MNHQ so what is allowed.

[ChristmasFuckers]

Whatand how can we discuss the donations??

RealiTree, she said in the first post she was skint, only had £20.

Then she gave her paypal details, but much later on in the thread, definitely not in the OP: maybe she said she'd PM her bank details, I didn't see that but that definitely wasn't in the OP either: maybe after she'd been offered cash by several people.

So what if she was saying she was skint and people offered to help? Are we not allowed to complain about being skint?

so what is the consensus on asking for sponsorship?

eg, Reality (sorry to name check, I just remember your cause) and her mammoth walk for Help for Heroes? (fantastic cause)

or TSC's dp running the marathon in aid of Clic Sargeant (plus memory of MNer's son) (another fantastic cause)

or my old appeal for funds for my child's school (obviously I think it is a fantastic cause, and am grateful daily for the equipment and generosity, but I fully realise that it is less 'verifiable' if you like)

I have absolutely no doubt that those listed (and any others I have seen, tbh) used the funds for what they said they would. But a JustGiving page is easy to set up. so, in true internet style, we still don't know each other and therefore don't know that the money is going where is shoudl be - it is all taken on trust (and I was happy to donate in that spirit, both for good causes and as a way of 'paying it forward' having been on the receiving end of MN spirit)

so, should appeals for sponsorship also be frowned upon?

Frothing - no sponsorship is good, and MN is a great way to raise the profile of people doing things for different causes. If you use a JustGiving page, then you know the money is going where you intend it to.

Surely asking how much was raised is sensible in that it allows the next person to decide if their donation is required.

Queen if that is true then I am disgusted.

Helen, I know you're busy, but can you respond if possible to my point about the timings? You said on a deleted thread that you were initially investigating troll reports, and thats why a sensible advice post wasnt made until just before last night's thread got pulled, but my early report wasn't about trolling- I asked for MNHQ to post quickly to prevent the crazy telethon atmosphere, which was bound to turn ugly.

It felt like nobody really read it, as the reply I got back gave me my own advice

We seem to be getting back to dissecting last night's OP again.

We really don't want to delete yet another thread.

Once again, we have no reason to suspect last night's OP was anything other than genuine. For that reason, we will delete any posts that suggest that she isn't.

We are also trying to contact the OP - but haven't had much luck so far.

Awa No she didn't ask in exact words but the request was definitely there. As a "longstanding" poster (where are people getting that from by the way?) she would have known that such a thread would have had kind hearted MNers digging deep into their pockets.
Queen I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. I think your post shows at least part of the reason why posters dislike these thinly veiled begging threads. People with less than the OP wanted to help so to then find out things might not have been as they seemed must surely sting.

OH yes Logule...

frothing giving to sob story isn't sponsorship,it's soft
sponsorship is payment for a demonstrable act and usually legitimised and corroborated eg just giving page, charity cause

if someone wants to dig deep for every sob start,that's there look out.don't see how mnhq can or should intervene in such a situation

essentially, trust nae fucker

sorry for wrong cause, Reality

ah yes, I recall the Justgiving stuff now - I had dim memories of writing out a cheque for the school post run, but that must have been from family donations

Akiram as a "longstanding" poster myself, I think there is an element of truth in that. I think if someone posts about being in such financial strife then people are going to offer money and other things. Especially this time of year.

Frothing No I think sponsorship is fine.

Should I use my invisibility cloak for good or evil, do you think?

@LEttletownofBOFlehem

Helen, I know you're busy, but can you respond if possible to my point about the timings? You said on a deleted thread that you were initially investigating troll reports, and thats why a sensible advice post wasnt made until just before last night's thread got pulled, but my early report wasn't about trolling- I asked for MNHQ to post quickly to prevent the crazy telethon atmosphere, which was bound to turn ugly.

It felt like nobody really read it, as the reply I got back gave me my own advice

I wasn't on duty last night (though I was posting on the Facebook Like button thread at one point) so I don't know the precise timings, I'm afraid.

But I do know that "controversial" threads can generate a shedload of reports (literally dozens in the space of a few minutes) and that it can take time to get through them all. And that's when it's not kicking off on some other thread, too! I'm not making excuses - we're paid to deal with all this - but I'm telling you like it is.

The MNHQer on duty last night is incredibly conscientious and hard-working, and her judgement is pretty much always 100% spot on (or we wouldn't have hired her!). That's not to say she might not have slipped up (or have been making a cup of tea or something) when the first reports came in - gawd knows, I know I've made a gazillion mistakes over the years. But we all do our damndest to get it right - and we're only to happy to hold our hands up when we get it wrong.

In this case, it was felt that the OP was getting accused of all sorts and that the thread was degenerating into a trolly bunfight - and it does certainly look that way from what I can see now.

sponsorship is different if it's via JustGiving or whatever.

I truly cannot see any need whatsoever for people posting their own paypal on the board or people posting about their "donations".

Why is that necessary? If you want to offer help, why not just PM someone - why the need to do it in a public way where everyone can applaud and the OP can offer grovelly thanks?

It's a bit like the times on the Secret Santa thread where someone gets mardy that so-and-so didn't thank them effusively enough. It becomes about the needs of the giver not the recipient and it's all a bit unsavoury .

RealiTree Be careful, you are going to get all of us deleted!

I STILL think a 'no cash offer' rule can stand if it is being enforced vigorously enough. There is a HUGE difference between moaning 'I have no cash' (who does unless you are a millionaire??!!!! And I bet they even have those days... ) and 'here's my bank details/PP'. It's not THAT hard to work out. But I have moderated forums before where things have got nasty very fast/quickly so I can undertand MNHQ not being able to get there fast enough.

In reference to the thread last night, I was slightly alarmed at the rate money was 'promised' but I did take a view that I ain't putting my cash out so it ain't my problem as such. But I then again I am in a lucky position of not having to worry about money but I can imagine how galling it must be for other MNetters who are struggling to read that thread.

A