A Trials Fund Raiser, Would It Work?

[Krisboats]

Right then, my reply in the thread about trials ridings effect on global destruction got me thinking. Everyone says we need to get trials more mainstream, loads of people moan we're just silly kids on bikes being anti-social... why not do a massive charity publicity stunt?

I'm not talking small scale here, i'm thinking like a massive event on the scale of the london marathon and similar events. If we could get enough people and get them sponsored with enough money we could pull something like this off, get some coverage by newspapers and film crews if its possible. Something on a completely massive scale.

It would get trials in the limelight, show we cared and aren't antisocial immature children, would get everyone together for the biggest ride we've ever had and most importantly we'd be raising money to help people who need help. Cancer research, RSPCA, NSPCC... there's so many different organisations that we could help out.

However i think if its going to happen we need to see who would turn up and whether you would take part or not. This is going to need serious planning and commitment should it get that far, but its something i would be proud to be a part of.

EDIT: Yes, i'm aware i put rainsing funds... just can't change it

Edited November 30, 2006 by Krisboats

[Walleee]

I'm not talking small scale here, i'm thinking like a massive event on the scale of the london marathon and similar events

Sorry to be negative (again) but like I said in the other thread, Trials isn't big enough to have such an effect, fair enough you could organise a 'big' ride but never will anyone organise anything like a london marathon on trials bike's (regarding numbers attending) there just isn't enough rider/square kilometer......

Like apart from competition's do many ride's ever have more than even 100 people at them? I wouldn't know but i'd imagine that the majority wouldn't, maybe big thing's, but even then it's not going to be more than a few hundred, and even that sounds funny.....

[JT!]

It sounds like the kind of thing someone would think about, and then realise it would be impossible to do, and then forget it. You've just gone one step further and posted the idea.

I think news reporters would be more likely to be interested in a sponcerd walk that a group of 4 year olds are doing round a feild than a few trials riders hopping about on a few creats.

Also, you have to think about the expence to set up an area to ride, which no one will pay for. And a billion other things that'll stop it from happening.

The london marathon has more people running it than there are trials riders in the UK. And probably only 15% of them will be involved in it.

If trials has the potential to go mainstream, it will do in it's own time, and not becuase we're ramming it down peoples throughts.

Edited November 30, 2006 by JT!

[Jang]

All i can say, DJ Memorial Ride.

I personally think (maybe cause i knew DJ that i'm biased) but if we had a big ride, we COULD manage to get an area, COULD manage to get some pallets etc, we could pull it off, there are alot of minds to be put together, behind those minds could come alot of persuasive force.

IF the ride went ahead, i feel any money raised shouldn't be given to people like RSPCA, rather towards a better course maybe something along the lines of funding towards a youth centres/projects or towards youth offender scheme's, something to keep the b*****d skallys out of cars at 16 and off the feckin streets, stop them pinching our feckin bikes aswell.

Fair enough people like RSPCA need funding, you in your time may have seen an abandoned pet in your time, but DJ's death hits home alot harder then a bloody cat going missing.

I feel personally if anything is done its done for DJ. Nothing else hits the trials scene harder then that tragic event, so why not use the trials influence to its maximum and help do something about it!

Only thing that has crossed my mind though, your saying getting sponsorship money, but for what? Were not going to be riding for 30 miles or something, are you just expecting us to get paid to turn upto the day?

Ta, Jang.

[Jamie_Neal]

I say it's a good idea. We did an event in Swansea at the beginning of September to raise the profile of skating, bmx, dirt jumping and trials in comjunction with the council. It turned out to be really good as the skate bit cost loads in flooring and ramps, the dirt bit cost a bit for some soil (landings - the parks people didn't want us digging holes) and the trials bit was basically free.

We ended up with about 30-40 donated pallets (bear in mind there were only 6 riders) a few oil drums and a couple of planks. We nearly got a car as well only the council wouldn't let us as it was from the reclaimed vehicles unit as wasn't meant to be moved let alone ridden on.

If you could get a large haulage firm interested (good publicity) I'm sure they'd donate an artics load of pallets and probably the trailer to ride on. The hardest part is finding the land to do it on as insurance and stuff then becomes a problem - you'd have to know who was riding. But then a council may see it as a good idea.

Definatly worth a try - also, the one we did in Swansea should be happening again next year, hopefully when it's a bit dryer.

[poopipe]

I kind of think a large scale ride might be pushing it a bit - I can imagine having trouble getting a venue together and enough coverage to make it really worthwhile from the point of view of anyone contributing.

However... a smaller demo in public might work - people seem to enjoy watching those. local companies would be well up for a bit of charity related publicity.

