Paul_J
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Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: London
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This may just be me being a bastard.
But I'm getting sick of people at work, trying to fund raise for really cool / fun things.
Examples include:
- Abselling down a 60 ft building
- Sky Diving
- Cycling around the swiss alps
 These are all cool / fun things.
The whole point of sponsoring someone for charity, is that the person does something 'hard' / brilliant, therefore deserving money and then does the generous gift of giving all the money raised to charity.
Basing on this scheme of 'fun things' - why don't I just raise for charity every time I do something fun? 'I'm doing a track day this weekend and would like to be sponsered per lap I do thx', or 'I will be out drinking this weekend and would like sponsership per pint I drink.' - 'I will post all proceeds through the letterbox of a local spastic society on the way home'.
However, it's 'internal' company fund raising that's a real joke; where its almost like 'you have to cough up to not look like a tight bastard'.
quote:
I'm doing a sponsored abseil down a very tall building (over 60ft) in Farnborough on Sunday 20th June to raise money for disabled children and Treloars which is a specialist special school based locally to me.
If you could possibly spare a bit of cash to sponsor me, I need to raise at least £100.00 – there is a sponsorship form in the kitchen
At the moment only one person has their name down. I just went into the kitchen to make a drink and got moaned at for not having my name down, so have now had to put my name down. Not because I wanted to, but simply because you look tight.
- Fair enough one off, ok - but there seems to be some shite like this every week.
Why can't someone do something worth while? e.g. 'I'm going to crawl on my hands and knees the entire hard sholder of the m25' - I'd give someone £10 for doing that  
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Conway563
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Registered: 7th Jun 06
Location: Yate, Bristol
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Abseiling I don't mind so much as most people I know that have done it for charity have had a fear of height
Sky diving though pisses me off as most people end up doing it for charity and then using the sponsorship money to pay for it in my experience
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Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
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I asked for sponsership when I did my sky dive, however unlike a lot of people I paid out my own pocket for the jump and everything I raised when to charity.
I just thought it was a good idea at the time and managed to raise close to a grand for a hospice. Didn't hurt anyone and got me through, maybe only temporarily, my fear of falling.
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Paul_J
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Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: London
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I have a fear of heights.
I find climbing a ladder up the side of my house, scarier than doing a sky dive / bungee jump / abseil.
Why? because the latter activities are very well monitored / controlled / safe.
The fact its only 60 ft too. It'll be over in about 30 seconds.
If she was abseiling down the side of the bt tower or off the side of a mountain, I'd maybe be happier to make the effort.
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The other thing I hate about these internal company fund raising things is the amount you have to give 'not to feel tight'.
I'd say £5-£10 is an 'ok amount to give'.
If you give £1 or less you look proper tight.
You'll always get some chump show off putting down £50 and getting pats on the back.  - you'll be sitting there with £2.50 down on the sheet. You may as well personally spit in the disabled kids faces, it's that spiteful.
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Paul_J
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Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: London
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quote:
Originally posted by Neo
I asked for sponsership when I did my sky dive, however unlike a lot of people I paid out my own pocket for the jump and everything I raised when to charity.
Sorry, my reply wasn't aimed at you (just so happened you posted before I did). 
- Did you raise money internally in your company, or through family / friends?
- It's just the internal company ones that go round abusing the email system that get up my nose.
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Marc
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Registered: 11th Aug 02
Location: York
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Isn't the whole point that it is for charity, regardless of how you raise the money?
If the people want to have fun whilst they raise the money why not?
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Paul_J
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Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: London
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quote:
Originally posted by Marc
Isn't the whole point that it is for charity, regardless of how you raise the money?
If the people want to have fun whilst they raise the money why not?
So why don't I just fund raise everytime I do something fun?
- I can do loads of fun stuff (like I would've anyway) and earn myself an extra badge of satisfaction for raising money too?
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Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
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I just wouldn't get involved, just tell them you give to charities in other ways throughout the year, and to charities that you agree with and feel are worthy. Not saying little tommy in his wheelchair doesn't need the money, but (without knowing you well enough) you may back a cancer trust in your area due to family history or whatever.
If people in your office aren't greatful of the amount regardless of whether its £2 or £20, then don't give anything IMO.
