I'm so angry/upset

[Headbanging Vonnie]

I sent an email round work on Friday asking for donations for my Race for Life and I got an email from the firms "charity officer" telling me off. Apparently it is not the firm's policy to promote charities other than the firm's "charity of the year". I wonder if she would be so rude if I told her my best friend has today been diagnosed with cancer.:hissyfit:

[duck_egg]

how awful, should your colleagues want to sponsor you then surely thats down to the individual and not the company? xxx

[Headbanging Vonnie]

Apparently you can email individuals - there are about 200-odd people just in the London office.

Anyway I just sent this reply, what do you think:

"I'm afraid your message hasn't caught me on a good day as my best friend was diagnosed with breast cancer today so I can't apologise for the email - although I did not know about the policy and had seen other people in the past sending firmwide emails asking for donations.

Yvonne"

I can't get in trouble for that, can I?shrugshoulders111

[Ravenfire]

:kisshands:Sorry to hear about your friend

[shel]

Corporate burocracy sucks. There's not much I can say to help, but I've done what I can (sorry its not more).

[Headbanging Vonnie]

Corporate burocracy sucks. There's not much I can say to help, but I've done what I can (sorry its not more).

No its wonderful thanks.:kisshands:

[*Yvonne*]

I have added my donation with the hope I will be able to add more later, when are you doing the race - sorry if I've missed it somewhere. :kisshands: ""cutey""b :kisshands:

[Headbanging Vonnie]

If you look at the fundraising section there is a sticky where everyone puts their details. Mine is on 29th June. Thanks so much for your help Yvonne:kisshands:

[CarerQuie]

Oh how annoying.xx

[*Yvonne*]

I'll add some more after my holiday then, hope you raise lots of money!

[Whassat]

:kisshands: sorry to hear about your friend Yvonne. hope the charity jobsworth person has a heart xx

[essexgirl]

sorry to hear about ur friend:kisshands::kisshands:

[Headbanging Vonnie]

I just got this email back - its very blah blah blah so I understand if you don't read it...

Yvonne,

I'm truly sorry about your friend.

This really isn't personal and by no means is anyone pointing the finger of blame your way. As I said in my email, I totally appreciate you may not have known about the policy and as such I really didn't expect an apology for you sending it.

As you rightly pointed out, sometimes people send emails to the "London office" or "All SJB Offices" asking for donations or sponsorships and each time they do I am then asked by the partners in the CSR Committee to reiterate that they shouldn't be doing this as it goes against the firm's "charity of the year" arrangement. Unfortunately, once the email is sent, I can't get it back so all we can do is politely ask people to not do so again in the future. Especially important as it is very rare that people only send the one email - it's natural to give the recipients a further prompt or last chance to sponsor (I do it myself for every fundraising initiative).

Another point to bear in mind is that now that the firm has grown to over 1000 people working here, you can imagine that if there wasn't this policy in place there would also be numerous emails sent around the firm asking for such sponsorship requests and some people would consider these emails a nuisance. This sits alongside the general IT policy about not emailing the "London office" about non-work related requests - asking for personal charitable donations is no different. That may sound a little harsh as at the end of the day we know the sender is only trying to raise money for a good cause - however, hopefully you can understand why such policies have to be in place. The firm is not stopping anyone from asking their friends/colleagues and departments for charitable donations - just restricting firmwide emails about it.

My firmwide email after your note was to ensure there are no further emails of the same type - it's coming up for the marathon and there are numerous people around the firm trying to raise funds for their own causes - we were simply trying to stop a chain reaction of lots of people going against this policy. As you mention in your email, you thought it was ok to send a London office email as you have seen others do so previously so there was every reason that others may think in the same way.

All that aside, Yvonne I really hope you do well in your fundraising. I'm with you that it is a very good cause that deserves every penny that can be raised and I'm sure your friends, family and colleagues will give you every support.

Best regards

[Catkin]

well that was quite nice of her. I suppose she is only doing her job.

Huge hugs to you and your friend Von

x x x

[Ravenfire]

That was a nice email back I think. It sounds like she is just doing her job at the end of the day and following guidelines she has been set. You will just have to sit and do individual emails instead..lol! Either that or send 1,000 to your boss!!!

[Headbanging Vonnie]

That was a nice email back I think. It sounds like she is just doing her job at the end of the day and following guidelines she has been set. You will just have to sit and do individual emails instead..lol! Either that or send 1,000 to your boss!!!

My boss is so tight I wouldn't expect anything from him. Two years ago he told me he had bought me a Christmas present. I'm still waiting for it!

Also I was wondering about this woman. Her job title is "Charity Officer" - how does this make for a full time position?

[Squishymama]

I am so sorry to hear about your friend Yvonne.

Good luck with the race for life too. I am very happy to sponser you, (though I will have to wait till payday- would that be ok, or is that too late? It is only at the end of the month)

[Headbanging Vonnie]

I am so sorry to hear about your friend Yvonne.

Good luck with the race for life too. I am very happy to sponser you, (though I will have to wait till payday- would that be ok, or is that too late? It is only at the end of the month)

The event isn't until the end of June.:kisshands:

[Jacks Aunty]

Sorry to hear about your friend.
And i hope your boss digs deep & gives you a donation.

[Jen]

Surely all people would have to do is ignore any mail they decide not to acknowledg.

[Headbanging Vonnie]

Sorry to hear about your friend.
And i hope your boss digs deep & gives you a donation.

:hysterica :hysterica :hysterica

[Jacks Aunty]

You never know :cheesy:
I have yet to ask my boss to sponsor me so i might get same response lol

[Jen]

:hysterica :hysterica :hysterica

So I take it you boss won't be donating then:cheesy:

[Headbanging Vonnie]

So I take it you boss won't be donating then:cheesy:

I think the more money they have the more stingy they are. He is so tight he pays for everything - including his fish macs when he misses dinner in the restaurant - on client account, never comes out of his own pocket.