I feel financially mugged!

[CoffeeAndCarrotCake]

Ok then - AIBU... a guy in my office asked me to sponsor him to do a parachute jump. The money was going to a worthy cause, so I happily agreed. However, when I asked whether I could gift aid it so that the charity got more, he said that I couldn't, because first he was going to use the sponsorship money to pay for the jump, then the charity gets what's left. The charity should get a minimum of £100, but the jump will cost £250.

So basically, he's sacrificing all of the extra money in tax savings that the charity could have had so that he gets a free jump, plus he's taking £250 of money that people thought was going to a worthy cause. Apparently this is the standard way the charity jumps are structured.

I'm a bit miffed, and would like to say that I'll double my donation but only if I can give it direct to the charity, and he can pay for his own jump!

AIBU?!

[overthemill]

ooh i dont like the sound of this at all. sounds like a rouse. some people i know have set up a gift page to get sponsor ship for genuine things. now i wouldnt touch anything thats not through them

[lulumama]

hmmmmmm

so he is basically asking people to pay for his jump first and foremost, then the charity gets the excess??

sounds like he wants to do a parachute jump and can;t afford it !

what charity is it?

[MatNanPlus]

sorry i wouldn't pay, that is wrong IMO

[BlingLovin]

that's ridiculous? What is he doing for this? I get asked to sponsor people for runs or cycles - but at least they put in the training (and pay for the race) so they do that, and I contribute financially.

YAdefinitelyNBU

[BetteNoire]

I know of schemes where if the volunteer earns over a certain amount in sponsorship, they get a free parachute jump.
But the set-up you describe sound rather odd.
At the very least, he should be letting people know that their money will be going to pay for his jump first and foremost.
It might be worth contacting the charity, and clearing up the exact details.

[combustiblelemon]

These things really annoy me. If you want to do a parachute jump or go walking in the Andes, pay for it yourself! Lots of places seem to offer these experiences for free if you can raise a minimum amount- in this case it sounds like that's £250.

[combustiblelemon]

Sorry, £350

[ProfYaffle]

tbh, this is fairly common. I never give sponsorship money to projects like that, I had to pay for own tandem skydive - so can they!

[nickytwoooohtimes]

YANBU.

Tell him to take a run and jump.

[CoffeeAndCarrotCake]

It's for a children's charity (I do hope he doesn't read MN!! I guess he'd get the message then anyway!) and I think it is the sort of scheme that BetteNoire describes, but the jump isn't actually "free" - it is just paid for out of the sponsorship money.

I guess if he didn't do it, the charity wouldn't even be getting the £100, but I agree, with no training or anything there's not much imput from him. Other than having to ask everyone for money so he can do a free jump...

[combustiblelemon]

I may set up one of these schemes. And wait until they're up in the plane to point out that the money only covers the jump, and it's another £100 if you want a parachute

[GrimmaTheNome]

I heard a case where a [very wealthy] company director did a sponsored motorbike ride somewhere exotic. The employees really didn't have much choice but to sponsor him. Then it turned out all his expenses were paid and he got to keep the bike. WTF???

[CoffeeAndCarrotCake]

PMSL combustiblelemon!!

[soultaken]

Yeah these things are quite common these days, and those bicycle trips to Vietnam/walk the andes things are really not very generous to the charities they support. It's really just a rouse to get you to pay for someone else to do it.