Cruising for Charity

[Deleted member 478]

I am trying to get a world-wide "cruising for charity" project afloat and would like to get as many cruising yachtsmen as possible involved with my Message In A Bottle project. Please have a look and let me know what you think.

Thanks

John

 

[ChrisE]

I have seen your webiste and think that it is a worthy project that catches the imagination.

If I was to find something that might stick in people's craw. it is the fact that it relies upon your personal integrity to deliver. I have no problem with that 'cos I've a bit of your history from the web boards but others who don't know you might have problem. Have you thought of aligning what you are proposing to do with something like the school equivalent of 'Medicin sans frontiers'?

 

[Deleted member 478]

I've never heard of 'Medicin sans frontiers'. What /who are they?

 

[ChrisE]

They are a charity that work, a bit like the Red Cross, dispensing medicines across Africa and the 3rd world generally. The reason I mentioned them is because I believe that they are a grass roots organisation which would seem to me to be what you are trying to achieve.

I don't know of a comparable educational org but would be surprised if one didn't exist. Perhaps some of the participants of this board know of one.

 

[bbilly]

Stingo,
Are you on a 6 month contract with nothing to do!

Will /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Deleted member 478]

Chris

My view is that charity is a two way street.

For my project, the benefit for the local communities is that we bring them goods that they have difficulty in accessing - eg power tools, school supplies, stainless steel fish hooks or whatever I am able to find they have a shortage of.

The benefit to me is that purchasing basics like fresh food and clean water will be made easier, especially when there is a shortage, in a "pulling favours" way.

Well I hear you ask, why don't I just exchange fish hooks etc for food and water? Because if I pay for it, not only do they get the fish hooks etc for free, but I will also be injecting foreign exchange into their meagre economy and whomever has donated £10 gets to talk about their bottle floating around in the ocean.

Yes, I am buttering my own bread with this project, but at the end of the day, everyone wins.

I approached a very well known charity, whom I've raised funds for before, and they were not interested in a joint venture. I can see their point, their admin costs would be too high for what will probably be a fair low return. By the way, 95% of their income is swallowed up by admin, marketing, etc and only 5% goes to their cause. For my project, my running costs are insignificant and at this stage I intend picking up the tab myself or least until it starts eating too much of my cruising kitty.

 

[Deleted member 478]

[ QUOTE ]
Are you on a 6 month contract with nothing to do!

[/ QUOTE ]
No, am not working at all. Am nearly broke. All donations welcome.

 

[CodStewart]

I think it's a great idea! I've already signed up!