FAQs - Fundraise for Shine

1. Where does my sponsorship money go?

When you register to take part in Shine you can choose to raise money for translational research to help beat a particular cancer type. On the entry form you’ll find a list of 13 options – 12 cancer types and an option to support our research into treatments for all types of cancer. By choosing an area of work that you want to shine for, it will make your fundraising efforts even more meaningful.
Find out more about where your money goes.

2. Can I change my mind after I’ve picked which cancer to shine for?

Cancer Research UK will try and facilitate any request to change the type of cancer you’ve picked to shine for. If we are able to support your request we will make a charge of £5 to make any changes to cover the administrative cost involved in changing your choice. It’s our duty to avoid extra costs such as these so that more money goes towards research.

If you require any more assistance on this matter please call the Shine team on 0871 641 1430, and a member of our team will be happy to assist you. Our lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 6.00pm. Calls cost 8p per minute plus network extras.

3. The type of cancer I would prefer to shine for is not on the list, how do I fundraise for that?

Cancer Research UK’s whole research portfolio covers very many different types of cancers.  There are rules governing the way we raise funds for particular cancer types, which means we have to administer these donations differently from gifts given simply to Cancer Research UK’s overall work. 

To ensure we keep administration costs to a minimum we have to keep the list available to choose from to a minimum.  This is why for Shine there are a limited number of cancers we can give you to select from (12 types).

If you can't decide which cancer to support or can’t find the one you would like to fundraise for, then by selecting the option to support research into treatments for all types of cancer you can be secure in the knowledge that you are helping to beat many forms of the disease.

Please be assured that our scientists conduct research into a wide range of cancers - from the most widespread such as breast, bowel, lung and prostate to extremely rare types of tumour.

4. I want to fundraise in other ways for a type of cancer, how do I do that?

It is possible for you to fundraise for a particular project or area of our work.  Take a look at our fundraising ideas for more information.

5. Does my fundraising help pay for research in my local area?

The sponsorship raised through this event could help fund translational research into your chosen type of cancer in research institutes and facilities anywhere in the UK.

6. Can I give money raised at Shine to another charity?

The Shine event is exclusively in aid of research into new treatments for cancer. All participants entering the Shine event agree to the Shine event terms and conditions that state that all participants have a legal responsibility to ensure that all sponsorship monies and donations received for Shine are paid to Cancer Research UK.

7. How much sponsorship money should I try and raise?

As much as possible! All the money you raise will help us to get closer to our vision of beating cancer. We are aiming to raise £3 million from Shine this year.

8. How do I create an online fundraising page?

If you haven’t yet created an online fundraising page you can create your page today, and find out how to make the most of it with our fundraising tips.

9. How can I pay in my sponsorship money?

If you have an online fundraising page, the funds you raise are automatically sent to us. If you do not have an online fundraising page you can return a cheque to us by post, or make a payment over the phone.
Find out more about how to return your sponsorship

10. Do I need to enclose my sponsorship form with my cheques?

If any of your sponsors have ticked the Gift Aid box it is essential we have a copy of your sponsorship form. Without this we will not be able to claim Gift Aid on any of your donations. Gift Aid increases your contribution by at least 25% without any extra cost to you or your donors.

11. What is Gift Aid?

If your sponsors are UK taxpayers, the Government’s Gift Aid scheme allows Cancer Research UK to claim tax back on their donations. We can currently claim at least 25% back from the Government on every sponsorship donation, without it costing your sponsors a penny extra.
Find out more about Gift Aid

12. What happens to my Gift Aid?

When your sponsors tick the Gift Aid box, 25 pence is added to every pound of their pledge - at no extra cost to you or them.  For example: £20 sponsorship, plus Gift Aid, becomes £25.00. The Gift Aid is counted toward the amount you raise for the area of work you have chosen to support.

13. Do I have to wait until all of my money is collected before I return it?

We prefer that you return your money all at once, but you can return it in batches. Please ensure that you include your details with each batch so that we can thank you for each amount sent in.

14. Do I have to complete the event before I send in my sponsorship money?

We advise that you complete the event before you send in your sponsorship so that you can send in all sponsorship money at the same time.

15. Can I pay in sponsorship money for my friends?

Yes. You can pay in their sponsorship money by post, please ensure that you include their full details with your payment. We will need their full name, walking number, Registration Number (which can be found on their sign up email or in their participant pack) and the amount they raised. Otherwise they will not be thanked for their generous contribution and they may receive unnecessary correspondence.

16. What is JustGiving?

Justgiving is a private company that specialises in providing online tools to enable online collection of donations. Cancer Research UK has worked with JustGiving since 2002 to allow its supporters to fundraise online for the charity.

17. Has the money I've raised on my online fundraising page been paid to Cancer Research UK?

Online fundraising pages are the most efficient and secure way of collecting sponsorship. Our online sponsorship partner, JustGiving, transfers all donations made to a fundraising page to Cancer Research UK each week. Within a month, Gift Aid is reclaimed on all eligible donations and is also sent to Cancer Research UK. This means that the charity receives sponsorship money much earlier than through traditional fundraising methods.