Donate £10 to Lumos and have dinner with JKR

The server is down for me too. Lots of people wanting free kfc!

It’s a joke, that unfolded over time.

It’s almost certainly a meal at Portico in London, donated by the owner. It started as a joke about having dinner, sharing a bucket of KFC or whatever you prefer. It has extended to a proper plan but is still being referred to as kfc.

Good of her to donate travel and accommodation ( if not in London) but she can't afford a Michelin dinner for two?

Or have I misunderstood?

She really is simply the best. She's not afraid to act on impulse but also puts her hands up and explains the legalities involved. I love how she says she has for a very fun evening and to trust her on this. She is faultless in my eyes.

I filled in the free draw form but had no kind of confirmation. Hopefully it worked.

I'm the same. I will try again later.

The update says:
''IMPORTANT UPDATE ON KFC WITH JKR PRIZE DRAW🍗 I’ve been tangled in a certain amount of legal red tape after having this bright idea 😖, but the offer still stands and is, in fact, improved! If you generously donated – and I can’t thank you enough if you did - Lumos will be in touch with an update. For legal reasons, this now has to be a free draw, which means a) you have the right to un-donate and b) you will still need to enter the new draw even if you donated before. For everyone who’d like to enter, the free draw is now open until midnight (BST) on Sunday. Here’s where to register and the all-important T&Cs:

https://www.wearelumos.org/free-prize-draw/

''As I don’t want Lumos to lose out, I will make up the shortfall of anyone taking their donation back and will still match the total raised during the original 48 hours (I’ll announce how much was raised once we’ve got our winners.) As I don’t want original donors’ odds of winning to diminish by this necessary change to the prize draw rules, I’m doubling the number of winners. SIX people will now have KFC (or some vegan, vegetarian or fancier alternative) with me, rather than three. I have a plan for a very fun evening. Trust me on this. We are now legal-red-tape-compliant! Winners will be announced next week.''

I can't get the link in my email or the link on this thread to work at all. I will try again at a more quiet time!

Oh I agree. I wouldn't ask for a refund. I donate to Lumos as and when I can anyway.

Ah, looks like they should have had a lottery licence or summat.

Gargh, I ticked all the boxes and didn't twig that the middle one wasn't just confirmation that "I made a donation" but was "...and I want a refund". Hopefully there is some way to cancel a refund request - best to donate again just in case isn't it?

It’s worked for me, twice. Perhaps it depends on your internet connection.

Screenshots instead (once they are approved!)

That link doesn't work for me. Is the site overwhelmed with traffic?

You’re entered if you did donate, though.

The letter also gives a simple link to click if you want to withdraw your donation, but still be entered into the prize draw.

IIRC, there are legal hoops to jump though if you want to set up a raffle. If that wasn’t done, given what might have been a spontaneous offer by JKR, it might be necessary to do it this way, ie not making prize draw entry conditional on payment of £10+.

Edited to add: I’ve now read the Twitter/Nitter post: my slow typing meant the link wasn’t there when I started this post. There are indeed reasons for the change, to make this legally compliant.

She’s also increased the winners to 6 people.

Update here

https://nitter.poast.org/jk_rowling/status/1930967953991688389#m

Yep. But would be pretty shabby to ask for a refund IMO

Has anyone else had an email?

Not saying they've won. But that we didn't need to donate to be in the draw!

I wouldn't stress. Anyone offered the prize who doesn't want it isn't obliged to take it. And then can presumably offer to gift aid their donation instead.

Pretty sure donations have gone up enough to counterweight any loss of gift aid in the mean time.

Is it a formal organised raffle? Or is it something JKR is doing off her own bat?

Why is it odd? Are you saying you have never heard of a charity doing a raffle rather than just asking for donations?

Done. What an exciting thing - if I won !

But perhaps there should have been an announcement on the site that all donations during that time were towards the raffle and not eligible for gift aid.
I imagine some people who have donated weren't aware the raffle was taking place.

Right now I'm just busy fantasising about winning and wondering what I'll wear 😀