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Sponsoring events where there is no lasting benefit

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ElderlyPerson Fri 24-Sept-21 19:27:41

I got an email with a link to this today.

www.vegansociety.com/take-action/campaigns/vegan-thriving/thriving-challenge

The problem with a lot of the events that people are asked to sponsor is that there is no lasting benefit.

There was a man years ago who was keen on cycling and he wanted sponsorship for cycling a number of miles, so much per mile. We refused.

Someone keen on walking wanted sponsorship for long distance walking, so much per mile. We refused.

A local scout group sought sponsoring for time spent, so much per hour, for cleaning up gardens for old people who had overgrown gardens and were worried about it but could not do it themself. We sponsored, because the event had a benefit.

So I consider all this sponsoring just for people running about and so on when they like doing running about is just nonsensical. All that energy and enthusiasm to raise funds but no benefit in what they actually do. If they put effort into something with lasting benefit that required them doing something not their hobby and might not be pleasant that is a different matter.

I also consider it can be dangerous, people intent on raising more money keeping going longer than is sensible.

Just wondering how people think about all this.

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Beswitched Wed 29-Sept-21 13:50:39

My late father was very involved with a 3rd World charity. He was always a bit dubious about kids collecting money to fly out to developing countries to help dig Wells or whatever. He said they had no particularly useful skills and the money would be better spent training people in those countries so that they could become self supporting.

Obviously it is good for young people to develop their social conscience but this seems a rather costly way of doing it.

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Skydancer Wed 29-Sept-21 13:57:45

ElderlyPerson I agree with you one hundred percent. Running achieves nothing and I am not going to pay anyone to do it. I may as well just give the money straight to charity. But I'd certainly sponsor people for litter picking, beach cleaning and so on as it actually achieves something. I could have written your post as I always say exactly what you have said. If all the effort put into marathons was put into something useful for society we could see the results.

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Grammaretto Wed 29-Sept-21 18:52:12

Probably you do too but I support 3 charities with a subscription. Every so often I get a call asking me to up my contribution or to support a particular campaign.
This always makes me a bit cross. It probably shouldn't but I think "hang on they are getting a regular income from me, albeit small, so why ask me for even more?"
I do agree with Maw about fundraising to highlight a cause.

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