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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want the prize I won??

463 replies

Dogue · 09/12/2022 07:28

In the grand scheme of things I’m probably being petty, but this has really annoyed me -

our village had a Christmas fair last Saturday. On Monday I had a missed call from a mobile number which turned out to be the organisers of the event. I rang back and she said was ringing to tell me I’d won a prize, but that she was out at the moment so didn’t have details but would ring me back in half an hour to let me know.

I didn’t hear back from her on Monday so I called again on Wednesday (didn’t get a chance on Tuesday) and she said the same again - someone would call me back later with details of what I’d won and how to collect.

by Thursday I still hadn’t heard from them so I texted the number about it. I got the reply: “sorry, all prizes had to be collected by Wednesday. We can give you a bottle of Prosecco as a consolation”

I’m so annoyed that I wasn’t given any opportunity to collect my prize on time. From memory the only thing I think I put my phone number down for was when my 6 year old entered the ‘guess how many sweets in the jar’ so I was really excited to tell him he had won. I’m not really bothered about having a massive jar of jellies in my house, but if that’s what we’ve won then it’s what I want! When I told her this she said she would make sure there’s a consolation prize for him too, but that’s no use really as it means I don’t get the loveliness of telling him his guess was the winner.

obviously there are much bigger things to worry about in the world right now, but it’s a bit shit and terrible organisation right??

OP posts:
Extensiontension · 09/12/2022 08:07

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

stuntbubbles · 09/12/2022 08:10

It’s not really human error, though, which suggests a mistake. It’s human laziness “oh, I dunno the details, we’ll ring you back” – twice! And neither time mentioning the arbitrary pick-up-by-Wednesday caveat, which really should have been mentioned at the fair.

stayathomegardener · 09/12/2022 08:17

I don't think you are being unreasonable, I'd pursue this purely on principle.

MrsDorrington · 09/12/2022 08:17

It’s not a human error, it’s disorganised and lazy. A six year old lad has won a prize, bless him.

RoyalCorgi · 09/12/2022 08:18

Am completely outraged by this because a) it's their fault for not contacting you - how on earth could you collect a prize you didn't know you'd won? b) they are claiming the prize is no longer available, which they have no right to do. Where the fuck is the prize? What have they done with it? Cheeky feckers. If they don't stump up the prize when you go back to them, I'd go to the local paper at the very least.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 09/12/2022 08:18

her only response was “I can only apologise” but no explanation.

That makes me think of Phoebe from Friends and her "I wish I could.... but I don't want to".

Apologise isn't the only thing she can do; she could also hand over the prize that you won. I could kind of understand if weeks and weeks had gone by with no contact, but who sets an arbitrary 'claim by' day, just a few days later, and then what happens to the uncollected prizes after that date?

Needmorelego · 09/12/2022 08:21

@PuttingDownRoots yes in the past they always had 2 tombolas - one alcohol and one with prizes that children could have. Not specifically children's stuff but things like bubble bath.
Seeing a 4 year old being overexcited because they won bubble bath is adorable.

PuppyPerson · 09/12/2022 08:22

As someone currently spending most evenings organising a Christmas fair that is happening this weekend, which is entirely organised and run by volunteers, and is happening to raise money for charity and provide a nice time to the community, I think you are being unreasonable to cause a fuss over what is very probably an unfortunate mix up. These events are run by volunteers, so that people can have a nice time. I think you should try and get over it, it's a jar of sweets.

alasangne · 09/12/2022 08:27

She's eaten it

Octopusmittens · 09/12/2022 08:29

PuppyPerson · 09/12/2022 08:22

As someone currently spending most evenings organising a Christmas fair that is happening this weekend, which is entirely organised and run by volunteers, and is happening to raise money for charity and provide a nice time to the community, I think you are being unreasonable to cause a fuss over what is very probably an unfortunate mix up. These events are run by volunteers, so that people can have a nice time. I think you should try and get over it, it's a jar of sweets.

Oh behave 🙄

BarrelOfOtters · 09/12/2022 08:29

This reply has been deleted

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Yes this really…

orbitalcrisis · 09/12/2022 08:29

As somebody who has helped to set up and run and been in charge of running this sort of thing as a volunteer, you absolutely should chase this up, it's not good enough.

Ionnn · 09/12/2022 08:32

PuppyPerson · 09/12/2022 08:22

As someone currently spending most evenings organising a Christmas fair that is happening this weekend, which is entirely organised and run by volunteers, and is happening to raise money for charity and provide a nice time to the community, I think you are being unreasonable to cause a fuss over what is very probably an unfortunate mix up. These events are run by volunteers, so that people can have a nice time. I think you should try and get over it, it's a jar of sweets.