And I agree 60ft is fuck and the height wouldn't scare me, the thought of falling however would cripple me, but doing the activity you wouldn't notice. You've done bungees, surely the adrenalin stops your fear of heights (alongside the safety precautions in place)
Final line is, fuck her off, and all other requests tbh
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mwg
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Registered: 19th Feb 04
Location: South Lakes
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I dont sponsor anyone at work for stuff as if I sponsor one I'll have to sponsor them all. Charity begins at home.
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Conway563
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Registered: 7th Jun 06
Location: Yate, Bristol
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quote:
Originally posted by Neo
I asked for sponsership when I did my sky dive, however unlike a lot of people I paid out my own pocket for the jump and everything I raised when to charity.
I'm sure we've had this conversation before Mike and I applaud you for doing it. I know of quite a few who have done one recently though and raised quite a bit of sponsorship, then ended up giving about £50 to charity
The one that majorly pisses me off, especially the way Paul is describing with people asking for money in work is fucking race for life
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Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Paul_J
- Did you raise money internally in your company, or through family / friends?
Work had nothing to do with it, It was just family and friends, friends of my parents/grandparents and even friends of theirs.
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FruitBooTeR
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Registered: 18th Jan 07
Location: Wolverhampton Drives: S15
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This pisses me off to but another thing which im sure you experience is Birthdays!
If its a big birthday or a retirement of someone you dont even know you get asked to put into the collection...i mean wtf!
What they do here is send a big envolope around the office so when it gets to me I just tick my name off anyway and dont put in..
Its different in your own section as when its my birthday ill get about £25 but fuck doing it for every bastard who retires etc.
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Paul_J
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Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: London
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quote:
Originally posted by mwg
I dont sponsor anyone at work for stuff as if I sponsor one I'll have to sponsor them all. Charity begins at home.
Yes this is exactly what I'm getting at.
There's someone every week doing something lame, expecting money. The skydive and cycling in the swiss alps were actually some of the more impressive ones.
Usually it's some crap like, 'my son's doing a sponsored penalty shoot out, sponsor him per goal he scores'
- then you find out the goal keeper is Robert Green or a disabled kid with no arms and legs and the goal tally ends up being in the hundreds
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Paul_J
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Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: London
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by FruitBooTeR
This pisses me off to but another thing which im sure you experience is Birthdays!
If its a big birthday or a retirement of someone you dont even know you get asked to put into the collection...i mean wtf!
And new born babies / marriages.
I may try having a whip round next time I need a new clutch for my car.
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Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Conway563
I'm sure we've had this conversation before Mike and I applaud you for doing it. I know of quite a few who have done one recently though and raised quite a bit of sponsorship, then ended up giving about £50 to charity
The one that majorly pisses me off, especially the way Paul is describing with people asking for money in work is fucking race for life
Yeah we have
These are the buggers
http://www.skylineparachuting.co.uk/charity-parachuting.aspx
"Free" If you raise £395, and the charity will get £140
Shouldn't be allowed in my opinion, because a lot of people don't realise that they are giving £10 towards someone to do a skydive and of that tenner, £2.80 will go to charity. Takes the royal piss tbh !
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Paul_J
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Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: London
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Neo
quote:
Originally posted by Paul_J
- Did you raise money internally in your company, or through family / friends?
Work had nothing to do with it, It was just family and friends, friends of my parents/grandparents and even friends of theirs.
Fair play mate I have no problem with that. It's not actually 'charity' / fund raising that I'm against. It's the people who try to do it at work every week for crap.
P.S. Despite doing sky dives / bungee jumps / climbing up the side of a glacier, I still can't climb a ladder up the side of the house without feeling totally dizzy and having my legs go wobbly.
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Marc
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Registered: 11th Aug 02
Location: York
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Paul_J
Usually it's some crap like, 'my son's doing a sponsored penalty shoot out, sponsor him per goal he scores'
- then you find out the goal keeper is Robert Green or a disabled kid with no arms and legs and the goal tally ends up being in the hundreds
I can understand this. I suppose it also depends on the cause and how often you are pestered.
