 Poster: A snowHead
|
| Megamum wrote: |
| I have it on the VERY BEST authority |
My word, you are moving in exalted circles!
I have a feeling that 'watch this space' is not going to placate those who merely want to know where their donations are now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Megamum, Thing is, if you are able to get that information, through a little digging, then why hasn't admin just come on here and shared that with us himself. I dont buy this "admin is busy" excuse. One sentence, that's all lower, was asking for. Left to draw my own conclusions I've decided admin is just being plain stubborn in not responding to a reasonable request.
As I have said before, I have no doubt that the money is in safe hands. I think lower, 's action of recovering his money through Paypal is a bit OTT and sad...but admin could have stopped all this speculation a long time ago and we could have kept the spirit by which the money was given.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
This is "one of those things that could have been nipped in the bud very early on but hasn't been and has grown into a monster" and it would have been oh so easy to stop that happening.
I'm not busting a gut over it because I trust Admin to do the right thing with the money and I'm sure we'll eventually get some feedback. What this episode has done, however, is hugely damage the future prospects for any fund raising and it's so utterly daft as it was completely avoidable. All Admin had to do was pop in 3 weeks ago and say, "hi peeps, nothing to report at present but speaking with people at the moment and will get back to you with comprehensive update in due course." That was all that was needed. Nothing else, only 30 seconds work, job done, people happy. Instead we have constant sniping, bad feeling and a general air of, "well that's the last time I bother helping out..."
I have to say that I think it's incredibly insensitive for this thread to remain un-updated by Admin for such a long period as it is like a thankyou letter you put off writing. Each day that passes makes it worse that you haven't bothered and it makes it all the harder to write it and this is a vicious circle. Personally I think that as far as appeals and fund-raising goes on here, this single thread has now irrepairably damaged any future efforts as so many people will be tainted by this experience that they simply won't bother in future as a form of protest about the way this has all been handled.
It really doesn't matter now HOW good and informative an update Admin comes back with on this one now. The damage has been done on this - it's a monolithic "fail!" as far as Snowheads fundraising goes, I reckon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
She'll probably turn up on the EoSB, be presented with a cheque, pose for a couple of pictures in the bar, and everyone will forgive, forget and then a 20 page thread will ensue in which everyone praises Admin, and a lot of others sit back smugly having typed 'I told you so...'
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| The Voice of Reason wrote: |
| She'll probably turn up on the EoSB, be presented with a cheque, pose for a couple of pictures in the bar, and everyone will forgive, forget and then a 20 page thread will ensue in which everyone praises Admin, and a lot of others sit back smugly having typed 'I told you so...' |
As I won't be at the EOSB I therefore demand a night out with Chemmy in lieu. My wife needn't be informed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chemmy recently posted this on her Facebook page
| Quote: |
| This is getting serious. If i don't find new sponsors my dream of Olympic Gold will be over. So sad to even think about hanging up the skis when i finished this season 8th in the WORLD! |
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
I heard a rumour that if she had actually received the snowheads donation then there would be no need for her to retire.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Shimmy Alcott, that's very generous. I can get the money to her as she's a neighbour of mine, so there's no need to put your house sale on hold. I'll even let you be my Facebook friend 
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
Shimmy Alcott, My season is nearly over too. Sell your house and send me to New Zealand for the Summer 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
not sure she'd want your hose, no matter how desperate she is for money!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Shimmy Alcott wrote: |
| but only if i give her my hose? |
Is that a euphemism for something? I'm sure there are quite a few people on snowHeads who have already offered to give her that...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
papasmurf,  edited
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
rob@rar, indeed
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
rob@rar, spotted and quoted it
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| rob@rar wrote: |
Chemmy recently posted this on her Facebook page
| Quote: |
| This is getting serious. If i don't find new sponsors my dream of Olympic Gold will be over. So sad to even think about hanging up the skis when i finished this season 8th in the WORLD! |
. |
From what I can gather, the "new Federation" (BSS) will concentrate on juniors. ie effectively "write off" the senior team knowing that those with the means will struggle on and others will hang up their boots. Thinking is clearly that juniors are the future and there probably isn't enogh dosh around to do more. So, I'm guessing here, that Chemmy and all are somewhat hung out to dry financially. Costs a lot to keep an athlete on the World Cup tour and sponsorship will not do it all. Chemmy is the most bankable athlete but, even for her, the shortfall between funding and what it costs could be too great I fear.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Blimey, the first thread I've read since being away for over a week. I think I need a lie-down.
