to ask you if I am missing something here?

[Curlywurlyquerly]

I run a charity as a volunteer alongside four other people. We have been approached by a well-known high street mid-range beauty brand to hold a "fundraising event" in their shop.

Apparently "all we have to do" is invite along 50 people who they will charge £15 each to give demonstrations of their products to, and a goody bag worth at least £10. They will offer "refreshments," and they will then offer attendees a discount of 10% off all their products at the end.

Am I being completely stupid to not recognise how this is a fundraising event for our charity and not just a chance for them to find 50 new customers who they will push sales on to at the end?

The manager at the shop is apparently "gobsmacked" that I would "look a gift horse in the mouth."

Am I really missing something? Do they think that after paying their ticket money and probably being pushed into buying a product, the attendees who we generated ourselves will then donate to us?

The manager could probably do with a smack to get past her gobsmacked state.

She's probably just shocked that you don't actually have "sucker" written on your forehead.

I'd be very blunt and ask her what funds your charity will raise from this event. She's obviously missing the point.

We had one once ask us if we wanted too do two days of bag-packing with us getting 10% of the monies donated in the buckets.

Are you sure you don’t get part of the ticket money?

She may have said ‘none of the takings/profit’ but not meaning the actual ticket money?

Otherwise it makes no sense.

I'm intrigued. 🤔

Did you get the information in writing?