To dread this company charity day?

It’s the sort of thing I’d love to do but it’s really not the right sort of event to be made compulsory and I’d object to being told I had to fundraise.

I hate this kind of thing, not only because of the lack of thought and able-ism, but this kind of thing feels like the charity version of greenwashing to me. Companies saying they are so community minded by forcing people to do an event they might not want to, for a charity they might not agree with, and have to ask people for money during the CoL crisis? It's a hard no from me!

Oh hell no. I have issues with my legs and ankles. Anything beyond about half marathon distance is a no-no for me as it becomes agony. And I LIKE walking. What will your less fit colleagues manage?

This seems really poorly thought through and I'd refuse outright. Refuse to fundraise, refuse to buy the kit, refuse to turn up - because it's a bad, irresponsible and possibly dangerous idea.

This reminds me of the time a friends company had a mandatory charity day to "help clean the Thames" that appeared to involve them all being put into kayaks and scooping stuff up with something like those pool net things. Presumably with trained volunteers but they kept this v vague. She was the only person to refuse- she can't swim properly and was terrified. I can swim and would have been refusing, too!

I would just say no. I have RA and can't walk to the shops, let alone any further and shouldn't be forced into disclosing this to get out of this stupid idea

I would definitely be contacting HR and the organiser pointing out some of the issues and asking for a copy of the risk assessment. And asking in a very concerned tone whether their company insurance covers such an event with a high risk of injury.

This!

Just googled the challenge and it's called "tough". I think that a large percentage of people wouldn't be able to complete it.

Awful. If the employer is so into charitable causes let them donate the money themselves.

What a weird one. I mean it is so obvious that it isn’t appropriate for many many types of people.

OP, you shouldn’t have booked the day off. Can you unbook it?

Instead offer to man a support stop somewhere along the way. You can offer plasters and water to colleagues - if you make it early enough they will all go past merrily and then you can go home.

Can’t you offer to stay in the office and man the phones?

My sister did a “moon walk” which she said was more difficult than the marathon she ran. If it was me I would tell my line manager that i’d turn up and cheer on my colleagues but that id injure yourself if I tried to do it. ( I have issues with my knees and Achilles and would definitely injure myself). We have had teams of people do charity sports events ( ie London to Paris bike ride) but it’s been the participants idea. The organization will promote it to everyone to sponsor if they choose to and obviously approve the leave but nothing compulsory.

Wouldn't it be better to walk through a local city or beach and spend the time picking litter or helping build something for a local hospice or SEN schools or something?

I'd just be sick that day. Ridiculous.

I've already booked the day off in order to avoid it, but AIBU to feel slightly irritated that I'm losing a day of annual leave in order to avoid this complete hell fest?!

I wouldn't have taken annual leave and I wouldn't be doing this thing either.

We have a new CEO and he's a complete "do gooder". He has implemented volunteering days that everyone is expected to do. No chance I'm doing that and they can't force me either.

I'm there for the money and nothing else.

How are they making it compulsory? I mean, what will they realistically do if you don't go or raise the money?

Disciplinary? Deduct from salary?? Neither of which they can do.

Do you have an HR department/person?

Isn’t swapping 10p with a hundred (or whatever) colleagues rather pointless? 😀

Barmy!

I like walking and when I was younger would have been very much up for something like this. These days I doubt very much I could do the full course - gammy knees, hips and anno domini would probably prevent it.

And £300 is a huge amount to be expected to raise.

I wouldn't take a day out of my leave but I would be challenging the compulsory nature of this. If they changed it to say do what you can and raise what you can it would be better. For those who really can't walk that far, could you offer to be in a support role? E.g. Be at certain points with drinks, sandwiches, first aid, lifts home for those who drop out.

This stuff is toxic.

Voluntary = fine, compulsory = bullying.

I would complain about it, but I work somewhere it would just never be suggested, because it's an organisation full of people who would complain!

I agree. I think sponsoring something constructive is a far better way to do something for the community.

They are expecting people to walk this distance in four weeks time?! Absolutely ridiculous.
I'm a hiker regularly walking long distances and I don't think they've realised what this entails.

It’s completely inappropriate-they can’t make you do something not part of your job. I’d be making a complaint to management and HR about this for all the reasons others have said

42km = 26 miles. I mentioned this to my super-fit husband who runs four times a week and has run a marathon in the past in just over four hours. He said he couldn't walk this in a day. This is one of the silliest work-related AIBUs I've seen for a while. The management of OP's company must have taken leave of their senses, either that or they haven't actually bothered to look at the details, or can't convert km to miles. It would have been a stupid and exclusionary thing to do if they'd told staff about a year in advance, so the fit people could train, but four weeks in advance is utterly ludicrous and asking for trouble if people actually do attempt this with minimal time to improve their fitness.

That’s shocking. I arrange a similar day at work and inclusivity is the most important factor.

He'll would freeze over before I lost a day of annual leave to get out of it

I'd stick the form up somewhere and forget about it

I'd go along, be very enthusiastic then walk as long as I liked and sit down to enjoy the weather while saying I felt light headed. And go no further. Whether that's 1 mile or 10 miles in.

Honestly whichever fucking idiot suggested this should have been shot down.

Not everyone has proper walking boots.
Or the health for this - pregnant ladies, those with declared and undeclared disabilities or temporary ill health...

Honestly even if I thought it was a fun day I'd not play along simply for how off it all is, it's the opposite of inclusion and the financial nonsense on top is the final kicker.

tbh OP you shouldn't have booked a day off. You need to nip this "we're all doing it" in the bud. There are good reasons why people might not be able to take part and not want to tell the whole company why.

So: cancel the day off. Go to work as usual. You don't need to fundraise unless you want to sling a fiver in from yourself. What is going to happen if you don't?

Do not take annual leave to get off it
have you talked to HR? Have they risk assessed the event?
or the other route, say you’ll do it and then the evening before “oh no, I’ve sprained my ankle”

45k? Fuck that shit.

They really haven’t thought this through.