FWIW, I agree with sentiments expressed by cathy and carled in particular.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
Bode Swiller, BSS are far from just concentrating on the Juniors. I went to the meeting in Meribel hosted by Lord Moynihan & Dave Edwards (Chairman & CEO of BSS) They confirmed the performance pathway is a Chldren's team (11 - 14), Junior team (15 - 19) & Senior team (20+).
ALL will be funded if at all possible with the sponsorship that is actively being sought at this moment. The Senior team are the priority and will get the most as they cost the most and are aready at a level to compete on an international stage. The Juniors & Children will then come after them. The Juniors will take at least 4-6 years to be at the level that our current Seniors are at so we would have no one at the next Olympics if they do not fund them.
Having had a number of 1 to 1 meetings with the CEO he confirmed to me that would be the case. The money he is trying to raise per year for the team is substantial, and the companies he is meeting with this week are huge and would barely notice the amount the team requires.
A lot of rumours came out of the meeting at Meribel because people heard what they wanted to hear and made the rest up I think.
One of the main ones was thet the Junior team was fully funded for 15 girls & 15 boys!! Completely untrue. At this moment they are about 80% certain that they will have funding for the Junior team coach. Thats it! (IMO We haven't even got 15 Juniors in total that are anywhere near good enough to be fully funded and ski at International level)
The Senior team are not all hung out to dry at all. Hopefully within a couple of weeks new sponsorship deals will be signed and the team will be funded, Chemmy, Ed Drake, Dave Ryding, Douggie Crawford, Noel Baxter, TJ Baldwin etc will then be able to start their summer training and prepare for next season's World Cup & Europa Cup circuits.
Unfortunately SSGB left everyone high and dry and BSS are trying very hard to sort things out in a very short space of time to get things back on the road again, but this time run much better with ample funding.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Plugboy, is sponsorship now going to be pooled? You'll remember that I suggested this and you poo-pooed it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
PJSki, The GB team has always had sponsorship. British Land, Halliwells, Land Rover, Chill Factore, etc.Thats what the logos on the cat suits and jackets were. They were just never enough to fully fund all the athletes so personal sponsors have aways been needed. The Senior & Junior teams have always had some level of funding from the governing body depending on individual performance level attained, This was provided by sponsorship of the team and grants from Sport UK.
What I "poo pooed" was pooling individual sponsorship money given to successful athletes. If they gain sponsoership for their success, they should keep it and use it There are some sponsors who can only afford to sponsor 1 athlete and want to sponsor someone local etc.
The money that the CEO is seeking through sponsorship from major companies is for all of the snowsports teams. Alpine, Snowbaording, Freestyle, Cross Country & Speed skiing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
Plugboy,
| Quote: |
| If they gain sponsoership for their success, they should keep it and use it |
Then they should get less from the pool. Say they get 3k in personal funding they should get 60% of the first 3k from the fund. In other words, a 40% levy on personal sponsorship.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
Hopefully within a couple of weeks new sponsorship deals will be signed and the team will be funded
|
Plugboy, it would be great but don't hold your breath. British Land were always the biggest cash sponsor (are they staying on board? If not there's a big hole to fill) but some of the others you mention only gave services or loaned vehicles in return.
| Quote: |
The money he is trying to raise per year for the team is substantial, and the companies he is meeting with this week are huge and would barely notice the amount the team requires.
|
I can't see what the magic formula will be to make such companies splash out. Their marketing teams still weigh up which opportunities will give them best return and I doubt that skiing is it right now. To the outside world the sport is still in turmoil and I just cannot see big bucks coming this way soon. Hope you are right and I'm wrong.
I hear what you say about BSS not just concentrating on juniors. I wasn't there so can only go on what two people have told me. Trouble is that the story seems to be coming across differently to what was intended. Will be interesting to see who drops out this summer and one does have to wonder why Chemmy would have posted up such a statement on Facebook if she wasn't also under the impression that funding will be seriously clipped.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Frankly, I am rather pissed off with some of the attitude displayed above. It's just a bit embarrassing to see something so decent become riven with such pettiness.
Let's get one thing straight - I have no reason to be grateful to anyone for donating money to this cause and I don't owe any of you anything on the back of it. Not a penny of this money is for me nor is it even a cause I have historically supported. I simply stepped forward to help by providing a donations mechanism because it was needed and as a result have put a damn sight more than £20's worth of work into it.
So, while some of you might have popped your £20 down and sat back comfortable that you've done your bit, I've been chasing promised payments that weren't received, tracing received payments that weren't promised and then trying to work out what's left after paypal takes their cut.
