RNLI/ARNY post

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Guys, nobody has died, Arny had a great trip, and he did raise some money for the RNLI. Win - Win! Nobody lost anything. Well done all, who cares about the semantics. Agree the forum should not have been critisized for the level of financial support, but can understand perhaps the misguided fustration that lead to such unfortunate comments.

I didn't give to his web site because a) I'm already an offshore member and supporter of the RNLI, and b) I support and fund raise for our local RNLI Lifeboat.

Bury the hatchet and get on! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Well, despite intially criticizing his venture, I did make a donation thru his website but, if he did put a post on here slagging off the forum for not contributing enough, I really wish that I hadn't. Shame on him

[/ QUOTE ]Mike,

Shame on me eh... hundreds followed me round on my web site. I provided them with entertainment and enjoyment with photos, blog, live tracking etc. I would have expected that more people would have donated, both forumites and non-forumites alike, and it is a HUGE disappointment that more didn't regardless of whether they donate to the RNLI already or not. That is all.

People donate to charities from choice... I do not want to pressurise anyone to give to the RNLI or any other charity. What I have tried to do is give people a reason to donate by providing them with an interesting and challenging event and giving them some value up front. Instead of paying me for that value I ask people to give the money to the RNLI. I have done my bit and yes, I do feel let down by the people that followed me round but didn't think it worthy of a small donation. They thought it interesting enough to follow me and return time and time again to the web site didn't they? They took the value offered by following me but haven't yet contributed to the RNLI.

Given the effort put in I don't think it unreasonable to feel that disappointment.

Mike, if I could give you your donation back I would... so that you might donate it not in the name of my event... but donations through the web site go to the RNLI and I can't give it back.

I am sorry you feel let down.
 
Must admit that I couldn't make sense of that one either. I think viewing figures have dropped steadily over the last couple of years, which is a shame as fewer viewers means less knowledge shared, which as far as I am concerned is what it is all about.
 
Major,

I think you misunderstand my post...

I know that a huge number of people have done an aweful lot more than than me for charity and I know some who do.

I am not suggesting that my efforts were special when compared with many others efforts. In fact my efforts are very insignificant when compared to many... and to many on this forum I am sure.

My point for saying all that, and describing collecting in such detail and in those terms, was not to say how good I was... it was what an effort it is to do even the small things that I did and to ask people not to believe the suggestion from hlb that I doing this because I wanted a free boat trip!

I am sorry if it came across as saying how good I was... it actually was nothing in the scale of things but hopefully it did provide evidence that I wasn't just doing the trip to get sponsors money.

Arrogant I hope not... guilty of saying things on this forum that are often taken the wrong way - fair enough.
 
Arny, I'm sure you don't mean to but you are not coming over well at the moment, just an unbiased observation, nothing more.
p.s. pm me your just giving address as I have a cheque I did nothing to earn heading in the general direction of the RNLI.
p.s.s. Well done for completing your task, I would not have fancied it in a small boat. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Arny

How much did go to the RNLI and how much was your expensess?

Maybe that will help me understand if it was a worth while excrise or just a jolly trip?

Tom

[/ QUOTE ]At the moment I don't know the accurate figures as I haven't yet shoved the numbers into my account program but this is my estimate off the top of my head... it won't be out by much I am sure...

Costs:

- Fuel £2,600
- Berthing £300
- Promotion to RYA clubs £1,200
- Shows etc £150
- Busness cards £400
- Printing costs (Laser) £200
- Internet costs £200
- Telephone £60

Total costs: £5110

Funded by:

- Sponsors £ 2300
- Me £2810

That doesn't include all the boat prep and extra equipment I needed... I paid for that myself but as I am keeping that after it isn't in this calculation at all.

there are other costs and I might have missed one or two things but in essence that is the bulk of it.

