Sponsorship

[judydaisy]

Does anyone have experience in doing the camino and at the same time using it (in the right sense of course) to raise money for charitable ends - not mine!
Judy

 

[grayland]

I would assume you would mean having non-Pilgrims "sponsor" your walk in some manner with the proceeds to charity.
I have seen a few posts over the last couple of years in this regard but do not know how they may have turned out.
Hopefully, you are thinking about non-Pilgrims and not suggesting that forum members might be a source of "sponsors". I do remember a couple of attempts by people to get members here to fund their camino. As I remember, they got some advice on how they might work to fund their own way.

 

[TerryB]

Hi Judy,
In April / May 2009, I walked from Exeter Cathedral to Plymouth, caught the ferry to Santander and walked from there to Santiago via Oviedo and Lugo. (The Camino del Norte and the Camino Primitivo).
I was well into preparation when a number of people asked me if I was accepting sponsorship, and if so which charity. So, the sponsorship was an 'afterthought'! Having been born into a farming family and a village boy all my life as well as being Chair of the FCN Devon Support Group, the obvious charity was Farm Crisis Network. http://www.farmcrisisnetwork.org.uk/
Without much effort I had over £500 of promises when I set off. By the end of the year, after several 'Slideshows' and 'talks' locally about my experiences on my walk, we raised over £2000 :shock: Well worth doing.

Points to note are:-
I did NOT make a big thing of 'advertising' or asking around for sponsorship. If it happened, it happened and I was determined that it was NOT the primary reason for my Pilgrimage.
I did put a link up to a 'Justgiving' page which people reading my blog could use (or not) as they wished. http://www.justgiving.com/
I DID NOT mention 'sponsorship to anyone while walking! I was just grateful for the practical help and welcome I received nearly every day from local folk on the way.
The sponsorship was a help spiritually because I was able to focus my thoughts and prayers on the farming scene I walked through day by day. The Spanish farmers at the time were protesting over the low price of milk, as were those I knew back home.

My blog with some of my reflections is here;-
http://walktocompostela.blogspot.co.uk/ ... 9:00-07:00

If you have any specific questions that you want to ask, please send a PM. Or ask them here where others can chip in with their ideas.
For me, what was of primary importance was my Pilgrimage and my 'time out' after 20 years of face to face pastoral work!
Set your priorities (it may be that for you the 'sponsorship' will be of first importance) and stick with what you feel is right.

Blessings on your preparations
Terry

 

[judydaisy]

Naturally! I wouldn't even have thought of this as a possibility...

I would assume you would mean having non-Pilgrims "sponsor" your walk in some manner with the proceeds to charity.
I have seen a few posts over the last couple of years in this regard but do not know how they may have turned out.
Hopefully, you are thinking about non-Pilgrims and not suggesting that forum members might be a source of "sponsors". I do remember a couple of attempts by people to get members here to fund their camino. As I remember, they got some advice on how they might work to fund their own way.

 

[PaulB Hayward]

Hello Judy,
When I walked my Camino in July this year, itwas something that I did for myself; however, the question did come to mind of...why should other people not benefit in some way too.
My Daughter, who walked with me created a page on the 'Just Giving' site, and each of us sent emails to all of our contacts asking them to have a look at the link..if they wanted, they could donate there and then which most did, and we found that people were also forwarding the link to their friends.
Our chosen charity was Cancer Research for personal reasons.

If like us, you feel that you are doing something for yourself, that could benefit others too....then why not?....and of course, using Just Giving, meant that we did not have to handle a penny of anyones money.
I wish you well.
Paul.