You were told that there's nothing particularly of note to tell and you'd hear from me when there was. In between organising everything else that's going on in this, the busiest time of our year, I would rather get on the phone to people trying to work out a solution to the situation than sit typing fatuous explanations that make no practical difference to anyone except (maybe) Mr.Angry.
And no, I'm not a professional (nor even amateur) charity fundraiser so thanks so much for your first, second... eighteenth rules of fundraising everybody: a great help after the fact - and for those who decry snowHeads' future fundraising capabilities: whatever! If that's how you feel, go spend your next £20 on 2nd hand clothes from Scope and then stick em in a bag and send em to cancer research - although u might wait a while for their response. Just give to who you want to give to, that's all.
Frankly, the prospect of another wave of sanctimony like this one doesn't particularly encourage me to bother much again either.
But on balance though - the vast majority of people who donated have not been whinging on this topic, indeed a few donated more substantial sums and interestingly none of those have been moaning at all - funny that 
So no, my not reporting promptly to the demands of the likes of lower is not a 'farce' nor is it a 'debacle'. What has happened to the GB ski team this season: that is a farce. The way SSGB was run leading to its epic failure immediately before the Winter Games: that is a debacle.
What has become of this thread is less those things so much as an angry person who seems to have mistaken 'giving' with 'buying moral gratification' and stirred the pot at increasingly regular intervals for their own satisfaction.
| lower wrote: |
Every now and then my wife sends a bag of clothes to cancer research. 2-3 months later she gets a letter from cancer research telling her how much her donation raised. It gives us the warm, fuzzy feeling that has resulting in us donating about 4 time per year.
This farce doesn't. |
So, Cancer Research, a substantial and very well established charity whose sole aim is fundraising for their cause has a 2-3 months turn around time before lower gets his fuzziness.
Well lower first 'requested' satisfaction a mere 13 days after he donated his £20 (which, true to his threats, he has now 'reclaimed' under the paypal disputes system.) Given this was his 11th or 12th demand for satisfaction in the space of a couple of weeks, I can only imagine that after 2 or 3 months he must be screaming through the letterbox of Cancer Research HQ, "what are you doing with my old socks? I demand to know". Or maybe he just goes into their shop on the high street and reclaims them
The initial campaign was ostensibly to fund Chemmy's taking her physio to the world cup finals with any remainder going to help support the rest of the team. There was also a critical need to resolve their transport issues.
We actually came up with two vehicles, one a £30,000 modified Transit. Having spent quite some time sorting out the details, the state of the team is one of such disarray that no-one even turned our offer down, let alone accepted it.
It later transpired that various bodies/individuals (connected with the team) had been bidding against each other to buy the old SSGB vans back from the administrators.
As the amount of money promised approached the 'physio target', I tried to let Chemmy know that this was now available to her. Unfortunately, I did not hear back until after the champs which she'd attended sans physio.
This leaves the question: how to divide/allocate the money raised appropriately?
This is a question I would like to consult the forum on, or at least those who donated (and didn't attach bits of elastic to the coins they dropped in the tin). However, it's proving difficult to gain enough clarity to even ask the right questions with which to garner opinion.
As it stands - having told Chemmy that funds were coming her way and on the grounds that she was the 'figurehead' of this campaign, IMO a substantial proportion needs to go directly to her.
At this point, I'm thinking 50% with the other 50% going to the rest of the team.
There are too many other members to fund individually in this way.
The team as a whole though desperately needs to fund their Summer training program.
I have been told that there will be no funds from BSS until the start of the Winter season so a central fund is being set up to manage donations and sponsorship. As yet I still don't know by whom and I haven't even been able to corroborate the story that BSS won’t be funding summer training. Apparently it is intended that the £11-12k raised by Rufus Alcott's Snow Ball goes that way but again, it's not there yet as the fund doesn't exist yet.
So yes, I still have the money and frankly I wish I didn't.
As of Friday, the last of the expected donations have been received.
If the will of the forum is such that the whole amount should go directly to Chemmy, I'll gladly dump the lot in her personal account and be done with it.
Oh, and one more thing: if you 'donated with baggage' like for example, you're expecting the athletes to be available for speaking at your dinner parties or even expecting much of a presence from them on snowHeads, please just PM me for a refund will you? As brilliant as this response has been, the GB ski team's troubles are far beyond the scope of what we've done here and they must necessarily focus on what comes next - the estimated cost of just the Summer training program: £80,000 and they've got it down to that by staying in Europe, on the glaciers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
admin, Very good, clear explanation of the situation that has evolved - anyone dealing on a voluntary basis with the money of 'other people' really has their work cut out. I know that my payment was one that caused a bit of detective work on the part of admin, even though I had put in some sort of reference when I made the bank transfer, avoiding Paypal, so I can only imagine the amount of work that all this has caused.
