If it is just the challenge, then anybody can just set off walking from London to Brighton.
However what makes it more attractive is some company and some level of support. Unfortunately it seems hard to get this to happen without the allure of charity causes.
Audax does this for cyclists but it does rely on the organisers working for free. In some ways many of us are looking for a free or subsidised (through free labour) holiday, that is whether or not it is in the name of charity.
That walking event has cost a fair amount to put on, the organisers reckon it is worth about £180 each (including their wages).
In the 90s I was lucky to be allowed to enter a stream of Charity walks for the Polio Federation. They had an entry fee which was a bargain for the event and it made its money through the sponsorship money.
The organiser allowed me to walk all the events for just the entry fees as that helped keep the events afloat even if I didnt actually raise any money for the cause, then I donated £10 each time instead of having a sponsorship form. I thoroughly enjoyed well supported 50 mile walks all over England and Wales but it was courtesy of a lot of free work by very good people supporting the Polio Foundation, I didnt add much to their workload and didnt give much in return, except adding a degree of security to his planning.
I dont like the predominance of charity events either, often people assume that is the reason behind our Audax rides. However I can not complain because people are no longer arranging subsidised holidays for me. I wouldnt mind putting in the work of organising something but then I would have the problem that my old Polio organiser had, of wondering if you get enough participants to avoid a loss.
Challenging events of any sort
Re: Challenging events of any sort
Yma o Hyd
Re: Challenging events of any sort
Some of these 'charity' events are little better than a scam; if donors and participants knew how little of the money involved went to the charity they might think again about getting involved.
I'd always rather just give a charity the money direct.
Most charities would be better off if people did an hour or two's overtime and handed the money, less tax, over.
I won't sponsor people to do things that aren't in themselves a charitable act. So I'd sponsor someone to help out at a local hospital, but not to go for the same walk I am doing when I'm on holiday.
As a walker, the appalling environmental damage and exploitation of other orgaisations like Mountain Rescue that I see as a result of some charities' fund raising makes me mad. The BHF in particular is so bad in this regard that hell will freeze over before they will ever get a penny out of me.
I'd always rather just give a charity the money direct.
Most charities would be better off if people did an hour or two's overtime and handed the money, less tax, over.
I won't sponsor people to do things that aren't in themselves a charitable act. So I'd sponsor someone to help out at a local hospital, but not to go for the same walk I am doing when I'm on holiday.
As a walker, the appalling environmental damage and exploitation of other orgaisations like Mountain Rescue that I see as a result of some charities' fund raising makes me mad. The BHF in particular is so bad in this regard that hell will freeze over before they will ever get a penny out of me.
Re: Challenging events of any sort
squeaker wrote:+1.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.
+ another 1
Re: Challenging events of any sort
I have an interest in the growth of 'charities'.
I seem to recall the present government wanting charities to step-in to service what was once a government responsibility more cheaply. I think I have read that as the government implements more draconian cuts to it health and social budgets,it expects charities to take up its responsibilities: eg delay,obfuscate,protract SS payouts,leave the church to pick up the tab. At the same time(thus have I read),the charities are getting big moola from HMG for doing this work. Thus the directors(themselves on increasingly big $),don't/can't speak out against government spending cuts or incompetence for fear of losing that moola,and their jobs. I think it's another import from the states(see also,the High Cost of Low Prices,Walmart)
Remember the MP who started the whole MP expenses scandal? He said(when confronted about paying his son £££ to do 0),I did take a pay-cut you-know: £350,000 as director for the Cats Protection Society,for £65,000 as MP. CPS is a charity.
Finishing at JOG after a LEJOG,and having a tea,I espied a motorcycling couple who I overheard had come from Italy(and were Italian). Thinking about the whole charity set-up as you can do when at one of these starting points(LE/JOG)I went up to the Italian couple to ask if they had such charitable schemes as operated in the UK ie climb Kilamanjaro for Dialysis, Trek to the North Pole for victims of crime etc. After explaining things,they said No. It seemed bizarre and irregular to them. I don't know if they were ill informed,or the Italians less generous.
I have heard that the Salvation Army and the YMCA co-operate with the government in forcing young people to work within their charitable schemes for fear of getting their JSA cut. This is where young people are forced to work 38+ hrs a week for some £2 an hr. If they don't take 'training'(forgive me whilst I laugh),any monies they receive are stopped. It does seem a bit illegal to me.
I don't just want to bad-mouth the Conservative Party. I feel sure the Labour Party are,or soon will be, in on the act. I guess all the parties leaders and charity bosses are...all in it together.
I seem to recall the present government wanting charities to step-in to service what was once a government responsibility more cheaply. I think I have read that as the government implements more draconian cuts to it health and social budgets,it expects charities to take up its responsibilities: eg delay,obfuscate,protract SS payouts,leave the church to pick up the tab. At the same time(thus have I read),the charities are getting big moola from HMG for doing this work. Thus the directors(themselves on increasingly big $),don't/can't speak out against government spending cuts or incompetence for fear of losing that moola,and their jobs. I think it's another import from the states(see also,the High Cost of Low Prices,Walmart)
Remember the MP who started the whole MP expenses scandal? He said(when confronted about paying his son £££ to do 0),I did take a pay-cut you-know: £350,000 as director for the Cats Protection Society,for £65,000 as MP. CPS is a charity.
