Volunteering
Volunteering is a great way to dedicating your time in a worthy cause and providing you with social experience and a chance to use your skills to make a tangible contribution to fighting poverty. You will meet new people by becoming part of a committed group of supporters. It can also be a good way to improve your career prospects - not to mention the "feel good" factor.
If you are interested in fundraising for Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust either as an individual or as part of a fundraising group or branch - we can help you get started.
We are also always looking for volunteers to come overseas and help out on our many projects such as water and sanitation, medical camp & eye camps, housing rehabilitation and many other projects. You could be assigned in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kashmir or in the African Continent depending on requirements. If you are a student on a gap year or have recently graduated and want to take some time out then this is the perfect opportunity for you to get involved. For more information contact us via email at: info@almustafatrust.org and we will assist you further.
Business Giving
There are a number of government initiatives/schemes that allow businesses to give money to charity. Below are examples taken from HMRC (Giving to charity) of how your company and your employees can support Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust:
Sole Traders or Partnerships
If you're a sole trader (self-employed) or a partner in a business, you pay Income Tax as an individual on your business profits. So you can take advantage of the tax reliefs on gifts of money to charity that are available to individuals and can claim them on your Self Assessment tax return.
If you wish to give money to Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust you can use Gift Aid. This increases the value of your donation to our charity at no extra cost to you - by allowing them to reclaim basic rate tax on your gift. If you pay higher rate tax you can claim extra relief on your donations. In order to make a Gift Aid donation you'll need to opt-in to the Gift Aid declaration as provided on all our Business Donation Form.
Companies
Companies can get tax relief on gifts of money to charities. The relief works differently than for individuals, self-employed sole traders and partnerships.
Gifts of money made to a charity by your company should be paid gross - before tax is deducted. These donations are deductible from the total profits of your business when calculating Corporation Tax.
The charity doesn't need to make a Gift Aid tax repayment claim because no tax has been paid. The charity can claim exemption from tax on company donations.
Offering gifts in the form of land, buildings or shares
Your company could benefit from Corporation Tax relief if it gives land, property or qualifying shares to a charity, or sells them to a charity at less than their market value.
Corporation Tax relief
Your company can get relief from Corporation Tax at its highest rate on gifts (or sales below market value) to charity of:
- Shares or securities which are listed on any recognised stock exchange. This includes London and PLUS-listed in the UK and any recognised overseas stock exchange.
- Shares or securities dealt in on any designated market in the UK. The only markets so designated currently are the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange and the PLUS-quoted market of PLUS Markets.
- Units in an Authorised Unit Trust (AUT).
- Shares in a UK Open-Ended Investment Company (OEIC).
- Holdings in certain foreign collective investment schemes - generally schemes set up outside the UK that are similar to AUTs and OEICs.
- A qualifying interest in land.
Your company can't get relief for gifts of its own shares.
Capital Gains
Corporation Tax is normally payable on capital gains made when land, buildings or shares - or any other asset other than money - is given away or sold at a profit.
If your company makes an outright gift - something given without expecting anything back in return - of an asset to a charity, there is no Corporation Tax to pay on any capital gains. This is because, when the gift is made, the transaction is treated as having taken place for an amount that results in no gain and no loss for the donor company.
How to give land, buildings or shares to a charity
First you need to contact your chosen charity (i.e. Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust) to make sure it can accept your gift.
If you want to give shares you need to complete a stock transfer form to:
- take the shares out of your company name
- put them into the charity's name (i.e. Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust)
If you want to get Corporation Tax relief for giving land or property you must obtain a certificate from the charity.
This must contain the following:
- a description of the qualifying interest in land or property that has been given or sold to the charity
- the date of the disposal
- a statement confirming that the charity has acquired the qualifying interest in the land or property
A 'qualifying interest' means a freehold interest in land or a leasehold interest in land.
You must transfer the whole of your interest in that land or property to the charity. For example, you can't give your property to charity and continue to live in it. In the situation where two or more persons hold the property, all of the joint owners must dispose of their interest in the property to the charity at the same time if any of them are to claim relief.
