To feel a bit shit that nobody sponsored me?

[MyGastIsFlabbered]

I signed up to do the 10,000 steps a day thing for Cancer Research. I put my fundraising page on FB, Twitter but not one person has sponsored me. I know money's tight for most of us at the moment, but to not raise even a penny makes me feel shit. AIBU to take it so personally?

MyGast I have read through the entire thread and saw why you think it's a challenge for you. You didn't mention any actual physical reasons that 10,000 steps per day is a worthwhile challenge.

Sorry, I don't think it is worthy of sponsorship. By all means do it for you, but don't be surprised that people don't want to sponsor you.

I don't sponsor anyone any more. I get asked at least twice a week for various things and quite frankly, I can't afford it.
I have two DDebits to charities that mean something to me, so I donate that way.
If someone is doing something incredible, like climbing Everest or trekking to the North Pole I might consider it.
But 5kruns/ 10k runs / 5 rounds of golf (when the person adores playing golf ) then no.
Please don't take it personally, I think a lot of people feel the same.
Good luck in your challenge though

10,000 steps is the average number of steps you do a day, it would be akin to sponsoring an 7 hour sleep surely.

Actually, it isn't the average amount of steps people do a day. If that was the case there would never have been the 10,000 step challenge in the first place.

When I worked in the hospital I went way above those steps easily. In my current job I average 4500 steps because it isn't an active job and there is a lot of sitting down involved so to get to 10,000 on those days is much more of a challenge due to working times.

It's obvious that for the OP doing 10,000 steps daily is an achievement, and it is for many people. I would probably sponsor my best friend or very close family just to be kind, but otherwise I don't sponsor people anymore.

OP I would be hurt too if the closest people in my life couldn't even manage to sponsor me 50p

Morning OP!

If you were an actual friend not FB friend and I knew your circumstances I'd donate directly to the charity and let you know. But I'd not do it via JustGiving as I believe that they take a %.

However I give c.£20 per month as give-as-you-earn through work which they match so I feel I'm covered on the charity thing.

I tend to say no to any sponsored stuff as IMO it's generally more about self-fulfilment than the charity (or charity is second consideration anyway).

I got an inheritance once around the time a friend's DH was doing a sponsored bike ride. I said I'd donate double what he'd been promised for him NOT to do the ride. But no, he wanted to prove to himself that he could do it. Raising money was secondary! Same year another friend wanted to do the London Marathon but didn't get in. She then rooted round lots of charities until she found one that could offer her a place. Again the charity was secondary to her wanting to run.

Problem is, because of lots of instances like these it makes people like me cynical so your request would slip through the net. Definitely nothing personal to you.

Thank you to the people who have RTFT rather than STILL commenting that 10K steps per day isn't a worthwhile challenge.
But the fact it's not much of a challenge is completely part of it. So I don't get what's about it.
It would be like me saying to my friends 'sponsor me to do a 10k run when I run 5k a few times a week'. They wouldn't. It's not a challenge.

10,000 steps is what's suggested to be healthy. I'm not sponsoring somebody to be less sedentary than usual.
Just like I'm not sponsoring people to drink less than usual.

I find it a little depressing that anything active or vaguely healthy seems to have been commandeered by fundraising aka give me money for making reasonable life choice.s

Ask people directly to sponsor you.
Say "Please sponsor me - here is the link www.whatever.co.uk ec"

Op, re the fitbit, although someone may already have said this, the only time mine every spontaneously records outdoor bike is when I have walked a long way with a buggy. I assume it is because the wrist is static like handlebars. I do cycle every day but I have to tell it that is what I am doing for it to log it, probably because it is not for long enough stints to register

I agree with pp, for most normal, healthy people 10.000 steps a day isn't a big deal. A friend of mine did this and I didn't sponsor her either.

It's the same as people who do a 5k run, again most people should be able to do this easily, so I wouldn't sponsor them.

One friend recently did a 100k walk and trained for months for it. Another did a triathlon. If you want people to sponsor you, you need to make a real effort!

My charity donations go direct to the charities concerned as direct debits. Never via the smugfunding sites 'look at me, I gave x' because of their extra cut.

I might sponsor something useful - litter pick, garden renovation, park tidy, stuff like that. Never seems to happen.

Sponsored not drinking, walking, cycling, all that - no chance.

violet
Yes on the challenge.

I sponsored my DH and his friends when they did a long endurance walk challenge that went on overly 24 hours. Friends and family sponsored me when I did the Great North run because it was the first time I'd done that sort of distance.

Same for friends doing their first big triathlon. They ended up hooked on triathlon so now I'd probably not sponsor them because it's part of their thing, just like running is for me now.

sorry you are feeling bad op. I think the conclusion from the thread is that there are a number of reasons why people won't sponsor you.

1. it's something you should be doing anyway
2. sponsorship fatigue
3. a lot of people don't support cancer research UK
4. the just giving link
5. their own financial situation

as you can see none of the reasons are personal so there's no need to feel bad xx

I have really specific criteria for donations too and so tend not to donate to other people and manage my own contributions privately. E.g. I wouldn't give to big name charities that pay huge CEO salaries. Also wouldn't donate to anything that's for an individual's case, unless I was very close to them personally. I would hate for anyone to take that personally which is why it's a blanket rule; I expect a lot of people are like me. It's great you're challenging yourself, OP. Keep at it.

