Charity Rides - Minimum Sponsorship Requirements

[TheSandwichMonster]

Before I start, I'd really love it if people can stay away from complaining about the fundraising model. It's a personal choice as to whether to raise £500/£1000/£1500 for charity to take part in a bike ride...

Anyway, I'm curious to hear from any people who HAVE taken part in such a ride: How much did you have to raise in minimum sponsorship? Were there any other charges? How did you go about raising the money, and how easy was it to do? If you wouldn't mind sharing your experiences, then I'd love to hear them.

Thanks

 

[fimm]

Not exactly a charity cycle, but my boyfriend and I did the Corrieyairack Challenge a couple of years ago. The sponsorship requirement wasn't big (£200 IIRC per team of 4, which is how you entered) and I raised my share fairly easily from friends and family.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

It was easy for us ,when we did the Coast to Coast last year,we all worked for the same company,so we just wrote to all our suppliers telling them how on the whole they were under review due to appalling service, and at the same time invited them to help our local hospice, we raised £4400.
We chose to give all the money to the hospice and self fund the trip.
This year we will be doing the same for the London to Paris and have told the Hospice they will get £4000 and anything above that we will use to subsidies the costs, sadly if we raise less than £4000 we will be paying for the trip and making up the difference as a promise is a promise.

 

[Chrisz]

I have done 2 H4H Rides - both of which requied a minimum sponsorship to be reached. On both occasions I found it relatively easy to reach the total required with the help of my local pub who did H4H days with bands etc. Both days raised the minimum required so I was able to exceed the minimum with relative ease.

I did A L2P ride last year for The Soldier's Charity with a group from work - no minimum sponsorship and completely self-funded.

This year I am organising a ride from Chatham to Plymouth with a Royal Marines theme (Coastal Commando) to commemorate the 30th Ann. of the Falklands. So far, fundraising is progresing well - no minimum required and self-funded

 

[Holy Warrior]

I've just got my form though for the Black Sheep Firkin Challenge. Minimum sponsorship per person is £100. Aside from family and friends I have no idea of what to do if I'm struggling to get to that mark.

 

[oldfatfool]

It's a personal choice as to whether to raise £500/£1000/£1500 for charity to take part in a bike ride...

Not really, Its just getting someone else to pay for your food/accommodation/ travel/backup in order to achieve a personal goal unless you self fund the the portion taken by the travel company organising the event.

 

[oldfatfool]

[QUOTE 1728936, member: 45"]Tiat's

That's one way of looking at it. Another is that you're giving the charity money that they wouldn't otherwise get.[/quote]

In the T&C it says the participant is meant to explain to all potential sponsors that the first £xxx of sponsorship goes towards the costs of the event. How many times as that actually ever been done? Its very commendable to say I am doing LeJog for charity will you sponsor me but when you know the first £1200 goes to a tour company and means the cyclist get bed and board for 10 days it rather takes the edge off don't you think??

If someone wants to do something for charity then brilliant but I don't think the tour companies running the events are charities do you, and I doubt you would have the gaul to organise your own event and tell potential sponsors the first £1200 was going in to your pocket as expenses, though it amounts to the same thing!!

 

[oldfatfool]

I know, I just find it a con, I looked at doing LtP but what with the deposit I had to pay and the extra costs of getting to London... Then having to raise an extra £xxx to pay on top I decided it wouldn't cost much more out of my own pocket to put something together and then any money raised could actually go to the charity.

I suppose I could equally have self funded the portion demanded by the organiser but I reckon I will do a 3 week camping tour for less than they wanted for LtoP over 3 nights

 

[MattHB]

I've signed up for the great Dorset ride for Macmillan. It's a hard 100 miles taking bulbarrow twice. Those doing max distance are asked for a minimum of £100.

 

[martint235]

I agree that it's a personal choice. As User says the charity gets more than nothing out of it. However from my own point of view:

1. Does all of the money left from paying for the trip go to the intended recipients or is it used to fund "administration costs"?
2. I, personally, feel cheeky enough just asking people to sponsor me to ride my bike that I don't think I could ask them to pay for the hotel too. I must admit I've only done one "organised" sponsored ride and that was a one day thing many years ago. Now I tend to think (or get others to think of) a ride that will be challenging as well as enjoyable and that is there and back in a day. All the money raised then goes to the charity but of course is again subject to point 1 to an extent.

 

[Cush]

I had intended doing the c2c that the local hospice is organising, too much hasle to raise what they want. Now I will do a longer ride and raise less but at least 100% of what I do raise will go to the hospice.

 

[Holy Warrior]

I've just got my form though for the Black Sheep Firkin Challenge. Minimum sponsorship per person is £100. Aside from family and friends I have no idea of what to do if I'm struggling to get to that mark.

Anyone?

 

[ianrauk]

Anyone?

Do what we used to do in the old days. Go knock on doors.

 

[TheSandwichMonster]

Thanks for the de-rail...

 

[oldfatfool]

Thanks for the de-rail...

Sorry, mostly my fault. Just google charity cycle. For anything more than a 1day event (raise on average £100) expect to pay a deposit of £99 - £400 from your own pocket, then be expected to raise anything from £1k - £5k and to have had to pay the actual cost of the event (app 40% of the minimum fundraised) into your account about 3-4 months before it takes place, be this from your own pocket in lieu of pledges or from donations. How easy you find this in these economic times may depend on how many company directors you know.

hth