Offering gifts in the form of company equipment, trading stock or staff help
Your business can get tax relief if it makes a gift of equipment or trading stock to a charity (i.e. Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust). You'll be able to reduce the taxable profits your business makes by the cost of the gift made so you'll pay less tax. This applies whether you're in business as a sole trader, a partnership or a company.
Your business can get tax relief for the costs of temporarily transferring an employee to work for a charity (i.e. Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust) - on 'secondment'.
Sponsoring (Business Donation)
It's quite common for companies to agree sponsorship deals with charities. Companies usually get something in return for a sponsorship payment, for example by linking your company name (as sponsor) with the charity or project could give your company valuable publicity.
Sponsorship payments that your company make in return for something from the charity are treated differently for tax purposes from simple donations. The way they're treated, and whether or not your company can claim tax relief for them, depends on the nature of the sponsorship arrangement and on the particular circumstances.
Payroll Giving Scheme
Payroll Giving is a way for your employees to make regular payments to charity directly from their pay. People who receive their company/personal pension through PAYE (Pay As You Earn) can participate too.
Payments that your employees make through a Payroll Giving Scheme are deducted from their pay before tax is deducted. This means that employees are given tax relief on their donation immediately - and at their highest rate of tax.
It's easy to set up a Payroll Giving Scheme for your business. There's little in the way of cost and administration, and you'll probably be able to adapt your existing payroll system to operate the scheme. For more information on companies that can help setup Payroll Schemes visit our Alternative Donations page.
Al Mustafa has over 35 clothing banks scattered across major towns and cities in the UK, so it is easier for you to donate your clothes/footwear. When you do wish to donate your clothes/footwear, please make sure to put your bag(s) in the bank and not to leave them outside, as they not only become a tripping hazard, but often bags are ripped and items stolen by trespassers, leaving a mess all over mosque car parks. If you live in an area where there are no AMWT clothing banks, you can still help by arranging a collection of 10+ bags (the more the better) and then call us to arrange for collection.
Fundraising
How can fundraising help our charity? Well, fundraising can make a hugh difference and our existing fundraisers have helped raise thousands of pounds towards various projects and appeals. Our charity wouldn't raise half as much if it wasn't for the dedicated fundraising volunteers who raise vast amounts every year.
Whatever the plans or methods you wish to use to fundraise, If you would like to become a fundraising supporter then contact us by email on fundraising@almustafatrust.org. Simply tell us how you wish to do fundraising by choosing one of the types below or if you have any other bright and innovative idea then simply drop us a brief description and we will then revert back to you as soon as possible.
Whatever the plans or methods you wish to use to fundraise, If you would like to become a fundraising supporter then contact us by email on fundraising@almustafatrust.org. Simply tell us how you wish to do fundraising by choosing one of the types below or if you have any other bright and innovative idea then simply drop us a brief description and we will then revert back to you as soon as possible.
By working collectively we can make a hugh difference ...
Types of Fundraising
Their are a number of ways you can help participate in raising vital funds for Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust:
Special Event Fundraising
You can raise funds on behalf of Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust by organising a special event in your town or city. The type of event that will work best for you depends on a variety of factors, including where you are located, the time of year, and who you are trying to reach. Make sure that the price range of the event you are planning is appropriate for the income level of the population you are targeting. Before scheduling a special event, be sure that you find out what other activities are going on in your city when choosing a date. Verify that you aren't scheduling your event at a time when there are several other activities in the same area that will appeal to the same people you are counting on being able to attract to yours. The type of special events must adhere to Islamic practices. Typical examples of special events could be:
- Conference
- Sporting Tournament (5-a-side, Cricket, Golf, Badmington etc)
- Food sales (Food Stalls)
- Auction
- Sponsored Walk/Run Event
- Climbing/Hiking
- Extreme Sports Event (Paragliding, Parachuting, Bungy-Jumping etc
Contest/Competition Fundraising
You can raise funds on behalf of Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust by organising Contests/Competitions. This type of fundraising is especially ideal for individuals or organizations that are trying to attract supporters who can't make large financial commitments. Both entry fees and sponsorship sales allow money to be made using these types of fundraising events. Typical examples could be:
- Fashion Show
- Talent Show
- Art Competition
- Quiz
- Photography contest
- Naat contest
- Quran Qirat contest
Corporate or Business Signup
You can raise funds on behalf of Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust by signing up corporations or businesses to pledge a regular donation from their profits. Most business give donations for specific purposes anyway as it helps them to maintain their corporate image. By signing up means the company is committing to providing regular funds which is vital to our charity. Corporation/Business can signup to support a specific project such as Housing Rehabilitation in Pakistan or support our Medical Centres or they can contribute to any other project that suits them.
