to think if you are doing a challenge that people associate with a certain charity, you should give the money to that charity

[ohohohitsmagic]

I'm always a bit black and white about things so totally open to being told I'm a dick, and that it doesn't matter what charity the money goes to.

If there is a challenge like, for example m, Movember, is it ok to do it and collect sponsorship and give it to the British near foundation?

I feel quite strongly that it isn't as it feels wrong to piggy back and give the money to something else.

Is it me? Am I being a bitch?

As long as the person is clear about who the money is going to I'm not sure it matters.

As long as it's perfectly clear what the money is going to, I don't really have a problem with it. I seem to remember there being an issue with the ice bucket challenge, though, where another charity tried to piggy back onto it and it backfired big time. I think because it became an "official" fundraiser, rather than one person. In your example, I'd probably suggest growing the moustache at another time of the year.

As long as you tell people it's a different charity they are giving to I don't see the problem. In a way they are then promoting two charities. Advertising the one the event is usually for people might think and donate directly but also giving money to another?

People have been growing beards, sideburns and hair, shaving heads, waxing chests, sitting in baths of baked beans and embarrassing themselves in the name of charity long before any of the charities branded it for themselves.

As long as the person is clear about who they are raising the money for, I can't see the problem with them raising it for a charity that isn't the one doing the advertising

Agree with the others. As long as it's made clear its not an issue.

Movember don't own the act of growing a beard. So if you are growing one you aren't obliged to give any money to them.

I think for something like Movember it's ok to choose a different charity (as others have said, nothing to stop them just doing the challenge off their own bat).

I don't think it's ok for something like Race for Life where you are using facilities provided by the charity in question.

I've boycotted MacMillan over their twatter with the ice bucket challenge since it started. Having then learned of their twatty practices with regards to their units I've continued to refuse to support.

It's up to the fundraiser what they raise funds for. It's up to you whether you give to them. As long as there's clarity.

RedSky, you pay an entry fee to do Race for Life, which covers their costs
To get sponsorship on top isn't compulsory, so I don't think it would be wrong to get people to sponsor you to do a 5k, but use their course for it?

Oh, what have MacMillan done? (Genuinely curious)

They have a tendency to take every decent fundraising idea any charity has and completely inundate advertising with it so that original charities lose out. Ice buckets, head shaves etc.

They also only fund their 'MacMillan' units for a small time. Then they expect the NHS to find them, but all MacMillan branding and uniforms has to be kept. Not on really, as it gives the impression the charity is funding so much more than it actually is. They're more of a start up company than a continued care company.

My sister, cousin and friends do the shine marathon in London each year. They give the money to the Irish Cancer Society rather than the British one that organises it,as we're Irish and they just travel for it. They are always upfront with people who choose to sponsor them and never had any issues with it. As long as it's not hidden/they're pocketing the money/it's going somewhere in no way connected with the 'usual' charity, I think it's fine.

sparechange I realize the entry fee covers the cost of facilities. But the primary reason for the race is to raise money for Cancer Research - not for people to take part for their own purposes. Plus they have limited places so you are taking the space of someone else who could have raised money for the charity.

It's me then isn't it. Thank you everyone x

At least they're raising money for a charity. I'm getting really annoyed at the moment with the 22 push ups challenge to "raise awareness for veteran mental health" because apparently 22 veterans a day attempt suicide due to PTSD. Obviously this is awful but what would help these veterans would be actual money funding services, not people on facebook doing push ups and feeling smug about "raising awareness".