Challenging events of any sort

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Philip Benstead
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Challenging events of any sort

Post by Philip Benstead »

Challenging events of any sort

I was looking for an walking event for London to Brighton, all I could find were charity events , walking is like cycling if you want an any sort of challenged you have to raise money for charity in the case of London Brighton you have to raise over £400 .
I do not mind paying a entrance fee but to raise money for a charity is a pain .
What do others think.

http://www.london2brightonchallenge.com/the-challenge
Philip Benstead | Life Member Former CTC Councillor/Trustee
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al_yrpal
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Re: Challenging events of any sort

Post by al_yrpal »

I hate any walking/cycling/swimming sponsorship with a vengance and will never contribute to these sort of things, they seem like highway robbery to me. If you want to walk to Brighton, just do it. And, if you want to really do something for charity, just donate or better still volunteer. If more of us did that charities would be far better off. I am sick of seeing riding a bike seem like some heroic sort of penance that you only do to blag money off people.

Al
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Ray
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Re: Challenging events of any sort

Post by Ray »

Philip Benstead wrote:I do not mind paying a entrance fee but to raise money for a charity is a pain .
What do others think.


Strongly agree. As for cycling, Audax events are largely free of this - and far less expensive to enter. Have you tried googling for walking clubs or organisations? There are surely plenty of groups out there who just like to 'go for a walk' without the vainglorious trappings?

As for walking to Brighton . . . puzzles me a little why you'd want to do this when you have a bike . . . :? :roll:
Ray
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beardy
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Re: Challenging events of any sort

Post by beardy »

At least the charity walking events dont insist on you wearing a helmet.

The LDWA are the walking equivalent of Audax but I dont know if London-Brighton has a pleasant enough path for it to be on their lists.

We are, as always, free to do whatever we like under our own initiative. Start walking in London and stop in Brighton. :wink:
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Philip Benstead
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Re: Challenging events of any sort

Post by Philip Benstead »

Ray wrote:
Philip Benstead wrote:I do not mind paying a entrance fee but to raise money for a charity is a pain .
What do others think.


Strongly agree. As for cycling, Audax events are largely free of this - and far less expensive to enter. Have you tried googling for walking clubs or organisations? There are surely plenty of groups out there who just like to 'go for a walk' without the vainglorious trappings?

As for walking to Brighton . . . puzzles me a little why you'd want to do this when you have a bike . . . :? :roll:


to see if i can do it, its a Challenge
Philip Benstead | Life Member Former CTC Councillor/Trustee
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Mick F
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Re: Challenging events of any sort

Post by Mick F »

Yes, a challenge.

I've done the Charity Cycle Ride thing.
USA from Niagara Falls to Portsmouth NH - 500miles
JOGLE - 900miles
LEJOG and Back - 1800miles
JOGLE on a Raleigh Chopper - 900miles

Between whiles and since then, I've ridden the length and breadth of the country on a few occasions - last time only in May just gone - and each time I'm doing it, people ask, "Are you doing this for charity?".
They seem upset and non-plussed when I say, "No, I'm doing this for Me."

No, not again.
Been there, done it.
Mick F. Cornwall
Ray
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Re: Challenging events of any sort

Post by Ray »

Mick F wrote:- and each time I'm doing it, people ask, "Are you doing this for charity?".
They seem upset and non-plussed when I say, "No, I'm doing this for Me."


Yep. I usually say, 'No, it's pure self-indulgence.' Always shuts them up.
Ray
The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt - Bertrand Russell
TonyR
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Re: Challenging events of any sort

Post by TonyR »

The big problem with these events for me is that you are not raising money for the charity. You are raising money to pay the organisers and the charity gets what's left. In this case the organisers get £160-180 per entrant. There's the £49 entry fee and then they have got clever with the wording. So it says all the funds raised go to the charity but then it says later that the charity pays them £110-130 per entrant. A sneaky way of trying to get round all the objections to the organisers taking a big cut and passing the balance on to the charity.

The worst are the overseas challenges where effectively you are asking your sponsors to pay for your overseas holiday with whatever's left over.going to charity.
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Mick F
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Re: Challenging events of any sort

Post by Mick F »

With me, I've had money given to me personally to give to the charity .......... and kept accounts.
I've paid my own expenses, and people have sponsored me to do the ride.

When I did my LEJOG and Back, I raised a grand for the Altzeimers Society, and not long before I left, and chap very quietly ask how I was going to pay for my accommodation and how much was going to cost. He gave me a wedge of £200 cash to pay my B+Bs/YHA costs. :oops: I felt very humbled and he wouldn't take No for an answer.

I had a JustGiving page for that ride because the Altzeimers Society can fund it ok, but I wouldn't recommend JustGiving generally for smaller charities as their fees are rather high.

Anyway, been there, done that. :wink:
Mick F. Cornwall
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hondated
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Re: Challenging events of any sort

Post by hondated »

al_yrpal wrote:I hate any walking/cycling/swimming sponsorship with a vengance and will never contribute to these sort of things, they seem like highway robbery to me. If you want to walk to Brighton, just do it. And, if you want to really do something for charity, just donate or better still volunteer. If more of us did that charities would be far better off. I am sick of seeing riding a bike seem like some heroic sort of penance that you only do to blag money off people.

Al

+ 1 definitely.

I recently met someone who was cycling somewhere abroad for a charity and her comments were well " its worth it as I will get a free holiday for my efforts ".
francovendee
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Re: Challenging events of any sort

Post by francovendee »

I think the one positive thing from sponsored events may be the the increased publicity they get if the event is big enough to be reported. The money 'lost' in administration is one reason I don't feel these events are worth supporting.
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Re: Challenging events of any sort

Post by Vorpal »

If you want to go with a group, maybe an organised walking holiday?
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Audax67
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Re: Challenging events of any sort

Post by Audax67 »

The Union des Audax Français has a walking division, with distances from 25 - 200k. Maybe AUK could be prevailed upon...


OK, fat hope.
Have we got time for another cuppa?
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NUKe
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Re: Challenging events of any sort

Post by NUKe »

TonyR wrote:The big problem with these events for me is that you are not raising money for the charity. You are raising money to pay the organisers and the charity gets what's left. In this case the organisers get £160-180 per entrant. There's the £49 entry fee and then they have got clever with the wording. So it says all the funds raised go to the charity but then it says later that the charity pays them £110-130 per entrant. A sneaky way of trying to get round all the objections to the organisers taking a big cut and passing the balance on to the charity.

The worst are the overseas challenges where effectively you are asking your sponsors to pay for your overseas holiday with whatever's left over.going to charity.

Says it all really
NUKe
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squeaker
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Re: Challenging events of any sort

Post by squeaker »

al_yrpal wrote: I am sick of seeing riding a bike seem like some heroic sort of penance that you only do to blag money off people.
+1.
"42"
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