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nathy_87
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Registered: 14th Aug 08
Location: West Mids. Drives: Škoda Fabia VRS 5J
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I know where you're coming from Paul we have tehse at least once/twice every month. I put at least £5. Think I might try it one day mind, Cycling from my house (Uttoxeter) to Birmingham City Centre. Don't know why but I've always wanted to do it.
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Cavey
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Registered: 11th Nov 02
Location: Derby
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I don't give any money to charity, I have donated clothes to shops in the past, that's about it. I was even a bit pissed off when I found half the sweepstake money at work was going to Barnados
Have a mate who keeps trying to get sponsered to do all this kind of stuff, had a proper go at him a couple of times about it. I did however sponsor him when he ran the Manchester 10k, as that's something that requires some effort.
The cheeky bastard was originally trying to get sponsorship to go and run the NYC marathon, would of cost him £200 to have a holiday if he raised XXX amounts of pounds
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Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Paul_J
quote:
Originally posted by FruitBooTeR
This pisses me off to but another thing which im sure you experience is Birthdays!
If its a big birthday or a retirement of someone you dont even know you get asked to put into the collection...i mean wtf!
And new born babies / marriages.
I may try having a whip round next time I need a new clutch for my car
That made me laugh
I remember when I left my last place, had been there 2 years and seen a changeover of around 30 staff, each time someone left we did a group buy, something they'd really want (i.e. One guy loved gadgets so got him an Ipod Touch)
I'd ussually just chuck in the shrapnel in my pocket so probably £3 - £5 each time, so even at £3 a time that meant I gave people £90.
When I left I got a £20 Jessops voucher  Wasn't ungreatful or anything, just felt that similar effort for every member of staff...Since then however I have become a scrooge, won't give in to the sweepstake or anything in work, wont give towards peoples leaving things and when I leave i'll make it clear i haven't and dont expect anything. Nice to get a "sorry your leaving card" signed by people you get on with, but not by every tom dick and harry from accounting that you want to kill.
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mantamark
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Registered: 19th Jun 06
Location: Northumberland
User status: Offline
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I just did a charity walk for wateraid.
made camp in the valley, headed up Sgurr Ban (989 m (3244 ft)), dropped down, headed along and then climbed Beinn a Chlaidheimh (916 m (3005 ft)) This wasnt our original route, but because of bad weather, we went this way. Damn hard day, crap weather meant no views, but we were up there, honest!
Total ascent due to ups & downs of the walk was about 5500ft, not everest or anything, but i was totally buggered after 10hrs on hard terrain.
Its good when its something different, but i too hate having to sposor people for doing shit things.
Tbh, i could have stayed at home & donated the money i spent on kit / fuel / food instead of putting my body through that hellish weekend, but, as they say, its for charity.
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Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
User status: Offline
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Ill hopefully do some fund raising withing the next few months - a year with stuff i aim to do personally, all stuff thats been done before/already mentioned in here.
3 peaks challenege - my aim is to do it by the time im 22 (so only got 2 and a bit months to plan it and do it).
skydive + bungee jump - always had the urge to do them but the actual thought of doing it has put me off
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Mad Moe
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Registered: 14th Jun 01
Location: Northumberland
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I've done the Coast to Coast a couple of times and there's a group of us hoping to complete the Three Peaks Challenge in September all for a local Charity called Daisy Chain and Collingwood School in Northumberland
[Edited on 15-06-2010 by Mad Moe]
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Paul_J
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Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: London
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Matt L
Ill hopefully do some fund raising withing the next few months - a year with stuff i aim to do personally, all stuff thats been done before/already mentioned in here.
skydive + bungee jump - always had the urge to do them but the actual thought of doing it has put me off
Why not just 'do it' then?
- Why use it as an excuse to pester people for money.
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Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Paul_J
quote:
Originally posted by Matt L
Ill hopefully do some fund raising withing the next few months - a year with stuff i aim to do personally, all stuff thats been done before/already mentioned in here.
skydive + bungee jump - always had the urge to do them but the actual thought of doing it has put me off
Why not just 'do it' then?
- Why use it as an excuse to pester people for money.
I wont be pestering as such as raising money isnt the aim of these things it is like i say for me personally so i can say i have done them, just a side thought really is that i could raise money for a charity by doing them but like i say thats not my aim from doing them.
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