Page 2 | To feel awful for having to decline this in work?

JuniperFather · 19/08/2020 21:44

YABU but not for turning them down.

daisypond · 19/08/2020 21:51

It’s nice that you’re trying to help but there’s no need for you to feel bad that you can’t. Some children’s hospitals are very well funded. As others have said, it’s the smaller charities that are suffering more.

justasking111 · 19/08/2020 21:52

Our local M and S do different charities each year, I have worked for two charities both who benefited in different years. You have to go on waiting lists with companies and wait your turn. Be careful research their past income, some of these hospitals get used to enormous amounts of money in normal times, there may be a greater need elsewhere.

justasking111 · 19/08/2020 21:55

For instance last year Great Ormond Street made 87million.

apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityWithPartB.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1160024&SubsidiaryNumber=0

CushionsandCandles · 19/08/2020 21:58

Kids hospital charities are notoriously well funded- particularly Alder Hey and GOS
Of all charities to worry about currently they are the LAST

rainkeepsfallingdown · 19/08/2020 22:01

If you want to be kind, have a think about your contacts in similar organisations and ask if any of them are in a position to help instead. Your network may yield a result.

I've done that before, and linked up a charity with another company I know well, and both parties have been pleased. There's more than one way to be helpful!

TableFlowerss · 19/08/2020 22:13

It’s not your fault though as it’s not your personal choice. It’s a rule that you had to follow

starfishmummy · 19/08/2020 22:34

Felt awful though knowing I had potentially just caused a children's hospital to not get the donations they need to look after the children.

I doubt it. They will have numerous sources of donation including NHS funding.

VanillaSpiceCandle · 19/08/2020 22:39

YABU for making a mountain out of a molehill. I’m very surprised you’ve not encountered this before. Are you new to PR? You’ll be one of many and they will find another company to help. Please don’t offer further help without securing internal buy in first. Best thing to do would suggest one of your contacts at another company who may be in a better position and they may not have heard of.

LeGrandBleu · 19/08/2020 22:42

@Starsbrightshine A major children's hospital will have plenty of funding, no need to worry about that. No child will be left untreated because of lack of funding. There is this gut instinct to jump in for children and rightly so but a lot of charities are run like businesses (with targets to meet and so on) and apply strategies to reach more hearts.

Rare diseases charities or charities dealing with major disabilities are the big forgotten ones, so much that some even change their names to something with children in it to reach more donors, such as the National Neurofibromatosis Foundation becoming the Children Tumour Foundation.

Don't feel awful, that 's how fund raising works.

OscarWildesCat · 19/08/2020 22:47

YABU for overthinking this. I don’t imagine you’re unique and therefore they will find someone else in another Albeit possibly not a “major UK company” move on, I’m sure they have.

AriettyHomily · 19/08/2020 22:48

@VanillaSpiceCandle

YABU for making a mountain out of a molehill. I’m very surprised you’ve not encountered this before. Are you new to PR? You’ll be one of many and they will find another company to help. Please don’t offer further help without securing internal buy in first. Best thing to do would suggest one of your contacts at another company who may be in a better position and they may not have heard of.

Pretty much this.

HedgehogPoo · 19/08/2020 23:08

I tried to raise funding and auction / raffle gifts for an event some years ago and most of the companies I contacted explained very politely that they worked with specific charities and wished me luck. A few others offered donations of goods or services, which were fantastic and we really did appreciate their efforts.
The only company that pissed me right off was Arcteryx. I'd hoped that they may have donated a hat or bag from previous seasons' stocks. Instead, the sniffy reply stated that I should submit an application explaining how this arrangement would benefit Arcteryx as a company. I didn't bother. I've definitely bought my last item from Arcteryx.

Pixxie7 · 19/08/2020 23:54

You can’t take the world on your shoulders you did what you could.

Luckingfovely · 20/08/2020 00:02

You're very sweet, but way overreacting to this. It was not a personal request. It will have been sent to a zillion other companies and they are not expecting anything of you personally.

I've worked in this sector, and they will probably get less than 1% or 2% response rate.

If you want to help, can you see about donating your time / fundraising for them?

Going to your stakeholders when you already have a nominated charity partner is not likely to yield results.

FeelTheRush · 20/08/2020 00:19

YABU but not for turning the charity down.

It’s very sweet you want to help but be realistic, the charity will have contacted lots of potential corporate sponsors and will have expected most to down them down. It’s not like you were their only hope and now children are going to die because your company selfishly support another charity.

Ragwort · 20/08/2020 08:20

You are seriously over thinking this, and, in the nicest possible way, seem a little naive for a PR Manager. I used to work for a large company and we would be inundated with charitable requests, it was years ago and we actually had a charity committee to discuss and agree what we would donate to - I was part of that committee- it was very interesting and a bit of a dossy thing to do four times a year.

Now I work for a charity and see it from the other side - we don't take refusals to help personally and would never just rely on one request.

BubblyBarbara · 20/08/2020 08:56

Good news, your company isn’t the only one in the world and other companies might even do a better job of promoting them so think of it as doing them a favour

SerendipityJane · 20/08/2020 09:48

I work as a PR manager for a major UK company. I received an email from a fellow PR manager working for a major children's hospital. They we're looking to work with us on a potential PR activation with the aim of driving donations for the hospital to make up for the loss of donations during lockdown due to having to cancel fundraising activities and PR activations.

I wouldn't worry too much. When the £350 million a week Brexit bonus starts getting into the heath service, there will be no need for charity anymore,

MintyMabel · 20/08/2020 12:17

I work as a PR manager for a major UK company

If this is true, I’m sure you understand the children’s hospital won’t be turning away children who need lifesaving treatment just because you said no.

If you really think they are, I’ve a bridge to sell you.

ErickBroch · 20/08/2020 12:21

Not to be dismissive but I work in the sector in a similar role. This person will be contacting lots of organisations much like yours so don't feel bad - this is standard practice for fundraisers