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Over the weekend was watching an acquaintance (not sure why on my Facebook) on Facebook whilst they posted updates regarding sleeping outside for the night to raise money (Birmingham) there was a few of them...whilst its great money was being raised I sort of felt like they were taking the P 155, how did that look to the genuine homeless folk ? who apparently looked out for them, the next morning the charity raisers got to go home...homeless people didn't ! When I give money to whatever charity doesn't mean I want to experience it...
Thoughts ?
My mate has just spent a week riding to various places, sleeping rough at their destination before moving on to the next spot. They've done this to raise money for a homeless charity he was involved with. They've raised a fair bit of cash, and yes they got to go home at the end of it, but the same can be said for any charity event. Bit like saying you can't raise money for a cancer charity if you don't have cancer?
When I give money to whatever charity doesn’t mean I want to experience it…
Perhaps it's so people understand a little more what it's like. Give them some perspective as to how others are living.
Bit like saying you can’t raise money for a cancer charity if you don’t have cancer?
no not really
Not sure on where I am on this, should be a better way of helping. Sponsored a work mate who did one last year. His view was that it was more of a way of raising awareness of it. Raised quite a bit for the charities and is looks like its on for a second year.
https://www.htafc.com/news/2018/december/tackle-homelessness-with-the-big-sleep-out-2019/
If it’s the Byte Nyte people at it again. I know a couple of the people who make a big deal of it and are well involved. Both do it for career enhancement - not to help people. One of them is literally a psychopath - not an exaggeration. I have no time for it.
If it helps raise awareness and raises funds is there any harm done?
One of them is literally a psychopath – not an exaggeration.
Well maybe just a little exaggerated.
Mmmm I think it's a pretty good hook if played correctly...
You announce you are doing it.
Friends/family/workmates say "You must be mad. It will be freezing. What if it rains? Won't it be dangerous?" etc etc
You say "It's only one night. I'll have a decent sleeping bag and I get to go home for a shower and warm bed the next day. The people we are trying to help do this every single night."
Guilt and donations ensue.
I've got a friend who's done this for the past few years. She's done quite a bit of charity work for various causes. Our town has a really bad issue with homeless sleeping so it's less about the actual homeless, more as a protest to get the council to look why we have so many and what can they do to help.
Well maybe just a little exaggerated.
Not by the precise definition no.
It's better than doing a charity expedition to somewhere exotic.
Yes I'm looking at you comic relief and the upcoming trip to Kilimanjaro.
But that's a different argument for another day.
I've always thought this seems a bit patronising, but that said it does raise more awareness than just helping out serving food or whatever
It's got you talking about it, hasn't it?
It’s better than doing a charity expedition to somewhere exotic.
Yes I’m looking at you comic relief and the upcoming trip to Kilimanjaro.
+100
I want to see celebs dredging a canal in Wolverhampton if I'm gonna put my hand in my pocket, not jetting off for what would be the experience of a lifetime for a lot of people.
And seriously, the homelessness problem is a national disgrace. Your acquaintance was bothered enough to do something about it. You're sniping to strangers on a bike forum.
Really?
The Kilimanjaro thing.
When normal people do it then it's a bit of a con if the charity pays for the trip.
When celebrities do it, it's just TV. Fundraising is a byproduct. Do you think they work for free every other time they appear on TV? The channel makes a program about some celebrities doing something relatively adventurous and tough (it's still a week of walking to 4500m, even if a runner carries your bag its hardly 'easy') then get people to donate to a cause they might not otherwise. It's still a couple of weeks unpaid work for them, when was the last time you did two weeks unpaid charity work? Do you get worked up each time Pointless celebrity specials donate a bit of your license fee to charity?
And seriously, the homelessness problem is a national disgrace. Your acquaintance was bothered enough to do something about it. You’re sniping to strangers on a bike forum.
Really?
+1
When celebrities do it, it’s just TV. Fundraising is a byproduct.
Yep a focal point for fundraising and awareness, the people they meet in Africa is a huge part of what comic relief is about and puts some focus on it.
There are still conversations we need to be having and issues that need raising, whatever the method if they are being talked about then it's good.
