Ran for a marathon, didn't reach fundraising target

maskerade

Hi

Hoping people can help... my husband ran a marathon for a charity and fell short of their minimum donation target by about £50. If you include Gift Aid he has exceeded it. He paid all the place fees etc so they've made no loss and he did his very best with the fundraising but as he suffers from the disease the charity is for he was limited in some of the things he could do.

The charity are now hassling us for the difference which I did say I could organise an event for later in the year to raise the difference but they're saying we have to pay it in by the end of the week - which we can't do because the husband has just lost his job.

I appreciate they're upset because someone else may have been able to raise them more (though my husband booked his place last minute so I'm not sure they filled all their places) but we're a bit upset because we worked really hard to raise what we did for which they have not thanked us.

Their T&C's don't state that gift aid doesn't count and say "you agree to endeavor to raise at least £X" which we did, it doesn't say you have to pay at least £X and the T&Cs don't explain about the gift aid not counting.

Is there anything we can do? Has anyone had the same experience?

Indie_Kid

You have to talk to the charity and explain the above situation if you haven't.

(and that's why I get my own place in races and raise what I can)

maskerade

Hi

Thanks, we have explained to them but they're refusing to listen. We feel really bad about it but we did the best we could and did intend to carry on fundraising throughout the year to raise as much as we can, though we're feeling less inclined to do that now as there's no thanks for what you have raised, just demands for more.

Thanks

Kate

brightonman123

name and shame the charity!

reehsetin

If it's not in their T&Cs what are they relying on to make you pay?
If they didn't make you aware that you would have to make up the dosh if fundraising fell short then they don't have a leg to stand on

Not sure I'd continue to support a charity that acted in this way though

Lomast

maskerade wrote: »

Hi
Their T&C's don't state that gift aid doesn't count and say "you agree to endeavor to raise at least £X" which we did, it doesn't say you have to pay at least £X and the T&Cs don't explain about the gift aid not counting.

If that is the exact wording which i suspect it is then you have agreed to try to raise not guarantee to raise, i would tell the chariy to go away and stop harrassing you. If they still carry on then press or social media explaining how they are acting would be my prefered option

maskerade

I guess they can't do anything legally but they keep contacting us and it's really stressing my husband out and he's disabled as a result of brain damage from the disease they support so I'm trying to shield him from it as far as possible but they're writing and emailing to him instead of me despite me asking them to address it all to me so I just want to know if there is anything I can do.

I don't want to name them in case they read this forum and use it against me.

maskerade

Lomast wrote: »

If that is the exact wording which i suspect it is then you have agreed to try to raise not guarantee to raise, i would tell the chariy to go away and stop harrassing you. If they still carry on then press or social media explaining how they are acting would be my prefered option

Hi

Yes that is the exact wording, I copied and pasted. It also doesn't say Gift Aid doesn't count which we didn't know and assumed it did.

themull1

What if he hadn't finished the race, would they have received nothing? Tell them when they ring again that they are harrassing you and you will go to the press.

reehsetin

I would certainly stop supporting them then.

I would also:
Write a letter clearly marked complaint
Make it clear that their actions are upsetting and unacceptable
They must stop writing to your husband - you want to be removed from all mailing/correspondence/supporters lists
You will no longer support them due to their actions


I'd assume if they continue to hassle you after this it MAY be considered harassment but I wouldn't be sure what you could easily do next about it.

Mojisola

brightonman123 wrote: »

name and shame the charity!

Does the charity have a Facebook page? If so, I'd put what's happening on there.