Has racing been hijacked by charities? - General running

goldbeetle

08/10/2012 at 19:48

Is there no big event or even a small one that hasnt got you as an entrant being chased to Sponsor sponsor sponsor?

Ive worked with charities on events and found them to be honest and hard working but as a runner and race goer has running become a cash cow for charities?

I know times are hard but how desperatly do you want to run a race if it costs £800 and if you dont raise the money they could take you to court.

cougie

pirate

08/10/2012 at 19:54

I've been running for years and the only charity races I've done are a couple of small ones for local charities. Most time it's pretty easy to get a place. And putting some sponsor forms in with your race pack isn't a problem for me.

Emmy H

08/10/2012 at 20:04

It's honestly becoming more of a bugbear for me. Yesterday at a race -90% of people were from a charity. The support from the charities was FANASTIC but still - there were list of people there running solely for a charity.... I felt like the odd one out!

When I got a ballot place for VLM last year I asked a local charity if they wanted me to raise money for them and they were so chuffed but couldn't accept it due to the overheads required on their side to set up the virginmoney page/advertising etc.

goldbeetle

08/10/2012 at 20:08

Giants Head is deliberately charity free Ive had two approach me both really worthy causes who I have worked with before but sometimes its nice just to race and run with out being charity over killed

Emmy H

08/10/2012 at 20:16

I salute you for that. I thought it was a great idea for the camping costs to go to the church fund. To be honest - I'm more likely to give money to the local causes at a race than a national charity.

Andy AFCB

08/10/2012 at 20:39

Never heard of a charity taking someone to court for not raising the minimum?!

Sussex Runner (NLR)

08/10/2012 at 20:41

I'm quite happy for a race like the Belvoir Challenge to make money for the local school. But these big corporate charities are no better than the bankers. They pay themselves big salaries on the back of the scmhucks who run for them and the schmucks who sponsor them. After the fat cats have taken their money there is little left for the people who need it. It's a scandal that survives because no-one wants to criticise a "good cause"

goldbeetle

08/10/2012 at 21:39

Cancer research pays its ??100k + a year is it value for money?

Sussex Runner (NLR)

08/10/2012 at 22:08

Sorry Goldbeetle. Can you write that in a way that makes sense?

goldbeetle

08/10/2012 at 22:25

Sorry fat fingers on an iPhone Cancer Research pays its CEO £100+ per annum is it value for money?

http://society.guardian.co.uk/salarysurvey/table/0,12406,1042677,00.html

TimR

08/10/2012 at 23:09

The only races I did for charity were the old Run10k races. Ran 2 of them and collected sponsorship.

I've also run 3/4 half marathons which have donated the profits from the entries to charity and the organisers/marshals have all been volunteers.

Otherwise, it's that VLM 'Sorry you have been unsuccessful this time' time of year again.

I prefer the second type of race and I'm fairly sure most club organised events tend to donate profits to the club's chosen charity.

Millsy1977

08/10/2012 at 23:21

I'm quite happy to enter the races that give their proceeds to charity. I just don't agree with it when you go to enter a race, find out that it's sold out and then told that there are "loads" of charity places available, at a huge cost.

goldbeetle

09/10/2012 at 00:00

Don't get me wrong I'm not moaning about charitable involvement in anything. But has any other sport so heavily dominated by events that are influenced, controlled or wholly run by charities? I bet they are hatching a plan to muscle in on ParkRun LOL

goldbeetle

09/10/2012 at 00:06

Even publicity and news is an uneven playing filed it would seem.Heres a quote from a guy who works on my local newspaper.

"Do you know why Race For Life gets so much coverage and other bigger competitive races get little or none? RFL pays the paper a large retainer for advertorials not just a few quid thousands per annum"

Is this true? dunno but my local paper is only interested if it can send down a photographer so they can sell their pics online.

Womble

09/10/2012 at 00:07

Cancer Research UK's income in the most recent year reported was ??492million. Don't you think that some in the for-profit sector would take a tad more than ??100k+ in salary in charge of an organisation that size?

And no, charities can't take you to court for not coming up with sponsorship money. You have no contract with them to do so, at most a pledge.

Womble

09/10/2012 at 00:07

Oops fell for the trolling again. Silly me.

goldbeetle

09/10/2012 at 07:15

I'm not trolling

goldbeetle

09/10/2012 at 07:16

I'm trying to have a discussion about a somewhat taboo subject

Sussex Runner (NLR)

09/10/2012 at 08:37

Seems that some people's idea of trolling is not having the same opinion as them. Maybe they should all go on the Care Bears forum and just agree how wonderful evrything is.

seren nos

pirate

09/10/2012 at 08:57

I think you need to look at the charities individually................each wage for CEO's need to be looked at in relation to the whole business and how they affect it............I'm sure like in all walks of life.some wuill be overpaid and some underpaid........

But if as yoiu say SR.they take all the money..........then how on earth would the people helped get helped......

I have recieved a hell of a lot of help through a charity over the years..............so when I do a race that is a big challenge for me then i raise sponsorship for that charity....

I am more wary of the companies that state....all of the profits go to charity........I would like to look into the business to see how much they pay themselves in relation to the amount that ever goes to charity..............