When should I apply for a charity place? - Page 2 - Spring Marathon

LiveYourDreamLifeToday

02/11/2006 at 22:38

But Melody its London I want to do... have always wanted to do it since watching them run past my front garden, many years ago.

Surely as long as the charity gets the money what does it matter if your "really" believe in it?

I rang two charities today and one of them said as part of the application form I have to explain to them what it is about that charity that makes me want to run for them! :eek: They cant ask that?!?!?

Gonna Make It... £1k is a hell of a lot to make up... I'd go for the lesser charity.

Damian.

Plodding Hippo

02/11/2006 at 22:44

If RC means Roman Catholic-then , no i am not
i just meant if damian felt that strongly about the issue-he should stick to his principles
using emotive language as he did would sugggest he DOES feel strongly

Damian-it doesnt really matter in one way-the money is going to one good cuase or another
but it IS easier to convince people to give you money if you genuinely have a reason for supporting your charity

I guess the charitites who ask that want to be sure you arent just "usingthem" to get into FLM.Alsdo, if you believe in them, you will likely make more money for them.So, if they have too many people apply for their places, then they will pick the people who they think are more likeyl to raise more money

which is fair enough

A grand is a lower amount for most gold bond places actually
the big guns ask 2 grand

Cinders

02/11/2006 at 22:57

Damian, how is the training going?

SoVeryTired

03/11/2006 at 08:45

GMI - in your place, I'd weigh up seriously whether I could raise the money for 'my' charity. I was amazed how easily I raised £1,250 without really trying too hard. I think the key was that I really believed in what I was doing and could give a real story to back it up.

If you don't think you can raise the minimum but want to do something for the charity, do another race.

Yes, I know lots of people want to do FLM (myself included), but there are so many other excellent marathons out there. And if you keep applying through the ballot , you will get into London.

I'll see you all on the start line in 2011!

GM.I

03/11/2006 at 09:28

SVT,

Can't raise that sort of money as I've already put upon my friends/work mates/relatives too much over the last few years.

Done a couple of other marathons when not got in to flem (Paris and Disney) but don't really want to wait until 2010 till my automatic place kicks in, I'll be too old......

Each to their own I suppose. Both SVT and Daminan make good cases.....

Plodding Hippo

03/11/2006 at 09:30

GMI
too OLD??????????

nooooooooooooooo

GM.I

03/11/2006 at 10:55

ok, too old to do myself justice....

beatty

03/11/2006 at 13:18

Well I've thought about this seriously and have just applied for golden bond place so fingers crossed. It is actually for a charity I believe very strongly in and have supported through my work for years so I feel okay about that.

LiveYourDreamLifeToday

03/11/2006 at 13:25

Cinder's you are not supposed to ask me that question!

If I could blush and look sheepish on a Forum Post, that's how I would look.

Still not decided what to do charity wise!

Toss a coin perhaps?

Damian.

Kuzu

03/11/2006 at 13:40

My hubby got a 'GB' place via Help the Aged (he figured it was an investment for the future!!) seriously, he felt it was a good cause having a dad of 92 he realised there were some elderly people who have no-one to look after them...ANYWAY they wanted £1400 minimum (and you had to say why you wanted to support them - applied on-line via their web-site) and to be honest, apart from people who knew my husband and his father it was quite hard to "convince" people that Help the Aged was a good charity, they seem to prefer to donate to 'my' charity (a hospice where my mother was cared for) all be it I had a ballot place and didn't need the 'support' so much. Consequently he had to 'donate' the remainder himself which was rather a large amount. (I had to withdraw just six weeks before and only 2 people still gave me the sponsorship!!) Also as another note, if you are weighing up about the 'conscience' thing and doing it for a charity you belive in, bear in mind this: the hospice I was 'running' for rang me at 9.00am the day after the marathon to "see how I'd done, as they couldn't see my finish time on the FLM results", after I told them I had to withdraw they just asked me if I was to run 2007 would I raise money for them then...it felt very much like a total business transaction and nothing like the feeling I thought it would be had I run and collected some money for them... just a thought thats all...

fat buddha

03/11/2006 at 13:40

each year this argument rages..........

if you want to run FLM for a charity do yourself and the charity a favour by choosing one close to your heart.........

going for the cheapest is not the way it should be done IMHO............plus it's doing someone else out of a place who wants to run for them..............

charity support should come from within - not a feeble excuse to be used to get a place...........

just don't ask me for any money if you get a place on false pretences...........

beatty

03/11/2006 at 13:45

Heartymac that's awful and having done things for charities in the past I know how hard it can be (also been in a charity that wants money so seen both sides!)The charity I have contacted have helped friends but I have also worked with them on a professional level. I'm in healthcare myself (as are my husband and son) and the charity is important in a lot of the sports I am involved in so fingers crossed (and I do have a lot of avenues to explore as I am well aware that I have done family and friends to death!!)Nothing in this life is easy is it?!

Swerve

03/11/2006 at 13:46

If a charity gives a place to someone who actually cares, they'll tend to get more money back. If you don't care, why bother raising more than the minimum? So the charity does lose out.

As a sponsor, I'd feel really cheated to find out that when my runner said they were doing it to raise money for charity, (s)he actually meant (s)he wanted me to buy him a place in the race.

It's all very morally dubious.

Kuzu

03/11/2006 at 13:48

Thats what I was saying though FB, my husband did support and believe in "HtA" and their goals but it appeared not to be a "popular" charity with the public. But with myself I also wanted to support my charity which was close to my heart but in the end the actual 'feeling' was ruined by the whole business style in which the Hospice treated me and my potential donation.

SoVeryTired

03/11/2006 at 15:46

I think if the charity is close to your heart, you make it popular.

I had my doubts as to whether I'd actually raise any money for Guy's & St. Thomas' Hospital Kidney Patients' Association - it's hardly got universal appeal. But because I believed in it and was happy to explain why, I raised far more than I could ever have expected.

(This is my site - not to get more donations, but to demonstrate what I'm talking about.)

Plodding Hippo

03/11/2006 at 15:48

brilliant SVT
is that a beachy t shirt in the pic?

SoVeryTired

03/11/2006 at 15:56

PH - trust you to spot that! It's what I got changed into after the race, as I was too late to pick up a Cardiff t-shirt (got it now though).

Plodding Hippo

03/11/2006 at 15:58

I love beachy me

SoVeryTired

03/11/2006 at 16:00

Tempted to go back next year, despite there being so many other marathons I haven't done yet.

LiveYourDreamLifeToday

05/11/2006 at 14:34

I've decided to wait until I get the Ballot result, and if I don't get in to apply for as many charities as poss, with the hope of getting a St Ann's place.

I am busy collecting application forms. But if that does not work there are always other marathons, and also London 2008.

Damian.