It's being run to raise money, and a poorly run fundraiser does more harm to a charity than no fundraiser at all.

I suggest you get your shit together because the charity I volunteer for would refuse any donation from a dodgy fundraiser.

Grimchmas · 09/12/2022 08:33

It's not good enough and feels like they took people money fraudulently. I'm not saying they did, but that's what it feels like if they're withholding the prize!

I suspect she/ somebody has mixed up and given the prize to somebody else but they do need to sort it out themselves not just shrug their shoulders.

Fizbosshoes · 09/12/2022 08:34

Needmorelego · 09/12/2022 07:47

Why would they assume you want alcohol?
I wouldn't want Prosecco as an alternative price when the original was sweets. Sorry but they should be giving you a chocolate selection box or something.
Point out this was a prize aimed at children.
I went to a primary school xmas fair the other day and the tombola was 95% alcohol. I don't drink alcohol and also it was at a PRIMARY school. I said "where's the children's prizes?" They just shrugged. I didn't pay to play the tombola. Shame because I have for the past decade.

Our DC primary has a kids tombola which is sweets and an adults one which is (mostly) alcohol. I won 5 bottles from 6 tickets a few years ago! Blush

Berrystraw · 09/12/2022 08:35

I have always found complaining about small errors in community events and excellent way to remain friendless.

Newcatbrowntail · 09/12/2022 08:39

I actually feel sorry for the poor volunteer. She’s done her best unpaid in her own time now she’s probably going to have to spend her own money on making up another prize . You’ve already got and accepted a bottle of Prosecco, let it go

SmileyClare · 09/12/2022 08:41

The prize has presumably gone to the second nearest guess.

You've expressed your displeasure.Yes, it's a cock up.

I'd now buy a sweet jar from Poundland and fill it with sweets for ds.

Take the Prosecco- re gift it if you won't drink it.

I'd let it go now- tis the season of good will Xmas Grin 😚

billy1966 · 09/12/2022 08:42

I play a bit of tennis and "prizegate" is a story from ten years ago.

Tickets were sold during a Closed tournament within the club as part of normal fundraising.

On the last night the tickets were drawn and Marie won first prize. She wasn't there but got a call to tell her.
She was delighted.

A few days later she called into the office and got her prize, a hamper thing with biscuits, chocolates and a couple of bottles of wine, the usual.

She was delighted apparently...until

A week later someone mentions the fab prize of a lovely racket and bag!!!

Apparently her prize had been taken by the second prize winner who was the daughter of a committee member.

There was absolute murder over it.
Letters to the committee.
Formal complaint.
Integrity of the process.
And as for the gossip, really unbelievable.

Obviously the prize was replaced, huge formal apology given to Marie, and from then on all prizes were named clearly beforehand.

The committee member resigned and his poor wife was mortified.

It left a really bad taste in the mouths of other committee members who had not been there as they were furious at being associated with such behaviour.

Probably sounds a bit petty to some but this is STILL talked about anytime fundraising is being planned.

I wouldn't let this go.
They have a responsibility to insure the prize gets to the right person when people pay money for tickets.

WhirlyTwirly · 09/12/2022 08:43

YANBU the person dealing with the prizes is at fault for not calling back on two occasions. Then not allowing you to collect the prize is not really in the spirit of fairs or Christianity for that matter.

PuppyPerson · 09/12/2022 08:44

Octopusmittens · 09/12/2022 08:29

Oh behave 🙄

Show quote history

Was I not behaving by disagreeing and offering my opinion?

burnoutbabe · 09/12/2022 08:44

Newcatbrowntail · 09/12/2022 08:39

I actually feel sorry for the poor volunteer. She’s done her best unpaid in her own time now she’s probably going to have to spend her own money on making up another prize . You’ve already got and accepted a bottle of Prosecco, let it go

Or she wanted the sweets herself so just swapped them out?

No one knows unless it's investigated properly. This may happen every year as people too polite to mention it.

Eddielizzard · 09/12/2022 08:45

I suspect they've already eaten all the sweets.

Exhausteddog · 09/12/2022 08:45

Surely part of running the stall is chasing winners to let them know a) they have won a prize b) what it is and c) how to claim/collect it.

If they haven't got time to call people or haven't got storage to keep the prizes then it should be made clear when entering, that prizes should be collected on the day

DownToTheSeaAgain · 09/12/2022 08:50

There's a war in Ukraine, we are in the middle of a profound cost of living crisis and you want a beleaguered volunteer to magic up a few sweets she almost certainly doesn't have any more.

Perspective?