To ask if anyone is setting up a fb page to discuss Tricky Dicky?

[IAmOnMyBike]

It seems we are not allowed to speak about anything negative elsewhere. Please do not speak badly of Tricky Dicky and co.

Oh crikey, is he?

Did I imagine that Richard said the money would go through the business?

It's not the most pressing concern obviously but I can't help but think he could be screwing them financially for the next year or so. The money has to be treated as 'business' cash so surely tax and income will have to be declared by all parties. What if he tips them over thresholds for tax codes/child benefit etc. and meanwhile the extra money has all been spent on flights for family to go over to New York?

It's just all so short sighted.

I don't know much about it all really, but I would have checked it out before starting a campaign like this. If he could have gained backing from an organisation like the Red Cross I'm sure they would have provided information like that.

Arsenic of course £6k for 3 months isn't enough! Everyone is forgetting to factor in the cost of Dax's nursery fees and education (private naturally) and then university.... And no one can argue that the donations aren't being used to benefit Dax!

Yes, berating them for buying nike trainers for the baby (weeks ago I think), and saying dad is probably out getting dax and his dob tattoed on him right now - how else can he remember his birthday after all!

Totally detracts from the very real point of the group and is discredits everything they are (rightly) asking imo

rebecca if someone started a thread on here saying that they had a friend in desperate need and needed costs for living expenses and please could people donate via their personal bank/paypal accounts would mn let the thread stand? no thought not. instead it would be deleted on the basis that asking for money is not in the spirit of mn...

If this was a thread about a baby born prematurely (not uncommon on mn) and support for the parents they would be getting that support. but the parents haven't come on to mn to ask for support, instead people have raised concerns and questions over whether it is appropriate to try to raise money for their living expenses back home, and to draw attention to the fact that *every( question in this context which has been asked on the fb page has been deleted with some pretty awful personal attacks levelled at people who dared ask, and even at someone who has now asked for a refund, and one person has been told that a complaint will be made to her employer. It's imoral at best and illegal at worst, and IMO the person threatened with an official complaint to their employer would be well within their rights to go to the police.

Let's be honest here, this isn't a story which has come to mn through the parents, if parents had posted here about their premature newborn and someone had then set up a funding page then I could see why it was considered in bad taste to start threads about the fundraiser, but the only reason this is on mn is because it's the fundraising (which is questionable) has made it into the media and hence back on to mn.

So a bit of perspective required from mn hq perhaps?

Agree everlong the comments about the Nike trainers and the tattoo were very snobby.

I think the problem with Richard being very vague about being the employer who's not paying out was a big problem.

I also think mentioning the Nike trainers was relevant. They are very, very expensive items which will only last a few weeks and are very much a luxury item. These are not the sort of items which are bought by people struggling to buy basics for their baby which Richard is now saying will be covered by the fund. They're also now asking for donations of baby equipment, and given that they have a fund in excess of 11.5k, all medical bills paid and accommodation sorted and were apparently comfortably off in the first place I just cannot see any justification for it.

Of course the parents didn't set up the fund so they are not at fault, but a real question mark hangs over the morality of raising this amount of money for people who apparently don't need it, or if they do need it, it's because of questionable employment practices on the part of the person doing the fundraiser.

I understand that the parents are busy looking after their new baby and out of the loop in another country, but I really feel there comes a time where it's appropriate to put a stop to the fundraising and requests for gear and I think that time has more than come.

I do feel for the parents it must be horrid to be miles away from home and scared.
I get why they aren't posting, this 'friend' is the boss, so any negativity from them etc towards him could very well endanger their employment.

I don't get the need for the money not when food, basic's etc are being offered.
I don't get why their o?h? ?s?o? ?c?o?n?s?i?d?e?r?a?t?e? ?b?o?s?s? friend is declining all offers of none monetary help.
I also don't get why they haven't got their own insurances on the home, car etc (if that is the case) as surely this would cover them whilst they are away.

I don't like that people are judging on what they have cars,house etc as by the look of it from what is said it is all on tick so not in fact asset rich?

But this is a very good ( and free) way to promote the business if you ask me.

Arsenic I was. All their US expenses are paid. They aready have more than 10 000 grand to cover their UK mortgage/bills for three months and she will be getting some maternity cover, isn't that enough charity?

It's a traumatic situation for them but it happens to thousand of families every day and they have to deal with it.

I have a couple of American friends who had to budget for the birth of their baby (their insurance only covered 80% of costs which is/was apparently quite common).
She had complications and they had to pay an extra 20 000 dollars.

They ended up cancelling the purchase of a new(er) car they had lined up to coincide with the arrival of the baby.

Friend was very disappointed but grateful that her baby was OK and they had to save for more than a year to get a better car. Funnily enough they didn't ask for money from strangers on the Internet.

I understand the point behind the nike trainers comment, but it very quickly turned into the parents being classless, and then not being able to remember their son's birthday without the aid of a tattoo.
Completely takes away any validity of the original point I think.

I've been waiting for the first big crowdfunding scandal, I don't think this is it, not enough money, but this has given me a glimpse of what's inevitably going to happen soon.