The one big question I've got is how you're going to actually raise money for the charity. You can't just expect people to hand money over for a show they can watch for free and you can't expect people who don't give a toss about trials to pay entry for an event they don't give a toss about.

[basher]

Hmmmmmmmmm i think your intension are right but you are thinking on a far to big scale. I agree fully about the money should go into youth centres ect theres far to many chavs now who asking you if they can go on your bike so they can rob it. I think it could be done with the right person organising it, but im not sure what you mean by sponsorship dont see how that will work i thought something like the riders pays a amount or something, it seems like that the envent wouldn't be made worth while for the amount it would raise unless someone comes up with another idea to get the money. How ever much of a good idea it is i just dont think it will happen but would support it if it did.

[PaRtZ]

The one big question I've got is how you're going to actually raise money for the charity. You can't just expect people to hand money over for a show they can watch for free

£13.57

Thats what we (freeride_trials) raised whilst doing a small event, NOT for charity either, no more than maybe 36m squared area on the prom. Basically, (after all the permissions were sorted out) we turned up, built a rig and then just chilled out all day riding it and talking to some people.

I think its do-able, but I wouldn't travel to london for it. Thats why I think smaller, regional demo's would be better so that way people may be able to turn up to a couple if they wanted

Also I doubt it would be that hard to get going because all you need to do is ask your council nicely if you can do it, ask if they'll provide the fences too (cos you definitly need them) and your away. The only real problem is sorting out things to ride lol

[Krisboats]

Okay, after having a look at the massive planning and regulations and things i think the single big ride idea is going to be too hard to pull off.

My plan was try and get permission by the local authorities to have maybe a large are of town square/open space.... maybe even a road and then have a large demo for the public, with people getting sponsorship money from people at home and things (think sponsored silence type sponsorship) and then setting up an area and having people with collection buckets collecting donations from the audiences.

I've really been looking into it and from what i can tell all we need is planning permission, to fill out a form about collecting money in public (to do with tax and stuff), insurance coverage, media coverage and riders/obstacles.

I don't want this idea to flop, but it is going to be hard. I best get e-mailing some councils and things today asking for advice and venues and things.

EDIT: I agree with the DJ inspired idea too, and raising money for somethign along the lines of young offender correctional facilities/youth sports facilities.

Edited November 30, 2006 by Krisboats

[TomR]

I think now is as good a time as any, if not better. Its been covered in papers, the TV (blue peter etc), maybe get a magazine like Nuts to cover it?

[Walleee]

I've really been looking into it and from what i can tell all we need is planning permission, to fill out a form about collecting money in public (to do with tax and stuff), insurance coverage, media coverage and riders/obstacles.

don't you need loads of riders too? I see why your doing it, and it's a nice idea, but there are much better ways to raise money, after that environment thread it seems people are trying to make every little bit of their life relate to trials, giving to charity, recycling.... Why can't you just do a sponsored walk I'd imagine that would cost nothing, planning is basically setting up a route and having a few marshalls every mile or so with water.

If your wanting to do something for charity, trials isn't the way, there are better ways to make money.....

[Fixed Pants™]

I've picked history as one of my GCSE subjects, and have learnt about all the what not on how Hitler etc gained all his power or something, he got media and stuff (i don't have a clue as to what i'm talking about but it sounds good)

We need to contact all the terrestrial TV stations, ask them for some coverage... You and they could say; 'well you've seen it on Blue Peter, you've seen it in The Sun virals, on the internet perhaps, but we've got some coverage of it, and to top it off, it's for charity' just to give it an intro and stuff, just to show it's not as anti social and just a silly sport as people thought.

What we definetly do need is media. Also, contact all types of bussiness, wether it be big or small, so they can advertise (funds event it's self or the sponsorship).

Basically, it should be a publicity stunt for trials, a bussiness opportunity for small bussinesses mainly, but still go mainstream on the bussiness idea AND to raise money for charity. Perfect advert for trials.

Gotta think of a way we're gonna get sponsored though, '10 quid if you can tap a 50" wall' etc possibly.

This will work if you put the right effort and planning into it.

I voted:

Yes

Yes

Multiple

Planning and raising funds

Edited November 30, 2006 by Fat Pants

[Krisboats]

don't you need loads of riders too? I see why your doing it, and it's a nice idea, but there are much better ways to raise money, after that environment thread it seems people are trying to make every little bit of their life relate to trials, giving to charity, recycling.... Why can't you just do a sponsored walk I'd imagine that would cost nothing, planning is basically setting up a route and having a few marshalls every mile or so with water.

If your wanting to do something for charity, trials isn't the way, there are better ways to make money.....

