MILLION TOGROG PAGE

[ec3ejb]

Hi i'm doing a charity driving event from london to mongolia and we have just set up a advert page to help raise the cash for it, each squares cost £1 and runs for 6 months. each advert will link to your chosen website. we got 2000 hits last week and the site has only been going for 3 weeks. have a look at www.directionless.co.uk

cheers

ed

[fastfences]

Hi ed.
Why not not drive to Mongolia and just donate the £3000 budget for expenses. I don't get the rationale of seeking donations for people to go on a joyride across the country. :?
Cheers, Nigel

[creospace]

My wifes charity is being helped by a rag run from sheffield uni. They are 'bumming it' and basically are thumbing a lift from sheffied to Riga Latvia.

No expenses required!

[fastfences]

My wifes charity is being helped by a rag run from sheffield uni. They are 'bumming it' and basically are thumbing a lift from sheffied to Riga Latvia.

No expenses required!

Excellent!! So the charity gets all the money?
I really can't fathom why some seem to ride on the back of the word 'charity' as an ecuse or reason to do something. If we are to devote our money to a certain cause, let the cause have 100%. To me, it's the same as people collecting for charities and being paid a wage to do so. When I put money in a tin I want to know the beneficiary gets the lot :twisted:
Cheers, Nigel

[creospace]

Excellent!! So the charity gets all the money?

Yep ! :)

More news about the charity soon, as they are opening a new crisis/support center this year and looking for wealthy donars :)

Gary

[Mwebb]

post removed

[creospace]

was this to me or to the origional poster?

We have of course a british registered charity number.

Gary

[Mwebb]

the original poster.

The charity gives you a formal letter saying that they are aware you are raising funds for them. This has come about after loads of people have been fraudulating charity events and running off with the money!!!

I am not accusing anyone....sorry if it came accross like that, just trying to help!!

[ec3ejb]

Mwebb i would rather you did not accuse me of being fraudulent, i find it offensive and i do not see why you would publically say a statement like this without properly doing some research first. maybe if you are so concerned you could have contacted me personally, or if you think i am an untrustworthy individual you could contact the organiser of the rally personally. i think it is a careless thing to do and i hope you take a more professional and thoughtful approach to whatever business you are in.

i have got a lot of critcism from everyone on this forum and would just like to clarify a few things.
it is for the cahirty send a cow and as of yet an unknown charity which will be based in mongolia.
i am not a fraudster and the mongol rally which we are part of has been working with send a cow for several years and we are allowed to raise money on thier behalf
£1000 is needed to enter the rally all of which will got to the charities
our rough budget of £3000 is merely stating our costs. extra money raised may be used to cover some of these costs
it is not the most efficient way of raising money but it is not meant to be. the point of the rally, which i think everyone has missed quite dramatically, is it is a challenge, an adventure even, and the charity aspect is only half of it.
if anyone would publically like to bad mouth me in the future could they at least think about contacting me personally first.
thank you

[Mwebb]

the original poster.



I am not accusing anyone....sorry if it came accross like that, just trying to help!!

uhm i thought this would clear things up....obviously not?? i will remove previous post!

[ec3ejb]

Mwebb

the fact you said didn't mean to cause offence was noted but the accusiation was still pretty plain. thanks for removin the post though


ed

[fastfences]

I have not offered a personal criticism, and do not expect to receive emails stating to think about what I'm saying.

I simply offered my view (as is expected here; the very purpose of a forum) that I believe the total money should go to a/the charity. I also stated:
Why not not drive to Mongolia and just donate the £3000 budget for expenses. I don't get the rationale of seeking donations for people to go on a joyride across the country.

This view was subsequently reinforced by your own profound statement:

. . . the point of the rally, which i think everyone has missed quite dramatically, is it is a challenge, an adventure even, and the charity aspect is only half of it.

