When I was bumbling along on my bike ride last year, Ruth mentioned a couple of times that interested people had asked what I was doing it in aid of, and how they could contribute.
Sorry, but contribute to what, and why? I've had a bit of a sceptical attitude for a while now at the idea of sponsored holidays, or doing something fun to 'raise awareness of' some problem or other. If someone spends sixty years serving lepers in the Congo, and is then discovered by the Sunday Times, that raises my awareness of something that someone thought it was worth doing something about. Likewise with the occasional horrific examples of people who set themselves on fire in front of an embassy because they can't see another way of attracting attention.
Short of that, I'm just going to think how well I know the appealer, and whether I'm bothered at their reaction to my stinginess. And let's face it, my stinginess or otherwise doesn't really matter when it comes to whether people do these jaunts or not.
For example, imagine that a group of 20 people are queueing at Heathrow to go off to Egypt and windsurf down the Nile in aid of rhino colic. Suddenly the boffins announce that rhino colic can be cured if rhinos drink a can of Diet Coke every day. How many out of those 20 are going to say 'Brilliant, now I needn't go windsurfing, and I can get back to the office'?
As it happens, I think that both the Salvation Army and the Samaritans do terrific work that I couldn't (or wouldn't, to be more honest) go anywhere near. I assuage my guilt at this by chucking both of them the occasional half crown. If you think the same, then you might do likewise, but don't do it because of me. If you do think the same, then you probably give anyway, and if you don't, then it would be a bit stupid to give money to a charity you don't agree with just to give a specious merit to the sore bum David gets working off his midlife crisis. So don't.
Right, that should ensure I stop getting badgered by charities trying to headhunt me as a fundraiser.
Created on ... April 11, 2007