Setting up your online sponsorship page

Anyone can set up their own unique online sponsorship page through Justgiving, which enables friends, family and colleagues to sponsor you conveniently via debit or credit card.

Sponsorship raised this way is automatically credited to the runner and goes directly to the charity's bank account, making it easy for everyone. We encourage you to use this facility as much as possible.

Simply follow the instructions on the website and your page will be set up in minutes. If you have any problems with your page please contact Justgiving's helpline on 0845 021 2110.

Getting the most out of your fundraising page

Once your page is up and running, you are free to start using it to collect sponsorship immediately. Most people do this by sending round an email to all their contacts containing a brief explanation about their motivations for taking part in the run, why they have chosen WaterAid to benefit from it, and a link to their sponsorship page.

There are a host of ways to maximise its potential, here are a few ideas:

• Think laterally when deciding who to contact and make sure you email all potential supporters - sponsors come in many forms! Apart from contacting close friends, family and colleagues, why not contact overseas friends, former colleagues, college friends, fellow members of church, sports clubs and so on.

• Add a link to your email signature. Adding your Justgiving link to your personal and/or work signature helps ensure that all your contacts are made aware of your efforts, and you may even gain some unexpected sponsors! Don't forget to ask permission from your work to add the signature.

• Send email updates on your progress, it is very important to engage your supporters when you can, make sure they know where you are up to on your training and sponsorship, and what a potential donation will buy for WaterAid. People often intend to sponsor you but do not get round to it on the first request. From our experience, reminding people does help them to carry out their good intentions.

• Ask the web editor at your work to add your site to the intranet or website. Workplaces enjoy promoting their staff's socially spirited efforts and it could get you a lot of extra sponsorship.

• Publicise your efforts on the notice board in your gym, church, college, children's school, pub, etc. Create a simple poster telling people about what you are doing and why, and ask any interested parties to sponsor you via your online fundraising page. You would be surprised at the amount of people who receive sponsorship from complete strangers.

• Advertise your web address via any publicity drives you initiate. If you are carrying out any publicity surrounding your participation in the run, for example contacting local papers or radio stations, make sure you include your link on any information you produce for them. WaterAid is more than happy to advise you on how to write press releases and approach the media, just get in touch with your Team Coordinators.