Regards, Nigel

[amcphillips]

I agree that it seems very odd that the whole proceeds of your fundraising are not going to charity........

[DarrenC]

Look at it from our point of view:

I want to go to NZ, so how bout you make a donation, and I'll travel across NZ for charity, with a percentage of the donation going to the actual charity, but the remainder going towards my travel costs.

Most charity events like this expect you to pay for your own travelling, and donations go to the charity, that's my experience anyway.

From the point of the advertisers page - what traffic does the page generate - if it doesn't generate any traffic, then the only other reason I would list is to get a link on a page with good page rank.

Darren

[ec3ejb]

hi again

i don't understand if people think we're just going for a month long piss up why would we choose to drive across some dangerous places and why would i say its for charity. £1000 has to be raised to enter the mongol rally.
i did not set the rules of the mongol rally.
i would like to do the mongol rally so i must raise £1000
teams last year were able to use extra money raised to cover some expenses
does no one in this forum have any sense of adventure.
have any of you tried anything challenging and if so why do so many people find it hard to believe the fact i would like to try something similar

and to nigel with respect you still do not get the idea of rules. the mongol rally has rules. if you want to go along you must pay.
if you then say why not just do it on your own the the answer would be
1. the mongol rally has gained a large following and that means you have a 'name' to approach sponsors with
2. the organiser can help with questions about prepariation
3. there is safety in numbers so travelling with other teams makes it less stressful
4. the organiser has arranged a waiver on the import tax which is about $1000 because we are leaving the car there, which we would otherwise have to pay

have a look at www.mongolrally.co.uk

ed

[Claire B]

Is this a bit like the 'Cycle Holland' or 'Walk the Great Wall' initiatives that are organised by the NSPCC or BHF?

With them, you have to to raise a minimum amount of funding before you can take part in the challenge, and a considerable proportion of this money is needed to cover the cost of flights, insurance, admin, staffing, medical backup etc etc...

I guess charities are constantly looking for new ways to raise cash, because the public are largely immune to the tin rattlers walking around in town centres.

So good luck ed, I hope you manage to raise lots and lots of money! :D

[fastfences]

hi again

£1000 has to be raised to enter the mongol rally.
i did not set the rules of the mongol rally.
i would like to do the mongol rally so i must raise £1000

ed

Hi ed. Perhaps we're missing each others' point.
My point is why not take the £1000 out of your bank or other personal funds rather than try to solicit it from other people?

I will gladly support the charity and aid the purchase of a cow and hereby pledge £10.00, but I do not support the concept of contributing to a holiday jaunt across 2 continents.

cheers and regards again, Nigel

[Cornish Steve]

I agree with you, Nigel. If I was in Ed's situation, I would tell everyone that I am donating my time and paying all my expenses (including the entry fee). Anyone donating money to the cause would be assured that 100 percent of their money would go to charity.

As it is, the message that comes across is that someone wants to have an adventure at my expense and if any money is left over then charities may get it. It's not even clear how beneficial the charities are; one is as yet unknown.

Ed, what skin are you putting into this? How much are you donating? Why aren't you paying the £1,000 entry fee and your expenses? How can you reassure us that you're not just planning to have a good time at our expense?

[confused]

Im unsure on this one, to me its like doing a parachute jump for charity, where you pay your X amount of money and get to parachute in tandem, you could argue that everyone that raised the X amount should not actually do the jump, but instead simply donate the money and donate the cost of the pilot,plane hire/fuel etc as well.
If £1000 is needed initially to "fund" the event, but £1001 is raised, then £1 to charity is better than nothing. And it also allows someone to do something they might not otherwise be able to do - like my parachute example.
I also agree that people that "work" for a charity should do it for free, not for a decent wage.

CALV

[Cornish Steve]

And it also allows someone to do something they might not otherwise be able to do - like my parachute example.
If someone shaves off their beard, or shaves their head, or keeps a ferret down their shorts for an hour, they've put skin into the game (maybe literally). If, on the other hand, someone gets to parachute, or visit Australia (like Mrs. Blair), or drive to Mongolia, they've benefited from the generosity of others.