Charity stuff that involves some level of personal hardship I’m ok with. OTOH you can get ****ed if you think I’m sponsoring your Marie Curie Cycling Holiday!
As far as I'm concerned they can sit in a bath full of caviar if it raises money for a worthy cause.
Do you think anyone who needs help and will benefit from this really gives a monkeys where the cash has come from?
A work colleague does this every year. I think the experience itself probably motivates him to keep on doing it, as you can empathise more than doing say a charity bikeride.
And seriously, the homelessness problem is a national disgrace. Your acquaintance was bothered enough to do something about it. You’re sniping to strangers on a bike forum.
Really?
+2
I did this once back in the mid nineties when it was a bad problem. It was a truly horrible experience. Even doing it in an organised group we were harassed by drunks, youths, and police that hadn't got the memo that it was a charity thing. Shortly afterwards we had a government that made reducing homelessness one of its top priorities and the problem was solved. Now its back again ( government policy) and I take my hat off to anyone trying to do something about it.
We did it as a family a couple of years ago in Hillingdon in an organised event. Paid to enter. Collected packing boxes and slept in a bag in a box. Was freezing cold and rained all night. Raised lots of money and awareness and brought home the message to my son and his school friend who came with us.
I don’t raise money by cycling, but the comment about celebs working for charity for free for a couple of weeks is a valid one.
Walliams’ channel swim must go down in history as the single greatest celeb charity achievement though. That was real dedication and one of the fastest crossings in history.
As per others whilst it definitely has flaws it is a bit closer to what the poor sods they are raising money for go through every day than a charity bike ride/parachute jump/trip to mars.
The homelessness issue is a massive disgrace - hence why I make my own small efforts to help out.
I have begun to complete clothing and sleeping bag collections, food collection for street kitchens. In addition to helping out individuals with money when I see them.
Byte Nyte In my experience is corporate networking dressed up as charity. Obviously, your experience and opinion may differ.
Whem Amber Rudd or someone like Reese Mogg does it... things might really change.
Or Prince Harry with his 20 bedroomed cottage 😉
Laddo did it last year as an event to raise money (organised by his Uni running club) gave him an appreciation of the difficulties those poor folk have to endure. This isn't a bad thing, IMO
when was the last time you did two weeks unpaid charity work?
Given the celebrities probably don't live paycheck to paycheck like most people do it's a little easier for them to take a couple of weeks off unpaid here & there.
Didnt Prince William do it one time?
Or Prince Harry with his 20 bedroomed cottage
...or his two tours in Afghanistan.
Probably couldn’t hack a night in a sleeping bag.
Personally sounds like a good thing provided taken in the right context - i.e. ‘surviving’ a night or two sleeping rough is a piece of piss when you know it’ll be over soon.
Conversely I have nothing but contempt for those members of the public that require watching a celeb complete an act of puesdo bravery and endurance to make a charitable donation. In fact, having to have an event such as children in need or comic relief to nudge you into giving to charity is pretty pathetic.
@jamj1974 - this! I used to work at one of the big accountancy firms and there were a couple of people just like this.
I have nothing but contempt for those members of the public that require watching a celeb complete an act of puesdo bravery and endurance to make a charitable donation.
A bit strong.
In fact, having to have an event such as children in need or comic relief to nudge you into giving to charity is pretty pathetic.
But massively effective, it's all a big strange the hatred and bitterness this stuff brings out in people, as if there must be a minimum level of worthiness to make things seem right, is it a minimum of losing a digit or getting an injury or something else that counts. Children in Need and Comic Relief, like Live Aid back in the day raise so much awareness of the issues and help to connect people with the cash that is being raised they are wonderful things.
I'm going to donate £5 just to wind covert up.
Walliams’ channel swim must go down in history as the single greatest celeb charity achievement though.
True but also...
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2016/mar/20/eddie-izzard-tired-yet-triumphant-after-running-27-marathons-in-27-days
It’s a good cause for a problem that visibly appears to be getting worse at least in my part of the world. I go for 3% of my income to charity just to be up on Patagonia and make myself feel better. But anyone whose on the sponsor me to have an exotic holiday for charity gets a response they probably don’t want to hear.
