Children in need

Am I the only miserable old so and so who hates this marathon of emotional blackmail?

They tempt us by advertising this person, or that t.v. programme will be 'featured' only for us to find that there is actually thirty minutes or more of 'presenter hysteria' and the aforementioned emotional blackmail, only to find that the promised feature lasts a nanosecond, blink and you will miss them.

And it seems that some charities use the occasion to increase their 'prices', for instance last year, for several months prior to the big Friday night spectacular, there had been a series of charity appeals for donations towards purchasing mosquito nets, the tag line being that £3.00 could pay for one and save a child's life. BUT on the big night this had gone up to £5.00 per item! Also the 'text' donations have gradually gone up from an initial £1.00 to this years £5.00.

Nope tis a night for reducing stuff on the sky+ box for me.

Re: Children in need

When it first started all those years ago it was fresh and new and I think it made a difference but now it always looks a bit tired and I am not sure how much good it actually is doing. Haven't watched for about 4 years.

Re: Children in need

Cant stand anything that drags on and on .......

Re: Children in need

CIN annoys me , I am capable of deciding for myself which charities I wish to support without the help of emotional blackmail .

Re: Children in need

I don't watch it either. It is just another form of begging, using people's emotions.

Re: Children in need

I agree. I never watch it. I do though have a friend who helps out on the phone lines, which is admirable of her!

It's just not for me. Yes, clearing the Sky+ box sounds good to me too, now I've seen the ITV offering is football! Yikes.

Re: Children in need

Nope don't watch it either, even the comedians are strangely unfunny. I'd rather give some money to the Phillipine disaster.

Re: Children in need

don't watch it now..i did at first....I give to whatever charity i want ....usually cancer charities...what i don't like is when they ask you for a certain amount.

Re: Children in need

I have to be bluntly honest in my opinion here, I thought it was a great idea when it first came out, but like everything else that starts off with the best intentions, the greed set in, it has became a sort of business expecting the yields from the good natured public to increase every year regardless of their own personal hardships, the money donated and the event is now taken for granted and that is a bad thing in any charity. Then the final financial frenzy, the counting of the money, How much! how much!, thoughts of Scrooge flash through my mind, I wonder how much goes on 'Administration', the whole thing makes me sick now and I never look at it anymore, I'd sooner give a fiver to a beggar on the street, at least I know he's getting the fiver.

Re: Children in need

I've been watching The One Show this week-and The rickshaw team,these young people are putting their heart and sole into trying to raise money for less fortunate children than themselves, a young man who has no hands , a Down syndrome girl who fell off but after got back on again . I text to TEAM 70705 my £5 donation I thought it was the least I could do .And yes I do watch most of it on Friday.