Charity money raising cycle I have been pondering

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Jack

New Member
Location
UK
I have recently been pondering raising money for a cancer charity by doing a long distance, several days/weeks cycle. My mum has been diagnosed with breast cancer, and I would like to do something to help support one of the many excellent charities that are out there to help people like her. Perhaps with the cycling ties the LAF might be a suitable choice.

Anyway, the plan is to cycle something along the lines of north -> south france, coast to coast - or even something like London -> Barcelona. I would obviously do it over many days, maybe cycling 80-100 miles a day I thought. I would have to train a lot, but I am fairly confident fitness wise I could do it - I am young, run competitively for my county, and while I do less cycling than running (it would be hard to do more), I don't think I'm that bad at it.

I just really wanted to think about the logistics of it. I would need to find a good friend (I have a couple of people I know in mind) to do this with me, and we would have to do something about what we would take with us - have to travel very light.

What about sponsorships? Would it be possible to get someone to lend us bikes for the cycle, one of the companies? I'd like to have something suitable to ride on.

It's just a pipeline thing at the moment, but something I am thinking more and more about. I would do it summer 2008 hopefully.

Anyone have any thoughts? Cheers.
 

robgul

Legendary Member
Great idea, and I don't want to throw cold water on it BUT I think you will find all the mainstream manufacturers will have a standard "Sorry we don't... " letter to reply with
(Certainly Dawes used to have a note on their website telling people not to even ask about support/sponsorship etc)

You might find it better to try and get a good dsicount deal with your LBS, and trying and get some local newspaper coverage ..

Rob

BTW - someone has just done the JOGLE and raised loads of dosh for Macmillan Cancer Support using the "Rob & Joe's JOGLE" maps - see beewee link in my sig and the obvious link.
 
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Jack

New Member
Location
UK
Thanks, I thought as much. I think I will speak to the LBS about it, and see if they have anything to say. Also - what is the JOGLE? :eek:
 

Tim Bennet.

Entirely Average Member
Location
S of Kendal
(JOGLE - John O Groats - Lands End).

The key to raising money on these rides is the effort you put into the fund raising rather than the ride itself. Once around the block is far enough if the cause and the reason for doing it connects with the people you are asking for money. There is certainly no connection between distance rode and amount raised. If people care about WHY you are raising the money, they won't care WHAT you do.

I have seen well promoted coffee mornings raise more than solo circumnavigations. In fact I sometimes think if the 'event' is too elaborate, then potential donors begin to question your motives about why you are doing it at all. Especially if foreign travel or scrounging gear or hospitality comes into it.

The LAF is a very American charity which does not extend its work outside of the USA. I did a fun raising ride in the early days of the foundation and found it very hard convincing people in this country to contribute to the well being of 'rich Americans'. Other rides for Cancer Research UK and local hospices have been far more effective.

Good Luck.
 
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Jack

New Member
Location
UK
Tim Bennet. said:
(JOGLE - John O Groats - Lands End).

The key to raising money on these rides is the effort you put into the fund raising rather than the ride itself. Once around the block is far enough if the cause and the reason for doing it connects with the people you are asking for money. There is certainly no connection between distance rode and amount raised. If people care about WHY you are raising the money, they won't care WHAT you do.

I have seen well promoted coffee mornings raise more than solo circumnavigations. In fact I sometimes think if the 'event' is too elaborate, then potential donors begin to question your motives about why you are doing it at all. Especially if foreign travel or scrounging gear or hospitality comes into it.

The LAF is a very American charity which does not extend its work outside of the USA. I did a fun raising ride in the early days of the foundation and found it very hard convincing people in this country to contribute to the well being of 'rich Americans'. Other rides for Cancer Research UK and local hospices have been far more effective.

Good Luck.

Thanks for your advice. I'm not trying to scrounge anything, I don't want to gain from this in anyway, its purely to do something to raise money and show support. I would pay for all travel or gear or anything I needed, it would just save me a lot of money if I could simply borrow a bike for the 2 weeks or whatever. It was just a thought. I want to do something that is very challenging for me, thats why I am thinking of a big cycle like this.

I think you're right about the LAF. I'll have a look into UK based charities. Thanks for your contribution. :eek:
 

Tim Bennet.

Entirely Average Member
Location
S of Kendal
I'm sorry Jack, I didn't mean to imply you were doing anything untowards. It's just that I see so many trips these days where I wonder if the amount raised actually exceeds the cost of the venture.
 
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Jack

New Member
Location
UK
No worries, I just wanted to be clear about it. Where exactly I would be cycling I'm really not sure about at the moment, its such a pipeline thing - I will have to look at various different routes around that length and see what will work out as affordable and feasible.
 
Jack...

if you do an organised ride there will be a minimum sponsorship - this is to make it worthwhile for the charity. there is also a registration fee to cover costs (some of the sponsorship money will also go towards this, but they should state how much). a lot of people don't like the idea of those type of charity events as they don't like 'paying' for someone to have a trip... but one of the big parts of the trip is to raise awareness of the charity as well as raising funds - it's all about profile.

a simple trip would be around the uk, mainly as a uk based charity will see the worth in that and it gets rid of expensive foreign travel insurance! the support logistics are smaller. you could think of riding to or from your mum's birthplace to somewhere special (where she lives now, favourite holiday destination, lands end, jog, etc)

as for getting a bike.... doubtful. the best bet would be to ask your local bike shop for support - maybe loaning you one.

first thing would be work out where you are going from and to. then go from there.

if you're going to get support from a breast cancer charity either go for one or two and split the money. a research and after-care one, if you go for two. both have different audiences (research tends to be popular with younger givers, after-care with older people as they are more likely to have used the services). also... the choice of charity will determine how much you get... going for the LAF will appeal to cyclists, but it's not a UK charity and non-cyclists might not like giving to that - a UK based charity would be better. as it is for breast cancer, then a breast cancer specific one would be best... there's the human interest story there for the papers, which helps.

if you want more info, drop me a message, or email fundraisingsouth at breastcancercare dot org dot uk :eek:

all the best to you and your mum. if you need any other info, just get in touch.

L
 
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Jack

New Member
Location
UK
laurence - Thanks a lot, this was exactly the kind of information I was trying to find out. I will have a mull over some things, and I'm sure I'll be in touch with some charities and/or you soon. Really appreciated, thanks mate.
 
Jack... no probs.

also, if you need info on bc, drop me a line. not just blowing BCC's trumpet, but they have great info on all aspects of the disease and the info is free. there's also a helpline - 0808 800 6000 and a web forum if your mum, or any of the family/friends have any questions.

all the best.

L
 
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