Pi**ing in wind with some of these on here. I can guarantee these people would say absolutely nothing to your face either.
I dont think it was an endorsement of the right wing. Feels more like a preemptive defence of how some immediately go after 'the wealthy', despite many of said 'wealthy' aren't actually too well off. Similar to treating all the farmers the same, despite some being tiny and others being mega corporations. Some people just don't actually have a clue about all the finances or red tape around it (not including you, mate, its just why in my opinion he said it).
Just an opinion and an observation, as i saw it, 6 / 7 volunteers stood outside Market, 5 / 6 volunteers in the Alhambra, good on them an thankyou for the time an effort you gave. I used to be a poppy appeal collector in many Towns an Cities around the Country, strategically positioned volunteers would benefit the collection more, or charge a pound a person on entry, good Music is worth a quid surely Thankyou.
Qr code on front page of chronicle and any social media posts would be the way forward in this day and age surely.
Get rid of thi buckets and buy a Sumup, welcome to the 21st century. I can't remember the last time l went on a night out with money.
What about a dedicated Barnsley Live app? How expensive an undertaking would this be? The AppSheet timetable was fine but a bespoke app could open to a page offering Donate or Skip as the first option, then lead you to the Givetap page or the timetable respectively. Also IIRC the donations page required card details and could not process payment with PayPal, Google, Apple Pay platforms. The easier you make it to donate and the more charitable donation is integrated as part and parcel of the event, the better it will do. I can't say I religiously followed the build up but I attended the day unable to name the charity partner. On the day I saw half a dozen bucket collectors (wasn't carrying cash), heard no bands appeal for donations at start or end of set and didn't donate until someone on the bus home suggested it and got the link up on his phone for me to copy into my browser address bar. I've topped that up and shared the link on socials since the appeal on here. I understand (though felt it not my place to point out) the difficulties of altering bar pricing for one day only. The tone of your riposte however, that anyone who didn't know about the charity is an idiot, anyone who didn't donate before is a lazy freeloader and anyone suggesting the organisers could look at different ideas to promote giving are a lynch mob, does neither yourself nor the event any favours. Left wing and proud of it, incidentally.
As a Green voter for decades, meat free for 30 years and a total Eco Warrior I'm happy to use the term 'Left Wing Lynch Mob' when I sense one forming. Thanks to Tyke The Tree Frog for actually understanding why I put it. If an App was easy and cheap to develop BL would have had an app I'm sure. Next time I see one of the inner circle I'll ask them. But BL is run on peanuts by an army of volunteers who have kids, jobs, businesses etc, I think people forget this. I've not said anyone is an idiot and I've not called anyone a lazy free loader and putting such words into my mouth does not do yourself any favours.
I did not mean to put words in your mouth. I appreciate they were absolutely not your words but felt they were descriptive of the tone of your response. If you feel I have portrayed you unfairly, then I unreservedly apologise. I maintain, however, that these examples in particular, read as rather sharp rebuffs, suggesting any failure of fundraising lies squarely at the door of the masses of attendees who must all be too thick or lazy/tight to donate. Perhaps, indeed probably, not your intention but that's certainly how I read your responses. As a volunteer for an organisation who have also had fundraising events for YAA (of varying success, often not reflecting the man hours to organise), I am aware what a thankless task it can be and don't wish to personally criticise anyone with any part in organising this huge day. Nevertheless, as an attendee, I do feel I/we are being portrayed here in a very unfair light. With regards an app, I know that in particular with Apple devices, the expense of getting App store approval and placement for a dedicated app may be prohibitive, although presumably it would be one hit as the same app could be used over again, just displaying different content each year. Another thought would be manned contactless "donation stations", set at £5. Target the interchange concourses to catch revellers on their way in or out of town and just say Barnsley Live is a charity event in aid of (insert charity here). There's 90 hours of free live music and we're asking less than the price of a pint. I certainly would have tapped my phone and I am convinced (rightly or wrongly) that many, many other people would. Again, I appreciate there are set-up costs and therefore a risk of not covering them. Nevertheless, all ideas to solicit and simplify donations should be up for discussion as it is obvious to everyone, particularly the organisers, that the event could and should have raised more. Regarding the left wing bit, I'm glad to hear you're a fellow Green voter. Even having read Tyke The Tree Frog's explanation, although I get your angle a bit more, I think it was a divisive choice of words when we're looking for people to unite behind the cause. If I got it correctly, you were railing against the idea of looking for someone potentially wealthier to pay into the pot, such as town centre business owners when in fact a couple of quid each from those actually enjoying the music, beer and atmosphere, is all it would have taken. If that's what you meant then I'd say it's a good point, perhaps oddly phrased. Anyway. I'll leave it there. I attended, I donated, I enjoyed and I hope it happens again next year and raises a million. Peace.
