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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

sponsorship for things that aren't difficult

69 replies

blameitonthecaffeine · 16/03/2013 14:33

I have a feeling I probably am being unreasonable here but, anyway ...

In the past 2 weeks I have been asked to sponsor adults for the following:
a 5km run
a 15 mile walk
a 10 mile walk
a 1 mile run

All these adults are healthy, able bodied and under 50. I just felt a bit Hmm about it. I admit I sponsored them anyway as I tried to focus on it being for the cause rather than for the event but really, I'm quite shocked that what is essentially just a morning jog or a weekend ramble can be considered worthy of sponsorship.

AIBU to think that, as an adult, if you are getting money for something, even if it's not for you, that it should be a real challenge, require preparation and be difficult to achieve.

OP posts:
TraineeBabyCatcher · 16/03/2013 14:40

I can see what you mean but maybe that is all they are capable of- time wise, fitness wise or for other reasons.

FeckOffCup · 16/03/2013 14:42

YABU, not everyone has the time or inclination to train to climb mountains or do skydives. The whole point of race for life is that it is inclusive of all abilities and it raises a lot of money for cancer research.

lashingsofbingeinghere · 16/03/2013 14:44

YANBU I hate the whole ridiculous sponsorship industry.

Trills · 16/03/2013 14:44

YANBU to think that the task should be difficult for the person doing it.

Y might BU to suggest that those things are not difficult, depending on who was doing them.

vladthedisorganised · 16/03/2013 14:46

I know what you mean: I guess for me I'd like to think it was a challenge for that person (10k run would be for me, and I'd happily sponsor my arthritic, asthmatic dad to do a sponsored walk) but things like a 3k walk do seem a bit.. Hm. In that case I go by how well I know them and how much I want to give to that cause.
I'm having to wait to ask for sponsorship for my 50k sponsored walk until I can be clear that I'll be very pregnant and built like an elephant by then!

vladthedisorganised · 16/03/2013 14:48

Sorry trills, x-post!

CMOTDibbler · 16/03/2013 14:48

I don't sponsor people for things that aren't a challenge for them. If they regularly run 10k, they aren't getting money for it. Someone who has got themselves fit and its a challenge - yes, absolutely.

Catsdontcare · 16/03/2013 14:48

Yes I agree. No sir I don't want to give a fiver just because you have grown hair over your top lip.

Trills · 16/03/2013 14:51

Don't apologise - you x-posted agreeing :)

SuiGeneris · 16/03/2013 14:52

Why do you care? You are not giving them money, you are giving to charity. Whether or not the person who sensitises you to the cause of that charity does some sport at the weekend should not affect whether or not the cause is worthy of your support...

nannynick · 16/03/2013 14:54

I have recently sponsored a group who are walking to Everest base camp. It is a couple of weeks journey, so walking some considerable way but is it what you would call hard, or not? It involves over 2 weeks of walking, sleeping at temperatures around -15 C and climbing up to an altitude of 5545m and at this height, oxygen is only half that available at sea level and so it is inevitable that some of the team will experience symptoms of altitude sickness.

However, it could be said to just be a long walk and sleeping in tents.

So maybe it's all relative to the individuals concerned, what is a challenge to some could be a walk in the park to others.

The point of sponsorship is to raise money for a cause. I recently sponsored a child to bounce on a trampoline in a certain time period, can't remember how long, a few minutes I think. Not hard for the child but that was not the point, it was a fun way for the children to raise money.

INeedThatForkOff · 16/03/2013 14:56

I know where you're coming from, but I'm doing Race for Life this year, starting from scratch after two DCs. Previously it would have been a piece of piss, however I'm doing couch to 5k and building up gradually.

The reason I chose to do it, and to raise money, is that I was struggling with motivation. It struck me one evening that while I was contemplating sitting on my arse rather than heading out, that my DH's cousin, a 32 year old mother who is currently dealing with bowel cancer, doesn't have the luxury of choice at the moment. I asked her how she'd feel if I did it in support of her treatment and she appreciated the idea. In fact she'll walk it herself if she's able.

I could just stand on the street with a collection box if you'd prefer. No great hardship in that. But I do want to ease some money for Cancer Research. Say no if you'd rather not sponsor. It's not compulsory.

Trills · 16/03/2013 14:59

Why do you care? You are not giving them money, you are giving to charity.

The point of sponsorship is that the person doing the activity wants you to give to the charity you have chosen.

If we take a "you are giving money to charity" approach to it then I'll sort out some direct debits and never sponsor anyone for anything.

