I'm a Stable Girl - Get me out of here. A request for sponsors.

[TickledPink]

Hi all,

Riding for the Disabled, Ynys Mon, is setting up a week of challenges for its stable girls at its yard at Aber Eilian, Llaneilian, Isle of Anglesey. Based on the TV reality show, "I'm a Celebrity ...", the girls aged 12 - 16, will live in a stable for a week. During that week, as well as caring for the horses, they will be set a number of challenges. As with the TV show, the number of girls in the stable will be whittled down during the week, depending on how well they have performed.

As well as the ordinary door-to-door sponsorship pledges, businesses can pledge £25 and sponsor a challenge. So far, after 3 weeks of collecting sponsors, almost £2000 has been raised. This includes £390 from a company in London, the workplace of the father of one of the girls taking part.

RDA Ynys Mon currently only has enough funds for two more years of operation. This is mainly due to the £14,000 raised by their fundraiser, Christine Hughes, who owns the yard on which the event is taking place, in 2009.

This particular yard is probably one of the most unique and proactive amongst all the yards within the RDA. When funds are needed, it's Christine and the girls who generally come up with the ideas and puts them into action.

A few years ago, one of the girls suggested a record-breaking attempt - a 24-hour horse ride. Christine started the ball rolling and made most of the arrangements. They were well and truly shafted by Guinness World Records (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8512344.stm). I went to school with the Chair, Sara, BTW.

This time, two of the girls came up with the idea for "I'm a stable girl ..." and, again, Christine is putting it into action. The event is due to start on 14th August.

The RDA is a registered charity, no. 244108.

If you would like to get involved by sponsoring a challenge for £25 or even receiving a sponsorship form to print out, then please PM me.

Thanks,
David

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Hi David, I was reading this thinking hey this is good, Welsh charity, helping disabled etc, and was thinking yep, thats for me.

THEN I read your comments about being well and truly shafted by GWR, I read the article you cited, and to be honest, they haven't shafted anyone, in facted they refunded and gave £500 as a token of goodwill.

I think your use of such terminology is doing the charity no favours, I for one will not now get involved if this is the mindset This would have been the second sponsorship for tonight as well, as I just sponsored a kids rugby team.

 

[TickledPink]

Sorry you feel that way. However, I stated it as I saw it. It took a long time and a big battle for them to get their money back. The only reason GWR even paid up was because they had been embarassed into it.

GWR paid them £500, which included the £300 refund. So it was £300 plus £200 goodwill.

And when you think about it, how much money could a charity lose by this kind of conduct? To be able to tell prospective sponsors that you are a record-breaking charity shows the dedication (just as the old 'Record Breakers' show said) and the length you are willing to go to raise finance and awareness of your cause ... that kind of thing can attract extra funding. As with business, good PR brings rewards ... usually.

So it's nothing to do with having a particular 'mindset'.