To hate Children in Need?

[Runny]

I probably am because it raises money for such good causes, but I find the whole television spectical really toe curlingly awful to watch.Every year it's the same old, the BBC newsreaders doing an 'hilarious' song and dance skit, the cast of Eastenders having a sing song and an endless stream of insincere celebrities who are only taking part to make themselves look good.

I really want to like it, but just can't. On the other hand I love Comic Relief and look foreward to that. CiN just leaves me cold.

YANBU OP! I have a deep dislike of Children in Need. But then, I don't like Comic Relief or Sport Relief either.

Generally speaking, any big, glitzy charity events leave me a bit cold. They seem to go directly against what charitable giving should be about, imo.

I don't watch it I find it grotesque! A bunch of high earners alternating between their stock "sad face" and their idiotic grins telling people to "dig deep" - fucking don't "dig deep"! give what you can afford/want to give but don't give what you don't have!

Children in need is NOT avoidable, it's not real "charity" half the time, most of the money raised is through peer pressure not real charity. Unless you don't work, keep your kids off school, and don't go outside, you can't avoid children in need!

I was in boots today to pick up some Tenna and some guy with a bucket told me that I "look like someone who wants to enter our tombola" - no I fucking don't! I just don't wanna smell of wee! leave me alone!

avoidable

Don't really see why it matters what the presenters are paid, they will be paid by the BBC not from the money raised. If you want to object from the point of view of your TV license then complain away...

YABU, don't like, don't watch. How can you not like the bear!

"avoidable MY ASS…" that should have said

I hate it. Children in need should be getting support from the state - not having to rely on donations from people watching celebs sitting in tubs of baked beans.

not having to rely on donations from people watching celebs sitting in tubs of baked beans.

that's another thing that makes it grotesque " oh what a LARK it would be to fill a bath tub with food and then just sit in it, because we're just MAD like that lolz lolz, and then we can ask passers by to give us money towards good causes like food banks! coz like CIN learns us that some cute kiddies have no food (sad face)"
Cause that makes fucking sense

I can't bloody stand it!! I'd pay the school double not forget the whole thing

The school thing is pretty horrible as a lot of children with Autism and the like really don't like the dressing up days, which is fine, but most of the time it's compulsory.

"CIN and BBC is being investigated whether you like it or not."

Um... I have no particular strong opinion either way TBH

But that is how they fund projects - and I happen to know that many smaller projects are much happier with a regular source of income rather than a lump sum up front, it can affect their funding from other sources for starters.

I don't want to watch it, but I'm sitting in a call centre taking donation calls

It's amazing how much people do donate

I am always glad of a non school uniform day. One last thing I had to do last night was to iron the school uniform.

It's very a "hands off" / don't get my hands dirty version of caring/giving

he people I know who are into it are stocked up on telly snacks and will be posting later on social media about how many feelingz they have for the sad people - it's grotesque, that's the only word for it

The point about celebs is that they get vast amounts of dosh but are doing sad faces to get the very families they want to help, to cough up.

I know exactly how much Tess Dailys other half gets for one nights DJing and being an MC . A years salary for a rural head teacher.
So no I don't watch or give money because why should I. However I do help children in need. Directly. And love my job.

The point about celebs is that they get vast amounts of dosh but are doing sad faces to get the very families they want to help, to cough up.

Exactly! it's not so much the rich giving to the poor, a lot of it is targetted at getting the poor to give to the poor, it's gross

I don't watch it and don't donate either.
When my kids were at school and a donation for a CIN non-uniform day were requested I used to donate to a charity of my choice and inform the school of that.

I really struggle to see why people are so keen to knock the charity itself? The programme is clearly a model that works given the huge amount raised annually so someone must like it.

In the absence of government money, charity has no choice right now but to exist. Though many people prefer to give directly to smaller charities, some small voluntary organisations and self help groups would have to spend huge amounts of time and money themselves to raise the amount they can otherwise get in one successful CiN grant application. It's not a bad thing.

The celebs do not get paid for appearing on CIN! ( the presenters might, but why shouldn't they?).

Hate it. Hate it. Hate it.

Not anti-charity, far from it, have fundraised & volunteered for other organisations on occasion, however I loathe smug self promotion of the "celebrities".

Most of all I dislike that a percentage of the license fee goes towards the broadcasting & production costs of holding it. There should be an option when paying the license fee to exclude paying whatever that percentage is - even if it's only 2p per license - it's the principal.

So to all those who don't like watching, what WOULD you like to see? What WOULD make you want to tune in?

Genuine question

I hate it. Children in need should be getting support from the state - not having to rely on donations from people watching celebs sitting in tubs of baked beans.

And we shouldn't have food banks, or PTAs raising money for underfunded schools, or NHS volunteers etc.

It's a conflict, I know. I'm sure that no charity really wants to exist.

Saw this today.

rosie I thought that was explained because CiN award 5 year grants. So the money kept in the bank was earmarked for giving annual grants for 5 years to charities. it alllows them to plan long term. I've worked for charities. Every year, some projects would close and some would be on hold due to uncertainty over funding. A 5 year grant would allow longer term planning of projects.

YANBU OP! Though actually it's only this thread that's made me finally clarify in my head that Children in Need and Comic Relief are actually two different things.

They roll around, I try to remember to do whatever nursery/school suddenly expect us to do at the last minute, and donate some money myself instead of trawling a sponsorship form around friends (I hate doing that). I never watch, I can't bear that kind of endless rolling celebathon/sad-face-athon/cringeworthy dance-athon.

I'm happy the money is raised, but you can feel that way and still hate the event.

I cannot watch any of the "telethons" like CIN, Comic Relief, Sport Relief etc. Celebs urging us to donate, sad stories (which usually make me cry) and cringy "skits" are not my idea of entertainment. I'll happily donate though and I did the £1 No. 7 Lucky Dip in our local Boots yesterday, and got a mini mascara which I was quite chuffed about. We had a Dress Down day in work today - all donations were going to various charities, including a proportion going to CIN I believe.