Member
when was the last time you did two weeks unpaid charity work?Given the celebrities probably don’t live paycheck to paycheck like most people do it’s a little easier for them to take a couple of weeks off unpaid here & there.
This - these "events" are like CPD for slebs = market research/job interviews; Jimmy Carr doesn't do a 38hr week x 45 weeks of the year presenting 8 out of 10 cats.
Not sure about the sleeping in the park thing - the big one in Edinburgh had John Cleese reading everyone a bedtime story FFS! Personally I think it should be bit more "pared down" and real than that - Ahem, not that I took part.
I have nothing but contempt for those members of the public that require watching a celeb complete an act of puesdo bravery and endurance to make a charitable donation.
😂😂
A bit melodramatic.
I’m going to donate £5 just to wind covert up.
It won't wind me up.
What I said was it was pathetic, not that is was not necessary. The sad fact is that the majority of the population are a bit pathetic - we are collectively not very bright, have a low attention span and have minimal interesting in the world outside our own and sadly need an emotional kick up the butt to cough up some cash every now and again. Why watching a celeb do a long bike ride/run/swim or walk up a mountain is an emotional kick up the back side is beyond me but then again I'm not someone who idolises celebs so maybe I'm just not the target market. It is (imo obvs) pathetic that we are as we are but it does not surprise me.
Convert, pictured yesterday...
you'll have to enlighten me - who is he?
Why watching a celeb do a long bike ride/swim or walk up a mountain is an emotional kick up the back side is beyond me but then again I’m not someone who idolises celebs so maybe I’m just not the target market. It is (imo obvs) pathetic that we are as we are but it does not surprise me.
Did you notice they probably also had some features on the people they were trying to help? That might have been what the emotional kick was for a lot of people, how much do you give to causes you don't know about?
I suppose its whats in the heart of whoever is doing it. If they really care then its a good thing, if its a bit of "oh look how great i am" then they are a bit of a ****t.
But if it raises money then i'm sure those benefiting don't give a damn where it comes from.
Did you notice they probably also had some features on the people they were trying to help? That might have been what the emotional kick was for a lot of people,
In which case why do we need the celeb watch bit? I guess because we (collectively) struggle with our attention span just to watch just the hard message bit. "Funny man does runny - looks hard. Oh, nasty life for homeless child - lump in throat, oh funny man is funny running again...now where's my credit card"
how much do you give to causes you don’t know about?
Depends at what point in the process we are talking about me not knowing about it. I give a lump sum based on my annual salary for that year and try to avoid the default big hitters. I do my research then choose that year's charities and make my donations. Sometimes I've chosen a charity I've previously not really been that aware of.
Convert, I know jokes are not funny when they have to be explained, but... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Nietzsche
In which case why do we need the celeb watch bit?
Because a whole night of Syrian orphans is either
A ) a panorama episode watched by about 5% of the people who watch children in need and raises no money.
B ) going to give people ptsd. Break it up with light entertainment and you've got a 4 hourtv show that's watchable and gets those viewers to donate.
you’ll have to enlighten me – who is he?
He was in the last series of Love Island I think, but you wouldn’t know because you are too cool to like celebrities, and think that a comedian running a Marathon every day for a month is ......
puesdo bravery and endurance
Senor Izzard es muy puesdo
and think that a comedian running a Marathon every day for a month is ……
To be brutally honest in comparison to living rough in the winter for a month it’s not all that. I’ve got friends who have done similar for fun. Slightly weird masochistic fun I grant you but if you are wired that way...
To be brutally honest in comparison to living rough in the winter for a month it’s not all that.
I'd find living rough for a month easier. I've spoken to plenty of ex and current rough sleepers. People are amazingly resiliant and adaptable. One bloke has had his own place for a couple of years now and still sleeps on the floor next to his bed, he just can't get on with it.
Whereas the cumulative toll of doing a marathon every day would break me pretty quickly 🙁
People are amazingly resiliant and adaptable. One bloke has had his own place for a couple of years now and still sleeps on the floor next to his bed, he just can’t get on with it.
To be fair - your one example does sound rather like he needs to work on his adaptability 😉
Not the best example agreed 😂