Am I right to question this?

[emsiewill]

My dds have been taking part in an event called "skipfit" through their school for the last few years.

It's a sponsored skipping event - raises money for the school to buy PE equipment and also promotes a healthy lifestyle.

Until now, I have gone along with it, helped them get sponsors etc, and not questioned it.

However, this year I notice that on the sponsor form it says "60% of all profits made on the day will be given to the school"

I am in the process of emailing the people who organise this to ask them

1. what is the approximate % of "profit" they make? (ie how much of the sponsorship money goes towards costs etc)

2. what happens to the other 40% of the profit

I have scoured their website skip fit , but can find no explanation of where the rest of the money goes.

They sound so enthusiastic and keen on helping get kids active on the website that I am starting to feel a bit mean for being a little about this.

AIBU?

Presumably it goes towards organisation, paying the Skip Fit staff etc?

Is there an e-mail address? Send them a message and ask.

Yes, I was in the middle of writing the email when I suddenly started to feel a bit mean.

And doesn't 40% sound a bit high? Particularly when it's 40% of profit.

I'm pretty sure that people would rather give money directly to the school than have about 1/2 of it creamed off to some other organisation...

Does profit include the sponsorship money, or is there also an 'entry fee'? If the former, I think that's a bit naughty, especially if people are given the impression that the money raised goes to the school. However it is also fair for the organisation to make something for running the events, and I guess the debate will be over how much is reasonable.

There is no entry fee, so more it is 40% of the sponsorship money going to the organisation, and in reality, more than 40%, as profit has to come out first.

Perhaps I am just too cynical, but it just seems to me that the organisation that runs this is taking advantage of the fact that the school probably wouldn't have the time to run this, and they actively promote the fact that they can run the whole thing without teachers, thus giving the staff time to do other things (not disputing that the staff have a million other things to do).

Oh, it's hard, because I know what would happen if they asked for volunteers to help with something like this (thus cutting out the middle man). I was the only volunteer to help with parking at sports day (got my name mentioned in a letter to parents about sports day though!).

As I say, I just think that most people won't think about what the "60% of profits" thing actually means, and I don't think the school have thought about it that much either.

Can't email the people now, as their site seems to have crashed under the weight of eager mumsnetters...

I'd be asking questions.
Plenty of 'em.

Phew! I thought it was just me being bolshy, as the dds always tell me...

OK, so have emailed them thus:

"My children have taken part in a few of your events at X school over the last couple of years, and have always enjoyed themselves.

Having read the sponsor form a little more closely this year, I was wondering whether you could clarify a couple of things for me relating to the statement on the sponsor form that "60% of all profits made on the day will be given to the school":

1. How much of the sponsorship money goes towards costs etc - ie how is your "profit" determined?

2. What happens to the other 40% of the profit?

I look forward to hearing from you soon,

Many thanks"

Hmm it does sound a bit odd doesn't it. Definitely right to question it.

According to the website, the business "generated £34,000 at 42 schools in it first year".

I presume they mean they raised £34,000 for the schools (just over £800 per school). Even if they were just taking a straight 40% cut (so ignoring the profit business), by my reckoning this means that total sponsorship that year was around £56,000, with £22,000 going straight to them...

If every kid in our school raises £20 each, which they are encouraged to do - being offered an extra "prize" (pen or badge ime) to do so, that will generate £8000 in sponsorship, of which no more than £4,800 will go back to the school - and probably less than that.

Just seems wrong.

I suppose it works like WebIvory where the school gets part of the profit and business gets the rest.

I see the point of using WebIvory to fundraise as you can't produce the cards and gifts they sell in school, but why get a company into to do a simple thing like a sponsered skip, surely all you need are skipping ropes and and enthusiastic skip leader.

Yes, I completely see the point of things like Webb Ivory - something it would be hard for the school to do.

But as you say, all the school needs is a load of skipping ropes and an enthusiastic teacher / volunteer.

No response as yet...

So here's the reply I got

"Thank you for your email Emma, I hope this email will answer your questions.

1. By profit we mean, after all running costs have been deducted. Our running
   costs are for the gift (either a pencil, pen or bookmark) that are given to
   each child that takes part, the healthy snack that is given to every child,
   the sponsor envelope and any prizes that are awarded to pupils. We make no
   profit on these items. The cost of all these items is deducted and the
   remainder is profit and what the school receives.

2. The 40% is our fee for organising and running the event. We visit the
   school a week of so before the event during their assembly to introdice
   ourselves to everyone and let them know what we will be doing, we then leave
   the sponsor forms with each teacher to distribute to the children. We then
   return to the school and hold a half an hour exercise program with each class
   in nursery, infant and junior departments. We then return to finalise the
   whole experience to present prizes and thank the children and the school for
   their participation and support.

We have worked in many schools during the past four years, and have infact
worked within [our school] for the past three. We are extremely
confident that all the children in all schools have enjoyed themselves while
taking part in our routines. I hope this email has reassured you.

Yours faithfully

Sam
Skip-Fit Kids"

Is it me or does this read as they take their 40%, and then take costs out of the 60% given to the school? Or has she just expressed herself badly?.

If so, this means that if all the kids raise £20 each (as below - 400 kids in the school so £8000 raised), they get £3,200 for approx 1.5 days' work? I think they're onto a good thing here.

Even if the costs are taken out before the money is split, it still seems like they get a lot for not doing much - if they go to only 1/2 the local schools, that's approx 28, do the maths and it's not a bad living.