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Race for Life desperate for women
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Check on their website ?
I think that's always been the case - the entry fee pays for organisation and doesn't go towards charity, with them relying on you raising sponsorship - and I beleive other 'charity' races are the same.
I don't think they publicise that very well, though, and I expect many (most?) participants assume at least some of the entry fee goes to the relevant charity.
Far worse, in my humble opinion, is the use of chuggers, who in the main aren't employed directly by the charity, but by and agency that takes a cut. Of course, you can control whether you go in for a Race for Life; you can't control whether you're stopped in the street to be asked for your bank details. The reason chugging carries on, though, is that it works for a fair few charities.
If you have any specific complaints about charities, of course, or if you feel the money you pay to enter CRUK races is lining someone's pocket, you can complain to the Charity Commission or the Fundraising Standards Board.
Do 5km RfLs involve road closures, policing, etc? The only one I've seen is the one at Cheltenham Race Course. The 10km one in Gloucester is run on the roads, with some closures, though.
I love the fact parkrun is taking RFLs place with getting people into running, because it gives you so much further to go by giving beginners access to very fast runners and showing them the whole spectrum of running - it seriously humanises the fast lot and makes you think 'hey wait a minute these are normal people too and if they can do it, why cant I?'.
In the last year I've seen the general womens standard at parkrun move up quite a bit, Id be really interested to see if its just a perception or if their average times are actually improving.
St Albans one is run around the park so no road closures. They stick a bit of pink ribbon here & there to mark out the course & maybe a few marshals on route.
There isn't much of a race village (or what there is is so unmemorable).
I think what really bothers me is the fact I'm still getting about 2 of the same mail shots through to my mum's address where I haven't lived in a few years. That must be such a waste of money.
Im a real fan on Parkrun. You just turn up, have a chat at the start line, a man tells you the safety rules, raises his arm, and off you go. Then you finish between 2 cones.
No toilet queues, no man with a tannoy, no flags/ banners/ music/ medals/ goodie bags with t shirts that are too big/ leaflets on your car at the end etc (the lost is ednless!!) Just a run.... what more could you want?
My only fear is that one day something will happen, and the H and S people will clamp down on it like a ton of bricks. That would be a shame, theres too much complex stuff in most races these days.
I think the charity will simply have to move on and come up with other fundraising ideas.
they've really milked this one and i don't think people can be bothered with it any more.
the latest ad makes it simply sound like a sponsored walk with little or no effort involved which might get a few more participants off the sofa but is hardly likely to encourage people to sponsor someone for their efforts.
.................... oh and Blokes can enter Parkruns too.........
(sorry, x-post)
From last year's accounts: Accounts
Events registrations and merchandise - £16,000,000 income
Costs of generating voluntary income - Events - £28,108,000
Obviously this is more than just RfL (they have pulled out of the 10K events this year) but it makes me wonder what they'd have to charge as an entry fee to break even before donations.
Its great in the winter when all races except parkrun are cancelled (although there were a few cancellations this year not many at all). This was my first ever parkrun:
Voluntary income from events sponsorship and donations £66,315,000.
They want your cash to stop cancer. Thats their aim. They spend their money for
good purposes. But they waste in advertising, mail, buying race places, employing
unneccesary people. They are a extremely big charity with a lot of power.
Parkrun is good. But the only thing good is its free. Which is why many sign up.
However, I would like parkrun to impose a small charge with all proceeds going to
local charities, clubs and voluntary groups.
They are doing a save the children "event" (feckers hijacking our parkruns at least RFL organise their own!).
Maybe, but parkruns are there for the community. If they impose a £1-2 charge with its
proceeds going to the local community. Then at least it helps. I would expect many
would accept a £1-2 charge.
Also, parkruns cannot be free forever. Its the only attraction because of its free tag.
Its funding is driven by sponsors. But one day, sponsors will decide to end its association.
Then parkruns will need to think of a way to cover its costs. It cannot last forever as a
free event.
Surely it makes sense to keep Parkruns free for participants for as long as there is sponsorship available, except maybe the odd one-off fundraiser as Curley has mentioned.
If for no other reason than, as soon as you start charging (whether it's to cover costs or raise money for good causes), it adds an additional layer of beurocracy.
Runnerman - I have spoken to Paul about this, but his vision is that it will always be free.
However, if you want to "pay" you can donate (I donate £1 for every week of the year), which helps new events for example.
I wouldnt want to pay for donations to charity though, but thats just because I dont agree with the association between running and fundraising.
Park runs and a lot of charity races are run by volunteers. RFL and Run10k are staffed by charity empoloyees.
I wonder how much Gloria Hunniford got paid for the ad and how much ITV are charging to show it.
I also wonder how much the owners of the grounds that the runs take place in charge/claim back in tax for charitable donation in kind.
There are rules on what %age of each years income a charity is allowed to keep.
You can - when they approach you, just keep walking. They don't try to keep up, although sometimes I invite them to.
I think they have to stay on their designated spots