Mary Killen Mary Killen

Dear Mary | 8 August 2009

Your problems solved

issue 08 August 2009

Q. I am feeling overwhelmed by the endless stream of sponsorship requests from friends, godchildren and relations, a lot of whom could write a cheque for ten times their target total without batting an eyelid. £15 — the most I could afford given the number of these demands on my overdraft — seems stingy especially when lists of donors and donations are published on the Just Giving website for all to see. I don’t want to watch their progress online as they train for their cycle ride to Bordeaux, I just want to be able to choose my own charities to give to. Is it acceptable to ignore some of these well-intentioned but almost bullying requests?

Name and address withheld

A. It is not acceptable to ignore them but you can field them pleasantly. Even if the nominated ‘charity’ may sometimes be the funding of their own gap year, send notes congratulating the applicants on their energy and commitment.

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