If I had done it without RNLI fundraising it might have looked like this:

Costs:

- Fuel same £2600
- Berthing £1000

Total costs £3600

OK, I gained by doing the RNLI fundraising by about £800 but I believe that is fully justifiable. As a fundraising event I didn't want it to go wrong and bring disrepute on the charity so I needed the berthing sponsored so there was little pressure to move on if the weather was not right. Without the fundraising I might also have made different berthing decisions that kept my costs down but didn't have as good fundraising opportunities.

All in all I hope that on these figures alone it is crystal clear that I paid for the bulk of the costs and I haven't gained a great deal, if at all, from fundraising for the RNLI.

The above has nothing to do with the RNLI donations...

If you want the details when I have collated them please ask me for a copy of the accounts by email (not PM) at "paul atsign churchley dot org". I will gladly send you and anyone else a copy when they are done in Spetember.

Raised for the RNLI so far:

- Cash in buckets: about £1900 (still not yet totalled as paying in book is still on boat!)
- Just Giving web donations £1720

Total Raised for the RNLI so far: £3620

The RNLI figures are completely separate from the costs and sponsoship.

You make up your own minds.

What these figures don't show is the enormous extra effort it took to do the RNLI fundraising. I don't mind that... that is what I signed up for and expected BUT I also expected it to generate more than just £4000 for the RNLI... wouldn't you?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Arny, I'm sure you don't mean to but you are not coming over well at the moment, just an unbiased observation, nothing more.

[/ QUOTE ]I realise that but it is difficult to say precisely what I want to say without it being misunderstood on a forum like this.

I know that I have made a tactical error by saying I am disappointed in the level of donation but unfortunately it is the overwhelming feeling that I have after the event. I should be over the moon that I have done it, safely, and collected nearly £4000 for the RNLI... Crikey! How many people can say they have gone round Britain in a 21ft motor boat? very few... that I know. But the fundraising took up SO much of my efforts with the event that not to have raised a serious amount is a big disappointment.

I am sorry. Sorry that I come across as I do... sorry that I have let you down by being so persistent... sorry I didn't generate more for the RNLI. Overall, I feel that the event was a huge success for the boating but a huge failure for the fundraising and for my own image and reputation.

just giving is at:

www.justgiving.com/roundbritain_rnli

Many thanks to all who gave and also to those that give to the RNLI not in the name of my event. That is what is important.

Edit: I have now changed the JustGiving page to show the actual donations to the RNLI. I believe this is the figure people want to see and not what has been raised to stage the event. I should have done this from the start. The figure that was there was true but it included the costs of the event. They are now removed for the sake of clarity.
 
Arny, you've just demonstrated what an exaggerated sense of self importance you have and you didn't even thank me for my donation, or any other forumites as far as I can see. I, for one, won't be contributing to any more of your stunts
 
Mike you are being incredibly unfair. I have thanked everyone time and time again and I do again... OK, you haven't seen it but it isn't the case that I have not thanked everyone here that has helped or donated. Please, review previous threads... I have done it, and do it, all the time and I will continue to do so.

...b ut this thread IS about me and my effort and so I feel entitled to talk about it and in that respect I don't think I am important... it is just how it is.

I certainly do not feel important... I feel rejected, deflated, disappointed, upset at the way I am constantly misunderstood and misinterpreted, and although I feel good about the RNLI donations I did generate in many respects I wish I never did this trip so publically. It has brought me nothing but grief!
 
Arny,

I don't come on this forum much anymore..just dropped in to see if I could help someone who's thinking about buying a boat I know something about. Despite myself, I looked at this thread.
My view...Good on you for getting organised and doing something you can be proud of. I'm happy to donate and will do so right now.
Why bother to take notice of, or indeed reply, to the rather inadequate individuals who waste hours and hours of their days for years on end, puffing themselves up to some level of perceived self importance on the basis that their contribution to life is 20,000+ posts on a sailing forum?
You have the photo's and record of what you've done...they just have aching wrists... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
If you achieved a long held ambition and at the same time raised £3600 for a worthy cause, I personally wouldn't consider that a disappointment.

If your sponsers were fully aware of how you were intending using their contribution and still gave freely then thats OK too IMHO.