For my part, just do whatever you feel is the right thing with the fund as it stands, as there are people who know much more about it all than I do. Best of luck and particularly to the skiers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
admin, I think the vast majority of us are 'donators without baggage'. We simply wanted to do something to help Chemmy and our national ski team to continue doing what they do best. Obviously as with any organisation there is lots to sort out so it's never going to be an overnight process, but however the funds can best be used to achieve their aims, is fine by me, and I'd even feel happy to donate further.
It's a shame an act of collective support by a group of well-meaning supporters has descended to this, but maybe people will now understand just how involved any form of fundraising is. I know because of my involvement with several cancer charities.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
admin, I'm happy that my funds go to wherever Chemmy feels is best.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
admin, all of the above is immensely laudable. I stand by my point that this will have damaged future fundraising efforts as I'm not going to try and hide from what I said and your reaction to it. I didn't intend any criticism of your efforts behind the scenes but, in my opinion, the fact stands that you could very easily have dropped into this thread even once early on and given people a 2 minute update and that would have massively altered the course of this juggernaut long before it careered out of control. Even a "look guys, this is a flaming huge amount of work and just bear with me, yeah?" would have done the trick but you chose silence and I think a lot of the criticism on this thread is not to do with the work behind the scenes or what has or hasn't been done, rather at your efforts in updating people.
This whole effort was far more personal ("help Chemmy!") than randomly donating to age concern or another charity and, for many people (myself included) is probably a larger amount than I would usually donate to charity which *may* have contributed to the heightened passions that seem out of proportion if compared with the usual charity donation scenario you postulate... I agree with you that some people have gone rather OTT but that's only judged by my standards and, for all I know, the £20 they donated could be a HUGE deal to them and it just matters more...?
Anyhow, thanks for updating us, I still think you could have done so sooner and I'm happy doing the 50/50 split between Chemmy and the rest of the team as you suggest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
admin, thanks for the update. I'm with the last couple of posts, your call on how the funds are allocated. Just hope it goes some way to helping the GB ski team. Your efforts are appreciated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
admin, thanks mate. I think most of us guessed something like this was behind the silence. Shame that this thread developed in the way it did. Do what you think is best.
Not at all surprising given the way the system fell apart that there is no one you can get clear answers from. I think all the athletes need to think clearly about how they make it easier for people to donate directly and transparently to them in future.
Plugboy, any progress on a giving page/mechanism/link for your chap?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
admin,
| Quote: |
The initial campaign was ostensibly to fund Chemmy's taking her physio to the world cup finals with any remainder going to help support the rest of the team. There was also a critical need to resolve their transport issues.
We actually came up with two vehicles, one a £30,000 modified Transit. Having spent quite some time sorting out the details, the state of the team is one of such disarray that no-one even turned our offer down, let alone accepted it.
It later transpired that various bodies/individuals (connected with the team) had been bidding against each other to buy the old SSGB vans back from the administrators.
As the amount of money promised approached the 'physio target', I tried to let Chemmy know that this was now available to her. Unfortunately, I did not hear back until after the champs which she'd attended sans physio.
This leaves the question: how to divide/allocate the money raised appropriately?
|
If you'd vouchsafed just that much information when you were asked, plus 'Your money's safe, I'll consult you as to what to do with it when we're back from the EoSB' you'd have avoided both the whingeing and the need to protest quite so much. That said, I fully expect to agree with any suggestion you make as to the proper use of the money and am sure that everyone appreciates the efforts you've made.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
admin, Hear,Hear. Give it all to to Chemmy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I 'm in the all to Chemmy camp as that was the purpose of the fund raising-quite happy to donate again to the whole team in the future if that ever comes up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
redrunmarcus, said
| Quote: |
quite happy to donate again to the whole team in the future if that ever comes up.
|
IMV given the problems that have arisen here I should think Admin would be quite justified in never volunteering SH as a fund raising conduit again. I think he is quite right in saying, in effect, that he was not one doing the fund raising, all he did was to volunteer the SH payment mechanism to make it easy for people to contribute and by the sounds of it that had its own problems that then required his time to sort out. Maybe I shouldn't have interferred above, but I was just very uncomfortable with how the thread was going, Admin I'm sorry if I inconvenienced you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My vote would be for - give it all to Chemmy (ie stick it in her bank and be done).
And well done rob@rar, for getting this whole ball rolling.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
and I keep getting reminded.