Itsaboatjack · 16/03/2013 15:00

I'm a runner and regularly enter races, anything from a 5k to a marathon. They are great events and raise loads of money for many different charities. I however have only ever asked for sponsorship for the marathons, as otherwise I'd just be asking the same people for money all the time for what is essentially my hobby. However if someone is doing a race as a one off then I would happily sponsor them.

FeckOffCup · 16/03/2013 15:03

If we take a "you are giving money to charity" approach to it then I'll sort out some direct debits and never sponsor anyone for anything

You would be perfectly reasonable to do that if that's how you choose to donate. I wouldn't mind if someone declined to sponsor me to give money to a charity of their choosing, I would be a bit pissed off if they were sneery about it not being a hard enough challenge for their sponsorship money to go to.

ILikeBirds · 16/03/2013 15:08

YANBU to think there should be an element of personal challenge for sponsored sporting events.

Somebody at work is trying to get me to enter a sponsored swim - 1 mile distance. I swim 2 miles 3 times a week at present and there's no way I could approach anyone and ask them to sponsor me. It doesn't mean I wouldn't sponsor someone else to swim a mile.

OrangeFireandGoldashes · 16/03/2013 15:24

Unless you have had access to their full medical history, YABU to assume that they are as "fit and able-bodied" as they appear.

To someone in, say, my workplace, I'd appear "fit" (I'm not obviously over-weight), "able-bodied" (no prosthetics or walking aids) and "under 50". I occasionally talk about going to my exercise class. In fact I have two chronic medical conditions which would make any one of those activities a personal challenge and would mean several days of real discomfort afterwards. My "exercise class" is Pilates which is critical to keeping me mobile.

Tbh I say good on them for getting off their arses and doing something active for charity, even if it isn't an Ironman challenge. It's more than most people do.

sarahtigh · 16/03/2013 15:32

I would say both 10 and 15 mile walks while maybe not hugely difficult is a significant time commitment as will take at least half a day on mixed terrain going more than 3 miles per hour is difficult

but i agree about 1km unless they are in some way disabled, I do not really like giving to charity via sponsorship and I definitely do not do sponsored holidays like bike ride round italy/ india etc also will not sponsor what I consider silly/ stupid ideas like sitting in baked beans or custard; shaving heads/ beards

also some charity things like parachute jumps depend on raising over £500 and first £500 is for cost of jump so if you raise £600 charity only gets £100

Original poster
blameitonthecaffeine · 16/03/2013 15:35

I definitely agree about the personal challenge. I just don't think those sort of distances could be a challenge to an able bodied, healthy adult.

And yes, orangefire I take the point that not everybody is as healthy as they look but it is unusual, most people are as they seem when we are talking about light exercise.

OP posts:
zwischenzug · 16/03/2013 15:36

The activity isn't important, the idea is that the person gets to go and do some fun activity, pressure a bunch of people into giving them money using the "charity" card, and then brag about what a great person they are donating other people's hard earned dosh to charity and taking all the credit.

Even had a recent one with someone going off on a jolly 3000 miles away and wanting "sponsorship" for it. Here's A better idea - don't go, and donate the flight and accommodation costs to the cause instead, then the charity is probably better off, and the airline and hotels aren't making a profit. But then again, there's no lovely holiday involved in doing that...

Whatalotofpiffle · 16/03/2013 15:37

I couldn't run a mile!! However my dsis runs 10 on a Saturday so sponsoring her for a mile would be a joke

gordyslovesheep · 16/03/2013 15:40

simple answer is don't sponsor them then - people seem to want increasing 'value' for their money - it's daft IMHO

I am doing a 5k mud run tomorrow - thankfully people think this is worth sponsoring despite me being very fit and healthy - thank you those people!

Floweryhat · 16/03/2013 15:41

YABU

It's for charity. If you don't want to sponsor them then don't.

A 5k run would be a significant challenge for me and I am a healthy able-bodied adult. It would take me weeks of dedication to train, and fitting that in would be v hard.

Original poster
blameitonthecaffeine · 16/03/2013 15:53

have you tried floweryhat? I'd be very surprised if it would take weeks of training for you to do that. I can well imagine you wouldn't enjoy it if you aren't used to it but you'd be physically able to get through it without training.

OP posts:
shockers · 16/03/2013 15:58

I'm doing a 1 mile open water swim and although I'm sure it would be very easy for a lot of people my age, I'm bricking myself. My ultimate goal is the actual swim, but I'll be doing a lot of training beforehand.

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