For a charity fund-raiser to be perceived as legit, the person involved must be sacrificing just as much as, if not more than, those donating. I'd like to reserve judgment in this case until we hear further from Ed.

[ec3ejb]

to nigel and steve.

it is a very simple thing to grasp. i want to do the mongol rall, there are also many pratical resons why i chose to go trhough the mongol rally rather than drive to mongolia indiviudally. i am not going to repeat why

another thing i don't know if you can grasp this one but i can not afford to pay £1000 to charity. businesses can and will recieve advertising space in return.

and to nigel if you think driving to mongolia is just a jaunt watch the 'long way round' or get off you arse and do the rally yourself.

if you have any more objections feel free to post them but please make them original points so no innane objections which i have already anwsered. if i had wanted to have a repetive conversation i'd have gone to the zoo and explained the rally to a parrot.

Nigel this doggeard approach probably doesn't show off you in the best light, so far you haven't listened to a word i have written, and have simply out of pride or something not even attempted to see the otherside of the argument and you seem unable to grasp simple pieces of information.

my adivce would be to try and get down off your high horse because i'm finding writing so many replies it getting quite repetive.

look at www.mongolrally.co.uk

[Cornish Steve]

Before writing anything further, let me make a comment. There is no need to be sarcastic or patronising to me or to others at the forum. Our purpose in writing is to help you, not to harm you. Behind the scenes, you sent me a PM, and I have been trying to suggest ways to help - which I will continue to do. You do yourself no favours by displaying a childish attitude at this forum. (Plus, I recommend that you don't challenge Nigel. He has the sharpest wit at the forums; his avatar is very appropriate!)

it is a very simple thing to grasp. i want to do the mongol rall, there are also many pratical resons why i chose to go trhough the mongol rally rather than drive to mongolia indiviudally. i am not going to repeat why
Yes. From your own words, the motive is perfectly clear. You want to participate in the rally, you can't afford it, so you're looking to others to fund your adventure. By suggesting that any funds left over will go to a charity, you hope to add a cloak of respectability to your request. Put this way, you'll get no support. You have to convince us that you are sacrificing something for charity, not benefiting from the generosity of others.

another thing i don't know if you can grasp this one but i can not afford to pay £1000 to charity. businesses can and will recieve advertising space in return.
I'd like to hear from the legal bods at the forum about this. This sounds like the purchase of advertising space to me, which is commerce and not charity. As someone asked you earlier, what is the name and registration number of the charity for which you work (i.e., the charity to which companies would be giving)?

and to nigel if you think driving to mongolia is just a jaunt watch the 'long way round' or get off you arse and do the rally yourself.
For now, I'm going to write it off as the result of frustration that your idea is not yet taking off. One quick lesson, though: listen to your customers, listen to your colleagues, listen to your employees, listen to your friends; sometimes they may just be right.

if i had wanted to have a repetive conversation i'd have gone to the zoo and explained the rally to a parrot.
Despite your attitude, I'm willing to continue to work with you behind the scenes. By all means launch your diatribe at me in a private message. Doing so in this public forum is not exactly going to help your cause.

Once again, here is the problem. The way you raise funds for charity is even more important that the amount of funds you raise. Charities rely heavily on personal integrity and sincerity of purpose. This means that you have to position your fund-raiser as something that benefits charity and not you personally. Until you do that, and convince everyone that you are sacrificing as much as any donor, your message will fall on deaf ears.

Edited to remove mention of causes for which I have worked in the past. I didn't mean to come across as 'holier than thou' in my message - sorry.

[Cornish Steve]

--- Edited ---

I'm willing to continue our dialogue behind the scenes. Please, though, demonstrate a little more civility.

