Dublin to Paris Cycle in July

michaelm

Just found a link to this cycle in yesterday's Sunday Tribune - it's a fully supported sportive from Dublin to Paris - leaving from UCD on Sunday July 19th, arriving in Paris 5 days later (you cycle to Rosslare over 2 days then take the ferry to Cherbourg and on to Paris). I had been thinking about doing one of these from London - but this is even better, even more so given that it is in aid of the Irish Hospice Foundation. The downside is that participants have to raise €3,500, nevertheless I'm seriously considering giving it a go. Would anyone else from here have any interest? if so we could perhaps put our heads together on the fundraising issue. I would even welcome interesting fundraising ideas from anyone who has perhaps undertaken something on this scale before.

Full details of the event are available here

By the way you arrive in Paris on the final weekend of the Tour!

TinyExplosions

I'd be interested, at least in principle!

Chris Peak

So would I...in principle

Could you open the PDF brochure?

TinyExplosions

Yup... and it's a little misleading imo... it says you have to pay 250 on registration, then 750 to take part, and raise 2500... on the website, it says you just raise 3500 -I know it's a subtle difference, but do we have to pay the 1000, or get it in sponsorship!?

I'm actually tempted to try it on a fixie :eek:

Chris Peak

I wonder why I can't open it? The pooter must be tired.

The €1000 would be for your accommodation, food and transport etc

The rest would go to the hospice. I doubt if they'll refuse you if you're a bit below the target.
That said, there was a bit of a fuss at another well know (health) charity 2 or 3 years ago when the organizers refused to let one guy go on a trip because, on that occasion, he didn't raise enough. The previous years he often raised a couple of grand OVER the required amount.

TinyExplosions

I realise it's for accommodation, its the question of if you can 'use' some of the sponsorship to pay for that (like a lot of other charities do for the treks in Nepal etc etc), or do you have to stump up that out your own pocket? So if you get 4500 sponsorship, you cover your costs, and donate 3500 to the charity?

Chris Peak

TinyExplosions wrote: »

I realise it's for accommodation, its the question of if you can 'use' some of the sponsorship to pay for that (like a lot of other charities do for the treks in Nepal etc etc), or do you have to stump up that out your own pocket? So if you get 4500 sponsorship, you cover your costs, and donate 3500 to the charity?

From what I gather, €3500 is the total amount given over.
The break-down isn't very clear is it?
If the €750 is to take part, which probably pays for all your travel and food expenses, where does the €250 registration fee go? Is the administration and advertising really that much?
Somebody other than the hospice is doing nicely.

michaelm

In my opinion the breakdown is as follows: The total amount handed over is €3,500 - of which all but the €750 cost goes to the charity. I am presuming that the registration fee is more to do with securing your place on the event and that as it is going to the charity can be taken from the sponsorship money. I will contact the organisation tomorrow to get confirmation.

cgf

From the PDF:

Complete and return the attached registration form together with a non-refundable deposit of €250.
Between now and the departure of the cycle, you will need to provide a total of €3,250 to guarantee
your place on the challenge. The payment schedule is as follows:
Registration €250 Upon registration
Tour cost €750 1st May 2009
Sponsorship €2,500 6th July 2009



I would suspect that 1k is for the tour costs and 2.5k for the charity. A very worthy cause might I add.

penexpers

Chris Peak wrote: »

I wonder why I can't open it? The pooter must be tired.

The €1000 would be for your accommodation, food and transport etc

The rest would go to the hospice. I doubt if they'll refuse you if you're a bit below the target.
That said, there was a bit of a fuss at another well know (health) charity 2 or 3 years ago when the organizers refused to let one guy go on a trip because, on that occasion, he didn't raise enough. The previous years he often raised a couple of grand OVER the required amount.

Generally if you don't raise enough, you don't get to go. Happened a friend of mine who was trying to raise money to walk around Peru (I think).

Raising 2,500 or 3,500 in sponsorship in 6 months is a tall order, especially in the current economic times.

Chris Peak

penexpers wrote: »

Generally if you don't raise enough, you don't get to go. Happened a friend of mine who was trying to raise money to walk around Peru (I think).

Raising 2,500 or 3,500 in sponsorship in 6 months is a tall order, especially in the current economic times.

He was doing this event with a group from his hiking club. In previous years he raised well over the required amount. As a group, they would hand over an extra 15-20k. This guy was a bit p#ssed off because he was €100 short and the woman wouldn’t take into account his previous contributions.
When the club heard about this, the following year they only raised the bare minimum as a protest. And this time they went in together and told the organisers why there was such a shortfall.

You’re right about getting €3,500 in the next 6 months. (Not impossible though). The registration fee of €250 is also a bit steep. Especially as it’s coming out of your own pocket, until you recoup it of course.

That all said. It is a very worthy cause and will probably be a great trip.

penexpers

Chris Peak wrote: »

He was doing this event with a group from his hiking club. In previous years he raised well over the required amount. As a group, they would hand over an extra 15-20k. This guy was a bit p#ssed off because he was €100 short and the woman wouldn’t take into account his previous contributions.
When the club heard about this, the following year they only raised the bare minimum as a protest. And this time they went in together and told the organisers why there was such a shortfall.

Ok that is odd. My uncle is a serial fundraiser for Our Ladys Hospital (he goes on their cycle "challenger" every year). You need to raise 5000 euro every year and if you raise more than 5000 in any one year you can carry the balance forward. In his first year, he raised 8000 euro, so only needed to raise 2000 euro the following year.

michaelm

I emailed, and later spoke directly to the person in the Irish Hospice Foundation about the issues mentioned and got the following reply:

"Thanks for that – To clarify your point, the overheads of the trip are €1,000 (which includes five nights hotel accommodation, bed on the ferry, almost all meals with the exception of meals on the ferry, all the relevant back up and support, plus the flight home). We have worked very hard to keep overheads to a minimum – we haven’t even printed the brochure. The €250 registration is to ensure that the cost of the flight and ferry are covered, as we have to book these quite far in advance. You would be amazed at the amount of people who sign up only to drop out at the very last minute.

The reason we have broken down the costs is to be as transparent as possible, as people do ask about what proportion of the overall cost is going to the charity. Also, some participants do prefer to meet the direct costs themselves and fundraise for the balance whereas others prefer to fundraise for the full amount. Either way, we are on hand to offer whatever help and support we can. It is a challenge to raise funds, but certainly not impossible.

Thanks for your interest".

It's very straightforward - the cost of the trip is €1000 - but the charity need to book and pay in advance for the ferry and flights in particular - hence the €250 registration fee. Whether some or all of this comes from the overall €3,500 is a personal decision. In my case where I'm in full employment and on a reasonable salary I'm going to pay my own way if I decide to do it. If I was a student or just after starting work with large financial committments then I would see no problem with paying some or all of the costs from the amount raised.

If a few from here decided to do it I think there is the very real possibility of us having a combined fundraising venture to help us on our way - any thoughts?