You are disappointed because you didn't get nearer the target that you set yourself, perhaps the real issue was that your target was unrealistic.

£3600 is a tidy sum of money, plus you raised the profile of a very worthy cause, take satisfaction in that.

However Paul, your PR remains lousy, so I would advise you now let it rest.
 
Thanks for your comment and support.

I respond because I feel deeply misunderstood and that upsets me.

I feel that I have done a great event for a great cause and in a great way and it is all worthy of celebration... yet, afer all that effort I feel so down. I was so excited and enthusiastic at the prospect of me doing something great for the RNLI... a once-in-a-lifetime charity event to riase some serious RNLI funds. I didn't and I feel hugely disappointed and down about the event.

I take these attacks on me and how I did it very personally because I know what my motivations were and it hurts to be told that I did it for immoral reasons or that I failed in taking advice. Nothing could be so wrong and right now the fact that I did it with all the best intentions at heart and that I did it in a sensible way is all I have left in my mind and I want to defend it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
If you achieved a long held ambition and at the same time raised £3600 for a worthy cause, I personally wouldn't consider that a disappointment.

[/ QUOTE ]Nor should I... I totally agree. I think that I feel so down about it because my expectations were too high... as you say. But I did set my expectations based on previous charity fundraising and on what I genuinely thought I could achieve... clearly, you are correct in saying my expectations wee too high and that is why I could have done with more advice before the event on the PR side. I had no one to help in that area.

[ QUOTE ]
If your sponsers were fully aware of how you were intending using their contribution and still gave freely then thats OK too IMHO.

[/ QUOTE ]They were and I made a point of making sure they knew.

[ QUOTE ]
You are disappointed because you didn't get nearer the target that you set yourself, perhaps the real issue was that your target was unrealistic.

£3600 is a tidy sum of money, plus you raised the profile of a very worthy cause, take satisfaction in that.

[/ QUOTE ]i agree. I have to look at the positives and stop focusing on my perceived negatives. It is difficult with so many detractors though that say things that are so personally hurtful.

[ QUOTE ]
However Paul, your PR remains lousy, so I would advise you now let it rest.

[/ QUOTE ]I agree about my PR... it is too close to my heart just to let it go though. It has consumed over 8 months of my life almost 24/7 and it isn't something I can just allow to be rediculed without good reason.

I can't remove myself from the forum either. I feel an intense need to defend me and the event. Rightly or wrongly. It would make more sense to just walk away and I have even asked to be removed from the forum but the powers that be don't want me to go and so I am still here! All the time I am allowed to I will want to be on this forum... it is hugely addictive, useful, funny, humbling, cathartic, money-saving and entertaining but all the time I am here I will always want to put peoples incorrect opinions of me and the event right... just me I suppose and right now I cannot just walk away while I am still being misunderstood and misinterpreted.

Sorry /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I would take more notice of the positive posts Arny, the last couple hit the mark for me.

No amount of explaining and soul searching is going to convince some folk so don't continue to beat yourself up.

You have admitted that your 'fund raising' planning could have been better and clearly it could but sometimes things can be poorly planned due to the enthusiasm of the task.

At the end of the day you have had a unique life experience and raised some funds for the RNLI that had you not carried out your trip would not have been raised. Of course when reality does not meet expectations disappointment is likely.
 
Agreed - ignore the whingers - they do not represent the majority of people on this forum, only themselves. You've done the trip, made it home safe and sound and raised some money for a good cause and really that should be good enough for everyone concerned.
 
Like many on here I support the RNLI on a regular "sub" and also buy all the raffle tickets I'm sent. However, I also "gave" Arny something to prevent him getting lost on this trip. This he thanked me for.

I'm also of the opinion that his voyage was bloody hard work especially when one includes the tin rattling that was done.

I hope that he can be left in peace to begin to remember the enjoyable bits of the trip. This petty, meally mouthed character assassination doesn't become the forum members involved.

Furthermore, life is too short for God's sake.
 
Sounds like a top effort to me Arny.

Easy for people to sit and criticise, at least you had a go mate. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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