Hey,
I was just wondering what other people are doing? And if they have had any backlash with trying to raise money?
I’m selling these bracelets and was seriously reprimanded on our towns community page for donating do little. The language he used was obscene, has anyone experienced the same.
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That’s awful. I hope you are able to have the comments or this thoughtless person removed from the page. There is no way that it is acceptable to attack someone for trying to do something positive during these challenging times, let alone use bad language towards them.
I use my sewing skills to help good causes, but not by selling items, so I am making scrubs to send to health workers. I’ve only made three sets so far, I get a bit upset that I haven’t managed more. Three feels like a drop in the ocean, but I like to think that no-one would criticise me for making so few! I find it’s not only a way of helping, it’s a way of coping too.
Your bracelets are very pretty. It’s not very clear though when you say !0% of the profits from the sale how that is going to be worked out. 10% of the sale price? 10% of the amount left after cost of materials? After labour costs? Are you taking fees out first? None of these are right or wrong, it’s up to you, but I think people are more comfortable (and therefore more likely to buy!) if they know how much of their payment is going to charity. I’d be inclined to state “40p from each sale” or something like that, but I’m speaking from a customer’s point of view because as I say it’s not something I would do as a seller.
Anyway, good for you for doing something positive, I hope it will help both your business and our NHS workers. Don’t get involved in an argument with Mr. Nasty ! xxx
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It is tough when so many are donating time and goods for free. I’m making facemasks for locals and yes, I’m charging a small amount for them. When questioned as to why they weren’t completely free, I could answer honestly.
1- they’re for non NHS people, aren’t medical items, they’re face coverings for use in shops as we’ve been asked to do by the Scottish govt.
2 - I’m self employed so don’t get any financial aid at the moment, no furlough, no 80% of my salary.
3 - I’m actually working from home, and work is paid for, like all the civil servants working from home are still being paid.
4 - you don’t have to buy from me. Tie a scarf round your face.
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I have a few people on my facebook page who are making masks, some are doing them for free and some are making them for sale. A couple of the people who are selling them have had a bit of a backlash with people saying that they should be free. But not everyone can give out freebees.
You don’t need to justify to anyone why or how you are selling your bracelets, Haters are gonna hate whatever happens. You are doing the correct thing for you.
I know a lot of people are making them for free but there are also lots of businesses and individuals who really do need to charge, after all it’s their business.
I have some Peg Doll Nurses and I’m giving a percentage of sales to the NHS charity, Please don’t listen to the negative people and carry on doing what you are doing.
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Hi ‘plum’
Thanks for the great advice, I’m actually giving 10% of my profits after everything is taken out. I like to sell the bracelet’s for an affordable price, so the profits are not that great. I understand exactly what you saying with regards to an amount rather than a %, I will definitely near this in mind…I may well change it to that.
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I echo everything you have said. I’m self employed taxi driver…so you can imagine. My wife’s company is going out of business, they are just winding it down. She is a partner of a massive company in London, we are hanging on by our finger nails. Yes I want to try and earn some money, but we always try to give back a little where we can.
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This is so heartbreaking. I sincerely hope this can at some point work out for you and the thousands, nay, millions of people whose lives have been literally turned upside down this last three months or so.
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That’s sad when you are trying to help, perhaps people havn’t read the full post and think you are trying to make money from the circumstances, maybe make it clear at the top of your promotion that you are raising funds for the NHS. I wonder if those selling face masks will receive the same kind of response?
I made scrubs for Hull Royal Infirmary, managed 10 sets, 80 volunteers made 550 pairs which was amazing. They were delivered last week and I’ve just volunteered to make another 10 sets, they will be for local GP’s and nursing staff, just waiting on fabric to make a start.
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Someone asked me about making scrubs, but they wanted me to supply the fabric myself. I was supposed to spend £££ on fabric AND donate my time on top. I’m not in a position to buy fabric for anything, let along adult sized scrubs that could take 2 - 3m per set. I’m all for being supportive and doing what I can, but I’m just not prepared to set myself on fire to keep someone else (who volunteered me to do this) feeling good about themselves for “doing their part” (ie by getting someone else to do the work and cover the cost). I’m afraid I laughed rather hysterically in her face and asked her to provide the fabric herself. She refused to and told me I was being selfish. This situation has brought out the very best AND the very worst in people.
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@Beesandblossoms… No that’s terrible of a so called friend, noone expects people to do it if they can’t afford to surely.
We actually had a Go Fund me page and raised £6000 to make 550 sets, I made a donation as i was promoting the cause and gave my time but my donation was because i wanted to help raise the money to do them. We raised enough for th NHS fabrics so they could go to the hospital and are now fund raising for the ones to go to the community nurses etc . The lady that started ours has a daughter in the village who works in ICU and she initially made her a couple of pairs then wanted to do more. She put a post on FB asking for volunteers, i said I would help but we needed around 4metres per set, the £6000 was raised locally within a week on FB. She never expected us to fund it all ourselves. I spent another £20 on threads for overlocker and sewing machine so it cost me around £50 in total but that was my choice no-one asked me to. I think your friend has asked far too much of you and has been nasty in the process and actually offering your time should have been enough x.
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The first 4 sets of scrubs I made, I bought the fabric myself, and saw it as a donation from myself if you like, just like Debbie. No one asked me to, and not everyone would be in a position to spend as I was, but it felt much more like an emergency a few weeks ago. After that, I asked if it was possible to have fabric, and have been supplied with pre cut bundles of 5 to make at a time, because, like Debbie, there has since been huge amounts of crowd funding, donations and publicity locally. Now we have also moved on to supplying the care sector and the group has just designed their own website, and are much more in a position to supply all materials to their volunteers. The speed with which they have got cash and organised is truly amazing. I am a slow sewer, but some women have made dozens of scrubs.Don’t know how they do it! Next up we are doing samples for the dreaded face masks, will be interested to see what they come up with there!
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Great news @PetraBradleyPrints, they really have done some amazing fund raising for the scrubs, every county,town etc seems to have it’s own group of volunteers
Tracey who started ours has been brilliant and worked very hard, giving so much time and effort with the huge amount of organising she had. There was an article in the Hull Daily Mail when the first scrubs were handed over, quite emotional to see the amount of people in this cou try giving so much back. Well done on all of your hard work x
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Yup, There’s some great stuff going on in all walks of life right now from home schooling to keeping an eye on your folks and neighbours. Am always amazed when people just get something going if you like! How they manage to galvanise others to join in and achieve things x
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