The clock is ticking and very soon it will be time for your Charity Firewalk. As the organiser, you will have spent quite a lot of time and energy getting everything organised. You will have recruited a Team of Brave Fundraisers, organised the venue and been promoting your Charity Firewalk like crazy. And now, you are a week or so away and it’s time to make sure everything is in place. To help we always recommend that the organiser should have a checklist before a Charity Firewalk.

So, what does an organiser need on their checklist before a Charity Firewalk?

We have broken down your checklist before a Charity Firewalk into 8 main categories:

1. Firewalk Team
2. Schedule
3. Weather
4. Venue
5. Participants
6. Finances
7. Media
8. After Party

Let’s get stuck into these and then at the end we will add in a few other things to think about.

Firewalk Team

It’s always good to make sure you are in touch with us one week before your event. Don’t worry though, you don’t have to remember to do this, we will be in contact anyway to answer any last-minute questions and to go over how the night will work. It’s more of a courtesy call anyway as we will have been in close contact with you from the moment you book your Charity Firewalk.

Schedule

That courtesy call from us will go over the Schedule for your Charity Firewalk. Often, Charity Firewalks are booked months in advance and we like to make sure we are all working off the same schedule. During the call we will go over our arrival times, set-up, etc in greater detail.

Weather

Although there isn’t much we can do about the weather, it’s still a good idea to keep your eye on what is being forecast. Of course, we are well equipped to deal with most weather scenarios, but you will need to advise all those taking part in your Charity Firewalk. You will need to advise them to dress accordingly to the predicted and actual weather.

Venue

It’s important to have the venue on your checklist for a Charity Firewalk. You will need to go over times with them and check if they need anything else from you. You should also clarify what you need from them.

Of course, this will be done in advance but it’s still a smart idea to go over it with them. Most venues will be on the ball with this anyway, so you might hear from them before you contact them.

Participants

Make sure you are in contact with all those taking part in your Charity Firewalk 3 – 5 days before your event. You will need to remind them of the times, what they need to wear and advise them about handing over their sponsorship money. It’s always best to have this money collected and have on the night of the Firewalk at the very latest.

Sometimes, your Firewalkers might have last minute questions that need answered. And, as always, you can direct them to us if needs be.

This will also give you a better idea on how many people to expect. Especially if you ask them to let you know how many supporters they are bringing along. You can also ask them to post about your Charity Firewalk on Social Media one more time before the big event.

Finances

It’s always good to have your finances squared away on the night of your Charity Firewalk. You should bring a receipt book, so you can record how much money is coming in. If there is a lot of cash, it is a smart idea to have someone who can get the cash off-site, safe, and secure. If that isn’t possible, the venue could possibly put it somewhere safe and secure for you.

Media

This fall into two categories – Social Media and the press.

Social Media

By now you will have been raising as much of a stir as you can on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc and it is good to keep this up in the final week. From time to time, Charity Firewalk organisers manage to get an extra few brave Fundraisers in the last week.

Social Media is also an effective way to communicate any last pieces of information to your Firewalkers. Facebook and WhatsApp groups are fantastic for this.

Press

All being well you will have managed to get some local or national press coverage. Remind them all one week before your Charity Firewalk when and where it is happening. Invite them along to get some photos and interviews of your participants. This can be a great boost for the Charity after your Firewalk.

After Party

Sometimes, the organiser of a Charity Firewalk will have an after party for the participants and their supporters. This can be a great boost when combined with a raffle. If you are going to do this, make sure you have checked off your plans for music, food, prizes, raffle tickets, helpers, and the venue. And make sure everyone knows about it.

Anything else for the Checklist Before a Charity Firewalk?

Of course, there is!

Having a representative from the Charity at your Firewalk is a nice touch. Especially if they can give a few words of thanks to the participants. They can also bring along branded promotional materials, fliers, and t-shirts for the Firewalkers.

Some Charity Firewalk organisers will arrange for Fire Performers or Musicians for the spectators and the Firewalkers. This really adds to the event and can make it even more entertaining. If you do this, make sure to speak to the people you book a week before your Charity Firewalk. You can confirm times and make sure they have all the information they need.

There you have it, the organisers checklist before a Charity Firewalk. Of course, depending on your event, you might need to add a few more things to the list. Which is why we always recommend making a list before your event and make sure everything is considered and accounted for.