The only one that actually really annoys me is people who want sponsorship for dry January - and there are a lot of them still, for some reason.

@MaisyPops I don't know how many more times I can explain that it IS a challenge to me, that my friends know my story, yet not one of them could find even 50p to raise money for a good cause. That I'm not asking random strangers to sponsor me, but people I consider friends. That I'd sponsor friends just for getting out of bed in the morning if I believed it was for a good cause. I don't need yet another person telling me that 10k steps isn't worth sponsoring because it's apparently so easy.

And @WonderLime why do I have to have a physical reason to find 10k steps a day a challenge? I trust you've never known crippling anxiety or depression?

And it's interesting that some people won't sponsor if it's not enough of a challenged, yet others won't sponsor if it's too much of a challenge as they see it as a vanity project that the person would do anyway. You can't win can you?

It's not really about winning, though. It's probably more that being sponsored for stuff has had its day a bit.

hat my friends know my story, yet not one of them could find even 50p to raise money for a good cause

You're still not getting it. They could have easily found 50p if they wanted, but they didn't. They don't have to give to your cause because you think it is good, and they don't have to use your methods to give, and they don't have to give for your reasons.
People have their own charities, their own reasons and methods of giving, and they don't need you judging them.
Do YOU give money to charity?

I'm allowed to feel a bit disappointed that out of 200+ friends not one could spare even £1?

200 friends or 200 people you are linked to on Facebook?

I agree with Prospero's points.

Op, you are saying that you understand why people do not sponsor other people, but you do not understand why they do not sponsor you.

Sometimes, honestly, people really have their money tied up. You are other people. Your cause is more important to you than it is to other people. It's not that they do not care per se, it is that their own reality - lives etc is uppermost in their own lives and eyes. It's not personal, really.

You are doing an amazing thing for charity, and it is laudable, especially if you have a history where what you are doing is a challenge. But it really is not likely to be an active rejection of you, or your efforts. Just that most people operate within their own little worlds and their own little bubbles where we are each trying to survive each day as best we can.

I don't give to fb requests as I feel there's an expectation to give at least a fiver. I've seen posts where people say oh if everyone on my fb gave £1, I'd raise x amount.
I'm too embarrassed to give "just" £1 and I dislike the posts on these just giving pages where how you much you gave is posted along with your name. I always request to be anonymous if I donate this way.
And I don't like to feel railroaded into something either. I'll give to the charities that I choose.

And I'm not funding other people's holidays e.g. Kilimanjaro though OP, I know that's not what you were doing.
Sponsorship fatigue- it's a real thing!
Sorry, OP. I get that it's a struggle for you and if I knew you in RL and you had a collecting tin, I'd probably stick in a quid.
(I did donate to a young mum on a fb Page who was living in dreadful conditions with a baby and toddler. I'd rather give directly to someone like that tbh. She didn't ask btw. Other mums organised for her and the poor girl was in tears when she was told. I've since seen a post from her that things are starting to happen and I'll happily send her another donation.)

LiveLong exactly where have I said I'm judging anyone? I'm disappointed but I haven't said I'm judging anyone for not donating. If that's how it's come across then that's honestly not what I meant. As it happens yes I do give money to charity, and I've already said on this thread that I sponsor others.

I do understand others reasons for not sponsoring and I'll try not to take it personally.

OP.. bless you. I get that 10k a day is a challenge , for you. And your friends know that.

It's not too much to expect at least a couple to sponsor you, i agree. I think people are a little immune to FB requests these days, so unless it completely hit them in the head as OMG LOOK WHAT SHE's DOING, then it probably just hasn't registered.

PM your link and I'll sponsor you. Worthy cause and worthy challenge x

I am currently halfway through a personal challenge to run 1000km in a year. For me it is a massive challenge (only ran 500 last year, 4 years ago i couldn't run for a bus as was morbidly obese) - i have asked for aponsorship but I certainly don't expect it from anyone. Everyone has their own reasons for giving or not giving.

And I am more than aware of the impact of anxiety and depression - and hopefully no matter what the being up and more active will have a positive impact on that side of things.

I did a charity event a few years ago and asked people face to face for sponsorship. I got a lot. Apparently I know a few generous people. I did another one this year but didn't want to pressure people again as I feel it's all too much. I posted the request on Facebook .... guess what .... no sponsors! And I sponsor lots of people! When I posted pictures on Facebook of me doing the event ... guess what .... lots of 'likes' but still no sponsers! I have seen this so many times on Facebook. Even when charities are so close to the people doing the event. I knew this would happen so it didn't bother me. YANBU though it is disappointing. Good luck with your steps OP - if it is a challenge for you then you do not need to listen to anyone else saying it isn't! Go smash it

I wouldn't sponsor someone for taking half the steps I do in a day. Everybody wants to be sponsored for extremely unimpressive things nowadays. It would take someone cartwheeling a marathon or bouncing it on their head for me to sponsor them.