to find the Chris Evans CIN auctions distasteful?

[Bogeyface]

Not the auctions themselves, but the way that they are chucking numbers around and announcing that X from London has bid half a million to see Take That or whoever.

Why not do the auctions via eBay and then announce the total raised? it just seems like willy waving to announce that so much money is spent by one person on such things especially when so many others that CIN helps are really struggling at this time of year.

I am not articulating it well it just feels wrong to me. As I say, not the fundraising itself but the way a tiny number of very rich people are being bigged up.

Nah, you're not alone.

As per previous years, YABU. (Yes, this comes up every year)

DD and I had the exact same conversation in the car.

If they can afford to spend the cost of a house one on night then it must be a drop in the ocean for them - it's not exactly radio for the masses is it?

I completely agree, I know they are raising a huge amount of money for a good cause, but really only 1% or less of the listeners have a chance of making a winning bid. Yes you can text for a fiver but up to £2.50 of that goes to the mobile company. Like you said, so many people are struggling and they are fawning over someone who has £1/2 million spare to give to charity. I would rather they had more, cheaper experiences that people with ordinary incomes could bid for and donate towards.

I'll admit I haven't heard it so maybe I'm missing something awful about it, but in principle I disagree. I think that if the willy waving helps raise extra money (and it will, because people are like that) then it's got to be a good thing. I do know what you mean though. I sometimes feel a bit when I see people posting about how much they've raised for charity on Facebook etc. but then remember that the exposure of their giving is likely to be better for the charity (hence why they encourage others to share their giving so much).

Where I live you could buy 4 houses, well at least 4 of the type of house I live in, so no not exactly for the masses!

Pick I only recently started having my alarm on CE, because it is irritating enough to get me out of bed to turn it off, so this is new to me!

Given that this is at least the fourth thread this year, no I don't suppose you're alone.

I'm flat broke, always am and I am not remotely bothered by the willy waving. I work for a charity. It's nigh on impossible to get people to dig deep. It's nothing but a relief to hear that amount of money will help children in need.

Mind you, this is CE who thinks nothing of spending £12 million on a car so perhaps his perception of reality is somewhat skewed......

Exactly.
Why don't they just quietly donate the money, and THEN just buy a Take That ticket or whatever? It's because they want the attention.

Why don't they just quietly donate the money, and THEN just buy a Take That ticket or whatever? It's because they want the attention.

Suppose it was proven (or suggested) that doing it this way generates more money for charity, than just the donate'n'run approach ?

In his last DVD, Frank Skinner did a routine about celebrity. He mentioned he has loads of suits from TV work, and every so often he eBays them with the proceeds going to CIN. He commented that doing it anonymously makes £x, but if he mentioned that the suits were once worn by him, he can raise £2x, £3x ... so if he were to remain modest, CIN would lose out.

Celebrity is indeed a double edged sword.

Bogeyface I was saying exactly the same thing to my husband in the car this morning.

It's probably bankers spending 'taxpayer's money' from their bonuses.
It's not sour grapes either. I bet those losing the auctions would not still offer the half a million (or whatever) as a donation anyway.

I usually have arse splinters on these threads, caused by too much fence-sitting. I must admit though that even I was shocked by the winning bid of £1.1million to see Take That.

It wasn't just to 'see' Take That though was it?
It's all for the children and the more they raise the more they can do to help.
I have no issue with it as long it's raising money for the DC and making their lives, happier, easier, etc...
I doubt that person would have donated that much had they not had the incentive of Take That performing for them.
Good on them.
If they can afford it then it's all relative really and what better way to spend your money? Win/Win

I actually think it's business people / owners bidding for these things. Obviously the occasional personal millionaire will bid, but I'm sure unread somewhere it tends to be a company thing.

It's really boring radio to listen to either way.

Can't get worked up about it.

As long as the money actually goes to the charity in question then bid away

Unless I win the lottery big time I will never be able to bid on something like that, but its not about me!

Its about raising money for CIN and if celebs giving up their time and effort to do things to raise money and people are prepared to pay for it then good on them all. Its only one week a year!

If they have that kind of money I dont care how they spend it but if its on charity causes then thats a bonus. Its not making one jot of difference to my financial situation, it just means that more kids get the support they need. Bidders get a great day out/weekend and kids benefit, its win win.

There are various 'anon' bids too. If it raises the money, who cares?