To despair at charity fundraiser organisers (macmillan in this case)

[Goodgrief82]

The latest Macmillan charity big event is a hike.

brilliant idea. Inclusive and encouraging being outdoor and getting active

but then they go an ruin it by making a big song and dance in radio adverts and mention in marketing about the glass of bubbly that awaits you at the finishing line.

So… ignoring link between alcohol and cancer; no longer entirely “inclusive” as this “treat” alienates children and those with drinking problems; could possibly even lead to someone trying to avoid alcohol to think “sod it I deserve a drink after that hike” and in no shape or form is alcohol healthy or indeed hydrated you after exercise

sometimes I feel like banging together these charity paid fundraiser marketing teams and just say “THINK FGS”

So what are they serving water in along the route?

Are the free t shirts ethical?

@Fluffycloudland77 I'm so sorry to hear about your DH. We didn't have a great experience with them when my dad died either. They refused to support him/my mum/DSis and I, as apparently he wasn't ill enough at that point. He was dead 10 days later. Although I acknowledge many, many people find they give great comfort. It's not charity I support either given our personal experiences.

I thought you were bothered about the drink, not what it was served in?
There were litter pickers following the last entrants to ensure nothing was left behind that had been dropped, food was served on recyclable plates and no water cups were provided (you were required to bring your own refillable bottle). If you enter again, they ask you to reuse the t-shirt you already have. Bib numbers were recyclable. There was a big emphasis on minimising the environmental impact. I can’t remember the specifics about the drink at the end as I didn’t have one but, in view of their efforts to minimise impact, I expect they were recycled plastic or fully recyclable. Maybe ask them?

So what are they serving water in along the route?

They check to ensure you have a refillable bottle with you at the start - no cups provided.

Are the free t shirts ethical?

They need to be able to identify participants and, as many people enter subsequent events, they ask you to reuse the same one.

Ps and the water is provided in large tanks at the various pit-stops that you refill your bottle from along the way.

@edwinbear They’re not what the public think are they.

You have to have lived it to know just how awful it is to be left alone with a relative who is suffering.

But where are the t shirts actually sourced from?

They are flimsy and cheap. Lucky if it lasts another hike

Sorry for your loss - we experienced similar when my Mum died, our Macmillan nurse disappeared off on a training course for over a week without mentioning it to us at all, leaving us with only an answering phone message to 'speak to Daphne' in her absence. With no means to contact Daphne as all the numbers we had went to the original nurse's answer phone. Mum took a turn for the worse and we could get no info out of the hospital. She'd asked to go home to die, and the Macmillan nurse was supposed to be sorting this, but of course couldn't as she wasn't around. She reappeared the day before Mum died and made lots of sad faces about how it was now too late to move her, while patronisingly patting my Mum's hand and repeatedly calling her by a shortened version of her name which she HATED and had repeatedly asked not to be called that.
I know they do lots of good things for people, but for us, she just made an already horrific situation worse and much more distressing. Its been a long time and I can still feel my blood boil as I remember her talking to my Mum in a silly simpering baby voice and calling her the wrong name.

I don’t know, maybe ask them. The label in mine is worn out from washing and, yes, it’s been worn multiple times and still perfectly usable.

Lmao this

Mine was a running vest... marathon run

Didn't last. Cheap, but I appreciate they need to get their name out.

A hike isn't inclusive.

I'll take the champagne.

Oh right, well maybe they will fill peoples refillable water bottles to the brim with Prosecco at the end of the hike - if that's the case, I'm definitely in!

The glass of champagne won't be compulsory for all attendees OP, I'm sure. Nor will 1 glass cause cancer. For many (if not the majority) it would be a nice way to finish something successful and rewarding.

As an alcoholic in recovery myself, if I was offered a glass of "bubbly" I'd just say "no thank you" and have one of the many other drinks I'm sure will be on offer. This would be what every other member of my AA group would do, as I'm sure members of other AA groups.

It doesn't exclude children - I doubt anyone organising this little extra to the fundraiser would have even considered serving the children alcohol. There will undoubtedly be nonalcoholic drinks for people to have.

I appreciate the concern for people like me with alcohol addiction but we aren't all weak and foaming at the mouth for the next drop of alcohol. Most of us are perfectly able to function in every day life, surrounded by alcohol in supermarkets, pubs, restaurants, festivals, giftshops etc without breaking and falling off the wagon. It feels a little like faux outrage to me.

It's sponsored by Vueve Cliqot. There will be branding everywhere all along the way, and everyone will get a complimentary bottle as the cross the finish line.

The organisers definitely won't have bought a job lot of cheap Prosecco from Costco to give everyone a token splash in a glass at the end.

At least they advertise the alcohol. Lots of us got a surprise at the end of the bath half marathon when we started drinking the can of drink in our finishers bags and discovered it was alcoholic.

YABU to despair about this non issue. It seems you are probably the only person who would be put off by this. Do you have issues around alcohol and find it triggering? Seems an over reaction to me.

It's not really aimed at children either

Honestly op. You sound a bit unhinged about it all ... it's going to one of many options at the end. Unclench a little

Just take your own drink along instead.

100% this.
One glass of bubbly doesn't equal alcohol induced cancer.

They are a shocking charity. I worked for them a few years ago and left after being bullied to the point of needing to go onto anti-depressants. The amount of waste and mismanagement in the charity is shocking. They hoodwink the public into believing they fund nurses, but they do so for only a short while then the NHS funds them yet keeps the Macmillan Nurse name yet they never want to take responsibility when their staff fall short. they fund projects through partnerships and the staff get paid a pittance yet fund their own staff doing the same job and pay them much more highly. There has been a recent report commissioned by the charity itself which showed blatent racism. Anyway even despite my feelings towards them I can't get worked up by a glass of bubbly. the fund raising teams are probably the best part of the whole organisation !

It’s like your gp offering you a bottle of wine for having a health check really.

Are they not? Well I’m not doing it now then…