Message from Arthritis Care

3 April 08

Message from Arthritis Care


Dear Mary,

I am writing to you in the light of what I have learned about the plans for your trip, to express my deep concern about the health and safety issues involved.

In October, we responded to your request for support for your challenge with an offer of publicity and fundraising ideas, and we said we would inform branches about your itinerary. However, we were not asked to plan and manage the event. An event of this kind is a serious logistical challenge, which our fundraising team is not equipped to meet – that is why we do not initiate these kinds of challenges ourselves as a charity.

As time has gone on, it has become increasingly clear to us that you have not been able to put in place the kind of safety measures, volunteer support, personal care, insurance, permissions and organisation that will keep you, and any volunteers, safe on your journey.

In January, we wrote to you to highlight some of the issues and suggest you consider postponing. We believe that the situation has not changed enough since then for us to alter our view that to proceed would not be in your own best interests.

The health and safety of those involved in fundraising in aid of our charity is of paramount concern to us. And in particular, given the advice from the police, I am sure you will understand that I cannot associate Arthritis Care with a decision to go ahead.

I very much appreciate the fact that you had chosen to fundraise in aid of our organisation, and I am sorry that this decision comes relatively late in your planning. Had we understood the nature of the risks involved sooner, we would have had to withdraw earlier, but as soon as we did become aware of the problems, we acted in what we believe is the best interests of both yourself and our charity.

I know you will be disappointed by this decision, and will naturally feel let down,
but I am afraid I have no alternative but to confirm that Arthritis Care cannot support a decision to go ahead.


Yours sincerely


Jo O’Boyle
Director, Marketing & Fundraising
Arthritis Care