Just to add medical care I would totally understand. No question. But clothes and baby items? No way.

They could easily get a family member over with a big suitcase full of clothes for them. The baby would not need anything until he was discharged and his clothes and essentials should be the parents' resposibility (with help of friends and family) not public charity.

Maybe TD wants the raised money to pay for the parents to stay in a hotel again rather than spend 3 months at the RMH eating whatever food they will be served there. Maybe the insurance will only cover RMH and what's provided there as they'll only cover reasonable costs and not give them authorisation to spend more than they absolutely need to. He and their friends could be trying to improve the parents' situation in NY rather than support their existing situation. Which is fair enough if the friends want a whip round to do that but to ask the public for this is a bit cheeky.

I don't think he realises that compensating them for loss of income and paying their UK expenses is the same thing. Or that buying necessities for the baby would have been an expected cost (albeit 11 weeks early).

Some of their friends clearly see this as a bit of a cash cow and are taking advantage of the public's good nature and the benefit of social media. This leaves a nasty taste tbh.

Tuft, if it is on tick that raises yet another issue as the fund has said it will be covering their 'bills' back home. Some of the people who are donating don't appear to be very well off. And they thought that they were donating towards a babies medical bills, not the HP on a £30k BMW. And if it's not on tick why wasn't it sold before appealing to the general public for money? Either way, if the bill's being paid by the fund or it wasn't sold before appealing, it is troubling.

The Nike trainers could have been bought as a gift by a friend/relative...

Arsenic I was. All their US expenses are paid. They aready have more than 10 000 grand to cover their UK mortgage/bills for three months and she will be getting some maternity cover, isn't that enough charity?

Ha, you weren't on yesterday's thread were you?

I was saying exactly that.

My point is, I don't think it becoming for a baying mob to start specifying that they sell cars or this that or the other.

Suffice to say that all their major expenses are covered, they have additionally been donated a five figure sum and were not badly off in the first place.

The cars are their own business.

anon Arsenic has been championing that exact point for quite a while now!

I also disagree about them selling their cars. These are not tatty family Clios we're talking about. They have about 6 flash cars/bikes, & flew first class to do some designer shopping before little DAx arrived.

Good for them if they have the money but don't expect to get bailed out when he came early!

If push came to shove he could fly home & get back to work for a bit. That's what other families do with a child in NICU, bloody awful but they manage with family & friends support.

The screenshot posted earlier was interesting and does seem to contradict the fundraiser's claims that it was just supposed to be a local effort. Within 7 hours of deciding to meet locally and fundraise he was planning to contact the press in America.

I'm pretty sure that yesterday, or the day before (been following this for a while) he was saying he didn't know how the press got the story

As he is the one who contacted the media he would have been well aware of the impact the story would have. Once one outlet reports on a sob story all the others grab the story too. I'm surprised the fundraiser didn't anticipate EXACTLY how much attention this would get.

There has been so much inconsistency from both the fundraiser and the supporters on the FB page. When someone suggested the couple could use free wifi at Starbucks they were roundly abused by people saying they wouldn't want to leave a prem baby's bedside. Fast forward 24 hours and they are appearing on CBS. People can't have it both ways and this is one of the things that is winding me up.

I repeatedly asked the fundraiser to update the GoGet page once it was confirmed the medical costs were being covered. He acknowledged my post (something like "you beat me to it Andrea") yet it wasn't done until the following day. One excuse was he couldn't update the page from his phone - I'm sure a man with 2 businesses owns a laptop. Another excuse was that he was having 'family time' yet found plenty of opportunity to block, delete and lol on the Facebook page.

Oops sorry.

But I do feel that the next step should be no more charity.

If they want to stay in a nicer hotels etc they should pay for it themselves. They have fee accommodation available- if they want better than yes, they should pay for it and if it means selling a car then why not?
They have been given more than enough for the essentials they need. Every else is their financial responsibility not the public's.

It was said on the FB page that the cars were leased?
It also says rent not mortgage and bills?
All of which do need paying as I can't see 'most' landlord waiting months for payment as they may not have the money to cover the cost them self?

BUT I also think with insurances these costs should be covered?

I do think the 'boss' is trying to back track and cover his arse for not helping and in this way it costs him nothing, in fact he may very well stand to greatly gain from this, I don't also think that this was done purely from the kindness of his heart!

Regarding the cars and motorbikes - I suspect the photo album was showing pictures of previous cars/bikes plus their current car. If, however, he does still own all of those then I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect him to sell one or two of them to help cover their expenses.

I've been reading both pages and agree with all reasonable comments that there was no need to continue fundraising after it became clear no funds are truly required, and existing charities should be the beneficiaries.

Some comments are beyond the pale on the tricky dicky site, borne of frustration, but the judgements against the parents who to be fair haven't asked for the money directly and haven't said they want diamond encrusted pants(!) are pretty damning of MNers behaviour and not helping the 'cause'.

Just to add I have no idea if they want to stay in a nicer hotel. It was just a possible scenario someone mentioned above. I am not putting words in anyone's mouth.