Finishing at JOG after a LEJOG,and having a tea,I espied a motorcycling couple who I overheard had come from Italy(and were Italian). Thinking about the whole charity set-up as you can do when at one of these starting points(LE/JOG)I went up to the Italian couple to ask if they had such charitable schemes as operated in the UK ie climb Kilamanjaro for Dialysis, Trek to the North Pole for victims of crime etc. After explaining things,they said No. It seemed bizarre and irregular to them. I don't know if they were ill informed,or the Italians less generous.
I have heard that the Salvation Army and the YMCA co-operate with the government in forcing young people to work within their charitable schemes for fear of getting their JSA cut. This is where young people are forced to work 38+ hrs a week for some £2 an hr. If they don't take 'training'(forgive me whilst I laugh),any monies they receive are stopped. It does seem a bit illegal to me.
I don't just want to bad-mouth the Conservative Party. I feel sure the Labour Party are,or soon will be, in on the act. I guess all the parties leaders and charity bosses are...all in it together.
Re: Challenging events of any sort
It seems that you cannot switch on the television without being bombarded with appeals to sponsor a Tiger, snow leopard, polar bear, penguin, disadvantaged child, toilet, water pipe, village, forest, mosquito net, etc etc etc.
Yes I know that there are many desperate needs out there and I have heard that we are among the top 5% wealthiest people in the world; so I do recognise that I have a responsibility to help; which I do.
I also recognise that any organisation needs the efforts of staff, and that staff cannot be expected to work for nothing; they have bills to pay and families to support too.
However.....
I am suspicious that there has been a shift away from the purpose of the 'cause' being to provide much needed relief achieved through the work if it's staff; and towards a vehicle invented by some person to provide themselves with a living achieved through the appeal of a cause.
On the question of bike rides. I would just love to meet up with a group of like-minded people and ride to Paris to see the closing stage of the TDF (HINT!) Or some other interesting ride. However, I am put off with the requirement to raise £x sponsorship for a cause (see above). Also because I have ridden the London to Brighton several times and raised funds for the British Heart Foundation. I was very happy to do this, but found with each year, the responses to my appeals dropped off steeply to the point where very little was coming in. I guess with so many other appeals bouncing around the office, saturation had been reached.
Yes I know that there are many desperate needs out there and I have heard that we are among the top 5% wealthiest people in the world; so I do recognise that I have a responsibility to help; which I do.
I also recognise that any organisation needs the efforts of staff, and that staff cannot be expected to work for nothing; they have bills to pay and families to support too.
However.....
I am suspicious that there has been a shift away from the purpose of the 'cause' being to provide much needed relief achieved through the work if it's staff; and towards a vehicle invented by some person to provide themselves with a living achieved through the appeal of a cause.
On the question of bike rides. I would just love to meet up with a group of like-minded people and ride to Paris to see the closing stage of the TDF (HINT!) Or some other interesting ride. However, I am put off with the requirement to raise £x sponsorship for a cause (see above). Also because I have ridden the London to Brighton several times and raised funds for the British Heart Foundation. I was very happy to do this, but found with each year, the responses to my appeals dropped off steeply to the point where very little was coming in. I guess with so many other appeals bouncing around the office, saturation had been reached.
Re: Challenging events of any sort
tyreon wrote:
Remember the MP who started the whole MP expenses scandal? He said(when confronted about paying his son £££ to do 0),I did take a pay-cut you-know: £350,000 as director for the Cats Protection Society,for £65,000 as MP. CPS is a charity.
I have heard that the Salvation Army and the YMCA co-operate with the government in forcing young people to work within their charitable schemes for fear of getting their JSA cut. This is where young people are forced to work 38+ hrs a week for some £2 an hr. If they don't take 'training'(forgive me whilst I laugh),any monies they receive are stopped. It does seem a bit illegal to me.
I don't just want to bad-mouth the Conservative Party. I feel sure the Labour Party are,or soon will be, in on the act. I guess all the parties leaders and charity bosses are...all in it together.
That's just disgusting; the CPL paying that sort of sum out for a job they'd have no trouble filling at a fraction of the wages, and the SA conniving at undermining the minimum wage. Another two 'charities' that will get nothing further from me.
Not many left on my list these days..............
I tend to stick to local ones, and/or ones I know something about.
Re: Challenging events of any sort
al_yrpal wrote: I am sick of seeing riding a bike seem like some heroic sort of penance.......
Al
And another +1. I'm glad it's not just me.
No disrespect as such to the charities or those who do get motivated by such events - my family and I have greatest respect, and are indeed perhaps indebted to BHF and Cancer charities in particular. However the emergence of the need to do it for charity and as a "challenge", when riding a bike (or going for a walk) for any distance is becoming rather wearing.
I imagine for a certain demographic/niche it may be very motivating and as mentioned I don't want to stand in the way of any fund raising. So I've kept my thoughts to myself, but reading this thread I am sort of happy to see I'm not alone.