01 October MdS Part 4 - The Charity Chapter

This episode will be about charities and my opinion. I'm not in favor and I'm not against them. But like with anything I don't want it shoved through my throat.

I believe or think that most of us do this for us. I do it for me. However, if /when I can help a good cause with it, why the hell not. I think most of us will support a good cause. I have seen CLIC Sargent from MJG and Laura is supporting the British Heart Foundation.

I'm also pretty selfish, I don't really donate to other charities, as I have my own. However, I will of course support friends/colleagues when asked.

Two very memorable supporting activities I did this year:
1) Andy Large (and I) were doing a 60 mile bike ride Tour de Tendring. Andy did this to support the charity of his son's friends father for soldiers coming back wounded from Afghanistan. What was so memorable: Andy falling down on the grass out of breath when we finished and showing his emotion. Pretty cool being part of it. Not just donating, but being there with him.

2) Stuart Smith running 100 miles from BT HQ in Central London to the BT R&D facility in Adastral Park Martlesham (Ipswhich). I picked Stuart up in Adastral, dropped him off at the BT HQ around 2200 so he could start his run. Again, not only donating, to his Red Nose charity, but supporting just that little more.

I am supporting http://www.melanoma-fund.co.uk which is a small charity for Melanoma. The gentleman who runs the charity, Harry Townsend, has also done the MdS a number of years ago.

He founded the charity as his wife died of Melanoma. I'm supporting his charity as my girlfriends brother died of Melanoma. Melanoma is a skincancer and the most common cause is sun. Well guess where we get lots of that?  In the Sahara. So nicely combined as a charity event in the sun to support a charity that as they say fights "The Darker Side of the Sun".

What I am looking for in events is that it is still a race and not hyped by charity. Don't get me wrong, it's never bad to support a good cause, but running should be about running and not about charities.

I saw a really interesting run in London, but reading further not only did I have to pay an entrance fee, I also had to pledge £750 towards the organisers chosen charity. Personally I feel that's wrong, anybody who wants to do this, good on them.

I already see people being disappointed not making the London Marathon and I bet you most of them will now look to charity places. So I question, why are charities able to reserve places in certain runs? What happens with those places if they don't get the takers? Personally, I couldn't care less about the London Marathon, I just feel it's a shame so many people miss out participating in it.

Also people, think about which fundraising company you use. I've moved to BT's as they don't charge, so all money goes to the charity. Again, I am not judging the ones that charge as they are very transparent about it, but it means less of your hard earned cash goes to your cause.

And of course, it starts today:
https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/michielhoefsmit

I will be back with more soon.

Michiel