Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

To be sick of facebook fundraisers?

14 replies

Gingerkittykat · 03/02/2019 16:17

I am utterly sick of Facebook fundraisers, especially birthday ones.

The latest one is for Cancer Research from a friend, she couldn't even be bothered to change the reason for setting it up from the standard 'this charity means a lot to me.' As far as I know she has not got any special links to a cancer charity.

Why on earth would I want to give money just because it is your birthday?

I've seen a fundraiser from a friend of a friend (which was constantly shared by said friend) asking for money for a flat deposit and a months rent up front.

The same friend did dry November (or whatever month it was) and took to posting every few days begging for donations.

Help a child travel to the USA for surgery to save her leg that is not available in the UK. I was happy to put a couple of pounds in first time (friend of a friend) but the child needs numerous surgeries which will eventually cost around £500 000 as she grows so there will be new fundraisers as soon as the last one ends. I feel like a right scrooge for complaining about that one.

I have another friend who has taken up running and asks for sponsorship for each of the numerous runs she does.

I happily gave money when a neighbour died suddenly in her 30s leaving behind 2 small sons. I was more than happy to throw some money into a pot to help pay for her funeral and support her mum looking after the boys.

The other one I was happy donating to was my cousin doing the race for life in memory of my aunt who died of lung cancer.

Is anyone else sick of being constantly asked to donate?

OP posts:

Darkstar4855 · 03/02/2019 16:22

YANBU about the birthday ones, seems to be a new trend. I ignore them unless it’s someone I would normally buy a birthday present for, in which case I donate instead of a present.

The charity fundraisers I will normally donate to if I can. The crowdfunding I might if it’s a good cause - i.e. not just someone who didn’t bother buying holiday insurance and is now stuck abroad with a broken leg.

Drum2018 · 03/02/2019 16:26

I ignore them. I wouldn't send these people a card for their birthday let alone get them a gift, so why are they posting 'for my birthday this year...' Just give money yourself if you want but fuck off expecting people to donate because it's your birthday. I give to certain charities over the course of the year and I never feel obligated to give outside of that, nor do I feel guilty for ignoring those highly irritating Facebook posts. Best thing you can do is scroll on, delete the posts, snooze the poster, whatever. And if you are ever asked face to face for a charity donation you don't wish to donate to, then simply say you donate to your own chosen charities so you are not in a position to help.

SusanneLinder · 03/02/2019 16:28

No, you arent being unreasonable. I admit to doing one last year for a charity that I do support ( before it was a thing), but it's my birthday next week, and I am fed up with FB constantly telling me I haven't done one. I don't want to...so there.

CeramicCat567 · 03/02/2019 17:14

I thought the same about the Facebook birthday one, then when my birthday came around I saw exactly why people keep posting them.
Facebook tell you that that they will donate £1 to a charity of your choice for your birthday. It wasn't immediately clear that they're then going to ask all your friends to donate too!

Shootfirstaskquestionslater · 03/02/2019 17:20

I did one for my birthday last year to raise money for stroke awareness in honour of my Nan but I never constantly shared it if people wanted to donate they could in the end I raised £55 but I don’t normally do them though.

PinkGin24 · 03/02/2019 17:55

YANBU. I refuse to sponsor anyone for doing anything for any charity. I already give to charities on a monthly basis that I support. I didn't sponsor the MIL recently and that didn't go down well....

StreetwiseHercules · 03/02/2019 17:56

I am really tired of charities full stop.

Nicknacky · 03/02/2019 17:58

People really ask for money for their birthday?!

Insomnibrat · 03/02/2019 18:08

I feel exactly the same, it's virtue signalling at its finest imo.
If there is someone close enough to me to warrant buying a birthday gift for I can manage to do that AND still donate to a charity, as I already do. They can donate to their charity, if they wish.
We buy birthday gifts for loved ones as a token of our thoughts, love and mindfulness of THEM, not Cats in Care or whatever. (Love cats as I do).
The two things are not mutually exclusive.

Guineapiglet345 · 03/02/2019 20:53

I just don’t see a charity donation as a gift, if I want to give to charity I will but it’s my money and my donation, if you want to give to charity then do it from your own pocket.

I especially hate the “sponsor me to do a once in a lifetime trip” ones.

proseccoaficionado · 04/02/2019 05:33

YANBU, they're bloody annoying. The only time I actually donated was when an uni mate of mine did one for his birthday and was related to alzheimers. My great grandmother had it so I felt a bit in tears

pancaketosser · 04/02/2019 06:03

I'm a proper miser over stuff like this, although I don't actually mind the birthday ones as much as it's usually just a one-off rather than an endless stream of "sponsor me to do this thing I really want to do and will do anyway".

If you want to take up running and do races, good for you! I'm not going to sponsor you though because I don't feel it's about the charity, it's about the ego boost. If you want to actually help a charity, use that time to go and volunteer somewhere and do something useful. Or give your own money, and just go running.

Again, I'm a miser and yes, I know IABU.

If anyone does feel like making a donation to a charity, find a small local charity because they probably really need your money (if you can't spare your time), and not just to fund salaries.

lostlalaloopsy · 04/02/2019 06:19

I completely agree!! People are asking for money all the time. The ones that bug me are when people are looking for money in order for their child to take part in a sporting activity abroad - pay for it your bloody self!! Or they don't go!!!

OssomMummy1 · 04/02/2019 06:22

I can understand your feelings, pain and distress. I used to be the person who used to have at least 3 direct debits over and above these chugger donations, charity runs, gofundme, change dot org beggars. Looking at the way they work, the word charity is thrown only at donors. no one else does the charity.

Ever thought of the pay and bonus of CEOs of big charities like cancer research, shelter, water aid, children in need? They ALL earn more than The PM. If 55,000 people donate £10 a month for a year, all that money collected goes to the pocket of CEO as his pay and bonus. The major expenditure of these charities is staff pay. Still it relies on voluntary work from free volunteers. They have made city centre shopping a bitter experience.

Can you recall what happened at Dorchester hotel charity dinner?
These websites like Facebook, gofundme, change keep a significant portion of the donation collected as "admin" charges!!
I have stopped all direct debits since 2008 financial crunch. Instead I donate it to a worthy cause where 95% of my donation is assured to be used for the purpose for which I am donating.

Flip