The cheapest quote they had for an app developing was £5k I'm reliably informed and that was a favour rate. Not an option. Barnsley Live don't do the fundraising, the charities bring the volunteers etc. So if there weren't any contactless machines that's down to the charity and I'm sure there's a good reason for it. That's why there's a HUGE push online for online donations and making people aware of the collection tins and buckets going round town all day plus the stall the charity has. I'm not a green voter any longer sadly after seeing the kind of people who jumped ship to them in the last election. I'm working closely with BFC on a few things currently and we will be doing a joint promo push for YAA with Barnsley Live and Eyup & Down involved at a home game. Chuck a few bands on, whip up some great publicity and hopefully raise a **** ton of cash. If anyone reading this lives under a stone and needs me to pop round with a QR Code tattooed on my arse cheek or with a card reader let me know.
For the app I'm no expert or anything but what does it actually need to do? Is it just an information app with a set list and things on it or somehow interactive? If it's the former I reckon it could be done practically for free these days.
I believe there was an app a couple of years ago or so wasn't there? I'm pretty sure there was, but I will stand corrected if that wasn't the case. I'm going to admit something now that I'm pretty embarrassed about considering one of the main guys who organises the event is someone I have a hell of a lot of admiration and affection for. He's not a close friend as such, but he's one of my favourite people in the world and whenever I see him there are hugs and proper no small talk chats and we buy each other drinks and I think he's great . Anyway... I genuinely didn't know the charitable beneficiary of this event was the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. I take no pleasure in saying that, but it's true. I fully admit that I'm a social media illiterate and my head is in the clouds pretty much all the time... but I've also attended this for many years (I don't like it nearly as much as I used to. It now gets so busy and full of people just drinking, when it used to be about the music, but I also know that's a me thing) and I'm good friends with many people who make up a good percentage of the bands that have filled the stages of Barnsley live for years, but I really didn't know about the charity. I also don't know what anyone can do about that, but I think it's better that I let people know, as someone who is around this scene, that it bypassed me completely. And, again, I fully concede that could just be me. And... I took no offence at all at what @DJ Fatty Boy posted, I just thought it was informative. And... @Revvie P has been, consistently, one of the nicest people that has ever used this BBS.
Very kind of you to say, @Jay FWIW - The feeling is mutual. That's not to say we've always seen eye to eye but when we've disagreed, we've always disagreed respectfully and in good humour. Both you and @DJ Fatty Boy have been around this place and its various predecessors for as long as I can remember and I hold you both in high esteem. I was not offended as such by anything said but found the tone a little abrasive and responded in kind. Perhaps not my finest hour. Although I certainly hope nobody thought my offer of insertion was anything other than for my card in his card reader..! Perhaps the most baffling thing I've learned tonight is that in fact the organisers don't do the charity fundraising but seemingly rather provide the crowd by doing the event and invite the charity along. Yet they seem to have taken the failure of fundraising very personally. My own experience of YAA is that it depends who your lead is. The first event we did a lad from Worsbrough couldn't do enough for us - loads of advice, some merch, flyers. We raised £400 from a fairly low-key event and he was thrilled. Most of it came from merch - soliciting bucket donations (in branded collection buckets loaned to is for free) in return for YAA key rings, pin badges etc (again, freebies). Second event five years later was someone different and there was no merch and no support. We were told to do our thing, raise what we can, give them the final total and he'd come with the big cheque for a photo for the YAA website. When we only raised a grand we almost had to beg him to make the journey from Rawmarsh to Darfield to do a photo and collect the donation. So in short, I do wonder if YAA underestimated the potential of Barnsley Live and didn't resource the fundraising as well as they might have. Either way, I've done my bit, said my piece and would rather not fall out with anyone. However, it does seem I have taken the thread off on a tangent and so perhaps should sign off for tonight with a final plea to anyone who hasn't donated using the link in the OP, please do so. And whatever @DJ Fatty Boy is arranging with the club, it's a good thing for a good cause. Please support it.
We’ve said it many a time nip and no wonder the vast majority of fans view it with the disdain they do. But I can always unfollow which is nice to know.
TBH, Maybe tunnel vision to deciding where to head to on the day, but I can't honestly say that I stumbled upon a bucket collector all day. Probably just wasn't paying attention, plus with it being packed, was more focused on getting in and out of venues. Donated summat now, plus always buy a Tshirt and a programme beforehand. Also, I had a brief chat with one of the guys behind the event and offered to look at putting an app together for them for a couple of pints . Anything that they have had before has just been more of a webpage made to look llike an app.
