widening access and participation in architectural education.

Through this Fellowship, Thomas is committed to researching means of tackling of historic and current underrepresentation of black and other racialised groups in the architecture profession. A tutor in Critical Practice and Design History at the LSA, Thomas is a registered architect and educator dedicated to building communities of radical thought and progressive practice. He is a co-director of the New Architecture Writers programme and a co-founder of the publishing collective Afterparti. Thomas is also investigating local understandings of spatial justice in London as a Design Researcher in Residence at the Design Museum. As a past recipient of the Stephen Lawrence Architecture bursary, Thomas’ trajectory in architecture is one indebted to Stephen’s legacy. Under the fellowship, Thomas looks to:

Lead conversations at the LSA around curriculum reform, in particular in relation to decoloniality, decarbonisation and destandardisation.
Work on delivering on the strategic priorities contained in the LSA’s ambitious Access and Participation Plan, which seeks to increase the number of Black and Asian students in its cohorts, and students from low-income and low-participation backgrounds.
Cultivate and nurture relationships with local schools, devising an ambitious ‘Part 0’ outreach programme.
Serve as a visible role model and mentor within to the school to underrepresented racialised groups.

The LSA once again wishes to express its gratitude to the RIBA, Elsie Owusu and the vision of Baroness Lawrence for enabling such pioneering research and action at the LSA and subsequently the wider architectural community.

LSA Stephen Lawrence Foundation Fellow, Thomas Aquilina, said:
“At this exciting time of new directorship for The LSA, I want to support the work of building an architecture school that is attune to the value of equitable and radical perspectives.”

Baroness Doreen Lawrence said:
“I am pleased to see that the LSA has appointed Thomas Aquilina to lead on this ambitious plan in researching decoloniality in architecture. For too long access to the profession of architecture was limited and challenging for those from underrepresented groups, this will be a great asset in widening participation for all.”

London School of Architecture Head of School and CEO, Dr Neal Shasore, said:
“It is fantastic that, thanks to this donation, we have been able to offer this new Fellowship. In an intensely competitive field, Thomas’s vision of what we could achieve was truly inspiring. I am looking forward to working closely with him over the coming year, ensuring the LSA leads the conversation around decoloniality and architectural education.”