Every Friday in the office we get to ‘dress down’; an enjoyable ritual whereby we’re allowed to wear ‘casual’ clothing (i.e. clothing that’s perfectly free to see other people, no questions asked) and in return we throw a few coins into buckets placed strategically at the front door which eventually get donated to the company’s nominated charity.
However staff members undertaking private charity fundraising are allowed to reserve certain Fridays in order to collect the ‘casual’ money for their own particular charity. Four months ago I reserved today for just such an effort which meant that at 7am this morning, I was standing in the reception area of the office rattling my fundraising tin wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and a big beaming smile. Oh, and my running shoes. And socks. And a National Autistic Society t-shirt.
My marketing ‘team’ had placed posters around the office over the past few days advertising the event which, in an effort to ensure maximum attendance, excitement and participation, had suggested the shorts I would exhibit this morning would be, to say the least, of the ‘snug’ variety. Alas.. *cough*.. they weren’t. But hey, marketing works (‘I’m Lovin’ It’?) and the people turned up and only a few (men mainly, wtf?) were disappointed with the ‘exhibition’. When I added up the cash from all the buckets and tins at the end of the day, I’d made £502.55, a fantastic result.
Clearly, this is not the occasion to make observations about the strategies people adopt to give money to charity (or not, as the case may be) but standing at the front door for three hours this morning was a fascinating insight into all the intricacies of human behaviour. So let me just say a very big thank you to everyone who made a donation today, especially Jackie, Tom, Ruth, Big Kenny, John and the others who gave hard-earned notes rather than coins. A special thank you too to Morv for the marketing, the tin-rattling, the coffee and the roll and sausage with potato scone (hey.. I’m ‘carb-loading’, okay?) and to Jamie and Eric who turned up to shake theirs also. Tins, that is.
However staff members undertaking private charity fundraising are allowed to reserve certain Fridays in order to collect the ‘casual’ money for their own particular charity. Four months ago I reserved today for just such an effort which meant that at 7am this morning, I was standing in the reception area of the office rattling my fundraising tin wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and a big beaming smile. Oh, and my running shoes. And socks. And a National Autistic Society t-shirt.
My marketing ‘team’ had placed posters around the office over the past few days advertising the event which, in an effort to ensure maximum attendance, excitement and participation, had suggested the shorts I would exhibit this morning would be, to say the least, of the ‘snug’ variety. Alas.. *cough*.. they weren’t. But hey, marketing works (‘I’m Lovin’ It’?) and the people turned up and only a few (men mainly, wtf?) were disappointed with the ‘exhibition’. When I added up the cash from all the buckets and tins at the end of the day, I’d made £502.55, a fantastic result.
Clearly, this is not the occasion to make observations about the strategies people adopt to give money to charity (or not, as the case may be) but standing at the front door for three hours this morning was a fascinating insight into all the intricacies of human behaviour. So let me just say a very big thank you to everyone who made a donation today, especially Jackie, Tom, Ruth, Big Kenny, John and the others who gave hard-earned notes rather than coins. A special thank you too to Morv for the marketing, the tin-rattling, the coffee and the roll and sausage with potato scone (hey.. I’m ‘carb-loading’, okay?) and to Jamie and Eric who turned up to shake theirs also. Tins, that is.
1 comment:
oooh I read that wrong and now I must confess to being a tad (a smidge, a pinch whatever you will) disappointed.... I thought it said Dressing Gown! You should write that one...... someday, when you get round to it, when you're not off being amazing and putting us mere mortals to shame........
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