Keep reading, it was a list of things... look at the end of the sentence, oh yeah, theres the mention of needing riders

If i was thinking about doing something purely for the benefit of a charity i'd go to oxfam and buy some clothes or donate some money to the charity directly. The aim is to show the public that we, as riders, want to make contributions and do good things, effectively showing people we care... and at the same time its some publicity for trials riding as well.

[Jang]

Gotta think of a way we're gonna get sponsored though, '10 quid if you can tap a 50" wall' etc possibly.

Thats just silly.. Say there are 100 riders who fancied doing this ride.. maybe only 30 of those can tap a 50" wall.. Thus single'ing out a hell of a lot of riders.. Bit silly that idea, but keep thinking!

The aim is to show the public that we, as riders, want to make contributions and do good things, effectively showing people we care...

and at the same time its some publicity for trials riding as well.

First bit, AMEN!

Second bit.. Why the hell do we want more publicity?

[joe b]

I'm not talking small scale here, i'm thinking like a massive event on the scale of the london marathon

any money raised shouldn't be given to people like RSPCA, rather towards a better course maybe something along the lines of funding towards a youth centres/projects or towards youth offender scheme's, something to keep the b*****d skallys out of cars at 16 and off the feckin streets, stop them pinching our feckin bikes aswell.

We need to contact all the terrestrial TV stations, ask them for some coverage... You and they could say; 'well you've seen it on Blue Peter, you've seen it in The Sun virals, on the internet perhaps, but we've got some coverage of it, and to top it off, it's for charity' just to give it an intro and stuff, just to show it's not as anti social and just a silly sport as people thought.

Sorry, but there's some serious bullshit in this thread . Again, i'm sorry, but merely reading some of the posts makes me giggle.

It's a great idea to be ambitious and thoughtful about our sport and where its going. But, like many people have already stated, it can be done, but it just wont be; theres too many problems that will be encountered. And, i'm sorry too be the one that's to point this out but riders will say they will help, and then wont. There are too many lazy people about (probably including me; the reason i seem so negative about your approach). Granted... There are a few people who would be determined to see this idea through, however, there just aren't enough people like that.

And, seriously, coverage on a terrestrial TV Channel. Like i said above, being ambitious is good but that takes the piss. It would never happen; not now anyway, that's for sure!

Cheers,

Joe.

[Fixed Pants™]

Thats just silly.. Say there are 100 riders who fancied doing this ride.. maybe only 30 of those can tap a 50" wall.. Thus single'ing out a hell of a lot of riders.. Bit silly that idea, but keep thinking!

Merely a suggestion, just somethign along the lines of it, possibly something to do with personal bests?

[Dan6061]

To be honest, i'd rather trials was kept as a 'small sport'.

I like the idea of making it bigger, and showing that we're not all druggiesd and vandals..

But if it does get huge, more kids will get into it, and they could be the sort we don't want.

Then we'll just get hated again/even more.

It's like BMX, it must've been small at one point, with all sound riders etc. Now you see all kind of little skally kids riding them about.

I kinda for and against this...

[Simpson]

Right the major problem isnt really the riders too much so i dont think...

if you turn up at any london ride theres always 20ish riders regularly...

if they all raised a tenna then thats 200 pounds.....

the problem is sponsership is usually donated through miles of running not

just going out on a normal ride...........

i think your going to be most sucessfull with 1 massive ride with lots of notice

becuase simutanious planning for 10 councils to provide space for 10 events at

the same time is unlikley to be honest...........

but the problem with 1 big ride is, is that they'ed be no way of trying to get people

into mini comps of some sport to earn sponsership.......

dont get me wrong im very charitable and think the publicity is a great idea but......

i think your more likey to earn money the tom_turd way when he did that rally....

or taking a tin round at a massive organised event.....

or changing a fiver entrance to a planned council approved do sorta thing......

or making your money though selling hot dogs and burgers for 3quid and donating

all your profits to charity... maybee try and get major sponsers to cover it??

[Rebelistic]

I think it's a really good idea. Maybe easier as a smaller event(s). I like the idea of a massive event in London but the organisation would be very tricky and there would be less chance of success.

In Leicester this last summer there was a biking event at Bead Island park (BMX and Dirt jump mainly) and I rode on the BMX ramps for a bit.

Cyclemagic (the charity that recondition old bikes for disabled people(I think)) were there and it seemd like a good event.

If it was done again it could have some trials obsticles and as many trials riders as possible.

Perhaps riders could get sponsorship individually for the charity of their choice or have one charity for the whole event?

Maybe the sponsorship should be just for taking part in the event?

Still I think it is a good Idea but maybe should be done on a smaller local scale first, before trying to make it really big.