Would you rather donate to a fundraiser for a disabled/palliative individual you don’t know / Or a fundraiser for a reputable national charity?

Posted by pocketfullofredfaces@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 31 comments

Hi all, as above really

I know that some folk will be hesitant to donate to charities as “there CEO gets paid £x”, and on the flip side lots of people aren’t gonna want to donate to a generic looking stranger they’ve never met. Im sure plenty of people won’t donate to either, lol, which is understandable.

But of course donating directly to the the individual person can provide quicker and direct funds and relief, while the charity way has more scope for Sharon of the fundraiser, and maybe appealing to strangers more?

This is similar to a situation I’m in, taking on a challenge to support a terminally ill relative soon, but not socially popular enough to get much donations. So any opinions or ideas are much appreciated, cheers! 🙂

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a-liquid-sky@reddit

I don't donate full stop to people doing 'challenges', especially ones that cost a fortune to arrange like skydiving.

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pocketfullofredfaces@reddit (OP)

Lol I get you, what about one that isn’t so expensive and an actual achievement, self funded by the individual doing it?

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davehemm@reddit

Local charity is an alternative to the two you posited. I have done a range of rides for a local hospice charity. I did a fancy expensive fundraiser, but refused to have any donation come away from the cost of the event, 100% of donations went to the charity - London to Paris ride, paid half myself and my business the rest. Raised a few thousand, and it was a fucking fantastic experience to boot. Also done a ride for help for heroes, air ambulance, BHF, parkinson's charity. Mainly for the hospice though.

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pocketfullofredfaces@reddit (OP)

Great shout. Only thing is I live in the polar opposite side of the county to the relative, so many potential donors will have zero link to the area

Well done on the rides. My challenge is Jog-Lands End fixed gear 😁

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jeminar@reddit

Good luck in Devon and Bristol

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davehemm@reddit

fixed gear ... Oh My! Respect if you manage to pull that off.

I want to do a lejog or jogle - I was signed up for one several years ago, and was well into training, but needed an unexpected urgent bowel surgery, surgeon told me I needed to do basically nothing overly exerting for 6-8 months. Now waiting for another organised event that works for me.

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a-liquid-sky@reddit

Depends on what it is, tbh.

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Anxious_wank@reddit

Or end up costing the emergency services, especially the services that are funded by public donations like mountain rescue/air ambulance in pursuit of their charity pushed "hike".

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bacon_cake@reddit

Me neither, though I hope the charities make money anyway. I'm doing the Cancer Research Muddy 5K this year, mostly for fun. I felt bad about not fielding for donations however I was willing to chuck fifty quid in anyway and as luck would have it my team have accidentally raised £250 anyway!

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toon_84@reddit

The one I always point out is Macmillan

Lots of people donate to Macmillan thinking they did all the end of life care etc. when it would have been a local hospice.

The local hospices miss out on thousands of pounds a year and there's nothing they can do about it.

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Gornal-Annie6133@reddit

My Dad had a hospital bed brought to the house and Macmillan nurses came in to him, as he wished to die at home.

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toon_84@reddit

They might cover your area, they do with some that aren't in the catchment area of the local hospice.

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pocketfullofredfaces@reddit (OP)

Ah yeah, at the NHS trust i work at the cancer support workers are called McMillan support workers

But they’re employed by the trust and have no direct affiliation to McMillan, just use the branding as they say

Heavy tha

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Squared-Porcupine@reddit

Individuals. I spent 10 years working in the third sector. So much fudging of numbers and statistics.

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Leader_Bee@reddit

I aren't going to donate to any fundraiser i've been cold called for, if i'm going to donate to any cause it's because i'm going to do it off my own back because I think its a worthy cause.

That said, i'm not going to donate to any human based charity at all.

Saves the sharks? sure, have a subscription.

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Ok_Aioli3897@reddit

An official charity as just look at what happens when we donate to people

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pocketfullofredfaces@reddit (OP)

?? Any examples

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Ok_Aioli3897@reddit

Captain tom

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MostFortune1093@reddit

I find this whole doing 'challenges' a very odd British tradition. The whole idea that someone has to "earn" the donations by doing something completely pointless, like running, is ridiculous. It's pretty much a kind of emotional blackmail. But I would prefer to donate to an individual over a charity. The only exceptions are vulnteer run charities.

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pocketfullofredfaces@reddit (OP)

lol. I suppose it encourages more donations

I couldnt give a fook about the challenge im doing tbh, but if it helps my relative I’d even drink my own piss

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MostFortune1093@reddit

Well let's hope it won't come to that😄 I hope youll succeed in helping your relative, challenge or not.

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pocketfullofredfaces@reddit (OP)

Yeah let’s hope, thank you 😁

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werewolfbutch874@reddit

With a stranger who I’m not connected to even in a “friend of a friend” way, I’d probably be more inclined to donate to an official charity rather than just to the individual. If I have some level of connection (enough to be reasonably sure that the situation they’re fundraising for is genuine) then I’m fine with donating individually.

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pocketfullofredfaces@reddit (OP)

Nice thanks, yeah im my case nobody I know outside of family knows the relative. Makes me think a big known org could be a bigger draw

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Opening_Nose_2347@reddit

If they are anything like the pet charities, RSPCA, Cat's protection, PDSA, I wouldn't give them a penny; CEO's take a ridiculous percentage of donations.

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sara61wilson@reddit

The individual.
I go out of my way to never donate to national charities. I donate to local charities only in my city.

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pocketfullofredfaces@reddit (OP)

Nice, is your reason for not donating to national ones due to the unclear use of donations/operating costs etc?

Or just pure preference for local help?

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