--- Edited ---

[ec3ejb]

i hope this dialogue has entertained people, i have really enjoyed it.

i think the original purpose has been lost in a barriage of critcism and scarcasm.

at then end of the day constructive critcism on how to raise funds would be really welcome, i'm not experience in the field, but i do not appreciate comments saying what i am doing is unethincally, all parties benefit, everything is in the open, and the money i have to raise is manditory.

[Cornish Steve]

at then end of the day constructive critcism on how to raise funds would be really welcome, i'm not experience in the field, but i do not appreciate comments saying what i am doing is unethincally, all parties benefit, everything is in the open, and the money i have to raise is manditory.
Perception is often more important than reality. All parties should not benefit from this venture; the charities should be seen to benefit but you should not be seen to benefit. Herein lies the problem.

[clairemackaness]

My chosen charity runs a similar thing to this mongal rally http://www.littlehavens.org.uk/default.asp?id=207&ver=1

But anyone wishing to enter has to raise at least £1500 sponsorship money which ALL goes to the charity. As far as supplying the car or having food, drink and spending money etc, thats up to you to fund! Its a charity after all.

I think your drive is a good idea and is for a good cause, but if you cant afford to pay for it then you shouldn't go, it is wrong to ask for the money from UKBF members, if you ask us for anything it should be for sponsorship. The idea of this kind of thing is for large corporations with charity budgets to raise lots of cash for charity, not for one man bands to go on a holiday (as fun as it is or not).

[ec3ejb]

that is exactly what the mongol rally is you raise the money which goes to the charity but you supply your own car, food etc and with no support if you break down. all the £1000 goes to send a cow and to the uncomfirmed charity based in mongolia. the forum was used as a means to reach businesses who would like some advertising space in return for a donation.

we have approached large corporations but they already have allocated charities, medium sized businesses have proved to be the most successful ones to approach based on other people's fund raising.

last year most team that raised any extra cash were at liberty to use it to help pay for the flight, after all if it means they can actually participate in the rally then the £1000 will go to the charity if a team cannot go then no one gets anything.

we are currently looking to fund the £1000 we must have, any extra will be declared to the sponsor, but it is unlikely we will exceed this £1000 target.

our team is not acting any differently to the 50 teams what have done the rally in the past two years or the 100 which are expected to do it this year.

the rally should raise about £100k for chairty whcih is pretty good in a month. look www.mongolrally.co.uk and www.instituteofadventureresearch.com

this is the idea, its mainly the adventure, pushing yourselves and your car. last year the teams did not find it a walk in the park, it was for most a really tough exhausting challenge.

[fastfences]

Hi ed. I'm sorry that I can't 'get up off my arse and do the rally myself.' I do, however, stand by my beliefs and ethics. Please note receipted support for your 'Send a Cow' charity.

Order date: 11/03/2006

Order No : 27477

Quantity Gift Price
1 Donations £10
Order Total £10

Thank you also for agreeing to Gift Aid this and all your donations from 6th April 2000 to Send a Cow. If you wish to alter this start date please contact us on the email below. Please note that you must pay an amount of income and/or capital gains tax equal to the tax Send a Cow will reclaim on your donations. Cheers and regards, Nigel

[KM-Tiger]

I think this thread is a good example of why one should not confuse business with charity, or charity with sponsorship. Throw the three into an incomprehensible mix, and the result will be confusion with no takers.

Like others here, if I am asked to donate to charity I will consider that, if I am asked to advertise or sponsor I will consider that on its commercial merit. If I cannot see clearly what I am being asked to do, then I won't be interested.

[clairemackaness]

A lot of charities couldn't survive if it wasn't for corporate involvement. I work for littlehaven as it costs over 1.6 million per year to run and they only have 3 months money in the bank. They only get a 2% grant from the government and rely on business support and the involvemnet of the local community.

Sure I get good PR from the work I do, but without me and all the other companyes there would be no Littlehavens.