Children in need....falling popularity?

[mids2019]

So children in need seems to be raising less money in recent years. Is this due to the cost of living crisis meaning people give less or are people jaded by this annual event? Are people giving to more local charities instead?

Personally I feel the whole thing though raising money for some good causes does seem to be a vehicle for celebrities profiles and there is a feeling the event showcases the most heartening emotive cases which maybe isn't quite balanced.

I also have question a about schools coercing children to give a pound or 2 towards the event as even at a young age charity should be about choice. It also means you feel you have given if your kids have paid a line to non uniform day and I don't know if that is quite the sun c. In n are thinking about?

Should we think again about children in need?

It seems very old fashioned now, disabled children shouldn’t have to parade themselves in a pity porn display in order to get the basics of support they need.

I agree. The money seems to go in the round to children's community groups etc. I hate to feel parents feel pressured to this or acting in a misguided way. It also come across as slightly condescending and probably doesn't address individual families real concerns.....they are as you say a bit of a prop to highlight the virtue of the celebs.

Agree that it does seem very outdated, same with comic relief. And giving to charity should definitely be a choice.

I find it very ‘me, me, me’, all about the celebrities rather than the people it’s helping.

Definitely about the celebs.

Paddy McGuiness's agent probably saying he has to do this to support a flagging career?

After all the child abuse that went on at the BBC, I never give money.

I prefer to donate directly to charities who work in the areas in which I am interested. If charities have to go cap in hand to the BBC , you are going to end up with a very slanted politico-social list of beneficiaries.

I think it becomes in bad taste to ask kids to dress up/give £1 when the numbers of children at many schools who are themselves 'in need' is increasing . I imagine there has been a quiet drop off in support from some areas for this reason. I also expect people are doing more direct charity within their communities now that things are so close to home.

I can’t bare the cheesey jokes, false audience laughter and ‘specials’ of bbc TV shows that are again cringy. I never watch or donate because of this.

i donate generously to local charities instead who don’t strike celeb egos and parade disabled children for cash

I stopped giving money when I found out the ceo gets about £98,000 salary a year.
Don't know about other senior staff but I bet it's a fair amount.
Plus they keep money back for assets/ investments so not everything goes to who you think.
They are not alone in that , most big charities run as a business for profit, I'd rather support smaller , local charities.

Do the celebrities get paid to present or donate their time for free? I'm sure I read Sir Terry got paid shed loads and refused to waive his fee.

I give to a local children's hospice. They didn't ask and don't do huge fund raisers. I think that is the appeal and yes no celeb endorsement.

My DD's school decided this year to give to local charities instead. They used the children in need branding and the prizes they gave were pudsey bear related so no idea what their actual thinking on it was.

I hate all the non-uniform or pj days though as it's enforced giving. It's not my charity choice but I'm forced to give so my kid isn't the only one not participating. When I was that age my mum refused to be pushed into forced giving so me and my brother were always one of the few not participating.

I do think pressuring children to give to charity when they may be in need themselves is in very poor taste and schools should not indulge this.

We also have the fact a quarter of children do experience poverty and the reasons for this are complex and have political and societal inputs. My children are under the impression they are giving to 'poor' children and obviously poverty is a complex problem and maybe not one addressed by a bear with a patch.

https://www.google.com/search?q=terrynwoahn+children+in+need+fee&rlz=1C9BKJA_enGB758GB761&oq=terrynwoahn+children+in+need+fee&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIJCAEQABgNGIAEMg0IAhAAGIYDGIAEGIoFMg0IAxAAGIYDGIAEGIoFMgoIBBAAGIAEGKIEMgoIBRAAGKIEGIkFMgoIBhAAGKIEGIkFMgoIBxAAGIAEGKIEMgoICBAAGIAEGKIE0gEJMTA2MjRqMGo3qAIKsAIB4gMEGAEgXw&hl=en-GB&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

I have several reasons for not supporting CIN.
The BBC has a dreadful track record for safeguarding children.
Wealthy celebrities (many of whom use tax loopholes to avoid paying tax) emotionally manipulating poorer people to hand over their money.
Pity porn (as said above)
I don’t want a single Penny of my money going to a charity or organisation that endorses children transitioning.

I choose local charities without hugely well paid CEOs to support.

Children In Need had its day over a decade ago but the BBC either can't or won't acknowledge this. It's one of their family jewels - not sure what the others are.

I think some of the charities they give to are questionable regarding safe guarding. I don't want to give money that might end up harming children instead.

Yes it’s time for pity porn to disappear.

It did occur to me as my son handed over his pound to wear mufti that theres minimal chance of him receiving it back in help for his SEN needs. The LA and NHS are entirely failing him. Which isn’t me saying he deserves it more than the kids who do get help, we’re in the privileged position of being able to pay for private support. It’s just a different landscape these days.

Yes this. Mrs Brown's Boys is another one they won't let go of.

I never donate to any charities because I don’t know where the money actually goes.

I loathe bbc charities for reasons much all ready said.
I do not contribute to them at all now my kids have left school ,i give my money to local charities with no celebrities in sight.

I prefer to donate to specific causes rather than a general pot of money where you don’t get to decide who benefits.

Our local school (primary and secondary) have never done anything for comic relief or children in need. They do fund raise for local charities and they have fundraising days teaching the children to think of ways and the whole school comes together (old school throwing a wet sponge at a teacher is always put forward 😀)

when they were younger I used to be sad that there wasn’t funky hair day or dress up days - but I realise now that parents who are short of money don’t have to come with £4 for 4 kids, + money to buy cakes + money to buy outfits etc.