This process of fundraising is not a fast one. The companies usually take a lot of time to process your request, but once accepted it can be substantial and for a longer period of time. If you wish to signup corporations or businesses then please contact us by email: info@almustafatrust.org requesting a signup pack.
Cause Related Marketing
Companies can raise funds on behalf of Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust by embracing one of our many causes. Nothing builds brand loyalty among today's increasingly hard-to-please consumers like a company's proven commitment to a worthy cause. Other things being equal, many consumers would rather do business with a company that stands for something beyond profits.
Al-Mustafa would would receive donations in proportion to the sales of the product. The upside of such funding is that it’s restricted only by the volume of sales, and in the process our charity also gets some publicity through the media campaigns of the commercial company.
Logo Merchandising
You can raise funds on behalf of Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust by selling merchandise with our logo on various merchandise. You can donate a certain percentage of the profits towards Al-Mustafa and keep the remaining to cover the costs of purchasing/printing costs. You can sell these items on Ebay, dedicated e-commerce store, stalls or sell them to businesses as corporate gifts that they can use as thank you for individuals within organizations. Typical examples of merchandise could be:
- Baseball cap
- T-Shirts
- Sweatshirts
- Polo Shirt
- Mugs
- Laptop Case
- Mouse Mat
- Key Chain
Planned Giving
You can raise funds on behalf of Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust by planned giving process. In planned giving, a donor or donors pledge to give certain amount of money on specific events, like his or her death or when they receive their salary or on their birthday.
Recycle your clothes
Another way you can get involved is to donate your old clothes for recycling. The clothes you donate to Al Mustafa Welfare Trust are brought back to our sorting depot in Nottingham, where bags are opened and all items individually sorted. We send the good quality items to various developing countries such as Gambia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Kashmir. This is especially the case during natural disasters such as tsunamis, floods and earthquakes, where we send the most suitable items of clothings and footwear to the affected areas.
During the Pakistan 2005 Earthquake/Tsunami and Haiti Earthquake, AMWT sent massive containers full of shoes, blankets and clothes for the disaster victims. And recently we have sent clothes for 10,000 families to the flood victims of Pakistan.
AMWT are committed to ensuring that all clothing/shoe items are recycled, so those items that are not sent oveseas are sold our charity shop so that we can raise vital funds for our ongoing development projects in the third world. As part of the UK Government initiative to recycle more, we would encourage all our donors to remind your family and friends to donate their unwanted clothes and footwear to AMWT so that not only does the environment benefit from avoidance of landfills, but your clothing/footwear will help keep someone in the third world warm and covered.
Al Mustafa has over 35 clothing banks scattered across major towns and cities in the UK, so it is easier for you to donate your clothes/footwear. When you do wish to donate your clothes/footwear, please make sure to put your bag(s) in the bank and not to leave them outside, as they not only become a tripping hazard, but often bags are ripped and items stolen by trespassers, leaving a mess all over mosque car parks. If you live in an area where there are no AMWT clothing banks, you can still help by arranging a collection of 10+ bags (the more the better) and then call us to arrange for collection.
Please help us find new places for our Clothing Banks
We are always on the lookout for new sites for our clothing banks. If you know of a mosque, community centre, school or a supermarket that would give us permission to place a textile bank on their premises please contact us immediately so we can to raise more money for our development projects as well as keeping the poor and vulnerable warm and suitably clothed.
