Something for nothing - don't be ridiculous....

OK, Hands up everyone who shops online – all of you, good start.

Hands up everyone who gives to charity – hmmm, still all of you. Are you counting the two pence piece and the button you ram into the collection tin on your local high street?

Hands up everyone who gives to charity while shopping online – not many of you I bet and until last week I’d have numbered myself with those of you with their arm firmly by their side; that was until my delightfully outspoken nephew answered me back at the dinner table last Sunday...........

“What’s for pudding Uncle Mike” said Jack

“Nothing until you’ve eaten your veg.” I replied (realising I had turned into my Dad)  “Think of all the homeless and starving people who’d be glad for the food you’ve left on your plate.”

“If you did your online shopping differently then you could give them more than a few peas.” replied Jack with more than a little sarcasm than he should possess considering he’s only nine.

Although I would have gladly cuffed him for his cheek I had to remember I really wasn’t my Dad and this was 2010, so biting my cheek I sweetly asked him what he meant. 

On Friday, his teacher Miss Hickman had told the class about how to educate their parents about giving to charity while they were shopping on the internet.  Alarm bells immediately rang for me as it’s difficult enough to get by in this economic climate without digging deeper for charity. 

I must not have been very good at hiding my horror as Jack quickly added it wouldn’t cost me a penny more than what I was already spending.  Looking at the calendar to double check that it wasn’t April the first, I tuned back in to what he was telling me.  It was so good that I couldn’t believe I didn’t already know about it and so I’m sharing it with all of you too.

There’s a website called www.easyfundraising.org.uk and if you want to buy anything on line then definitely check these guys out first.  There are over 2000 retailers that are registered with this company which enables you to shop with them as usual but also have a percentage or fixed amount donated to your chosen charity or good cause.  You can even register a good cause close to your heart if it isn’t already registered with them – like your local scout group or football team.

Jack showed me what to do and it’s so easy, just register with easyfundraising (for free), nominate your preferred charity and then simply search for your retailer and click on the link, this takes you into the retailers own website but because you’ve been directed to them through easyfundraising ensures you generate a cashback donation for your chosen charity.

I’ve only been using it for a couple of days but have already secured a donation for my chosen charity (Jack’s football team – well there had to be something in it for him!) by spending £20 at WHSmith (as they donate 3.5% of your spend) and by doing our usual weekly online shop at Sainsburys (50p per shop) through the easyfundraising site. 

The old adage “You don’t get something for nothing” just simply isn’t true in this circumstance and although I don’t think it will quite nudge me onto the New Years Honours List, I can make a difference by clicking on a few extra buttons when shopping online.  In a year I estimate I can make at least £50 without even thinking about it, if we all do this and spread the word just think what a difference it can make.

Something for nothing – absolutely.

To Franchise or not to Franchise, That is Super League.....

Well Ladies and Gentlemen, it's nearly that time again. Has it really been three years since the initial Super League licences were awarded to the 14 existing franchises?

By the end of December, the respective bids from any aspiring Championship team will be lodged with the Rugby Football League (RFL) in the hope that come March 2011 the promised land (otherwise known as Super League) will offer a seat at the top table to the best equipped club.

In 2008 the RFL announced that promotion and relegation (to and from Super League) would be scrapped in favour of a franchising model  used by the Australian ARL. This franchise system was brought in for the 2009-2011 seasons and was intended to provide security for the 14 best placed clubs (who would  be given a grace period without the horrors of relegation) and to provide a template for the lower league teams who aspired to play with the big boys in later years. The Super League criteria consisted of:

• Playing Strength - which clubs added to the overall competition?
• Attendances - Average attendance over 2500
• Junior Development - At least 8 home grown juniors in squad
• Finances - Stable, turnover of at least £1million
• Ground - At least 10k capacity, 8k seated
• Location - Preference for clubs at least 20 miles away from other Super League team (South Wales, London)

This process has been embedded in the Australian sporting culture for over 80 years and works perfectly well down under and as the Australian way is always the model followed by the RFL - it must be the way forward here, mustn't it? Why then is there still agression and animosity to this process, however transparent the process is supposed to be? Why do supporters from clubs over the country clog up forums demanding we go back to the good ole' days?

Simples. We are British.

We thrive on the cut and thrust of promotion and relegation in all our mainstream sports at professional and amateur level. It is the fundemental ethos behind sport in this country and is the reason that fans all around the country spend their hard earned cash on supporting their team at all lower levels. To remove this dream removes the heartbeat of lower league sport and that is simply wrong. We are not Australia, nor are we USA with their Baseball, American Football or Basketball franchises which are moved around the country on a whim.

Can you imagine the outcry if Blackpool Football Club, with it's antiquated stadium, low attendances and no youth set up had fought off all challengers last year in football's Championship, won the play off at Wembley, only to be told "Sorry lads, well played but you can't be promoted to the Premiership, never mind" There would quite rightly be a public outcry. Not just along the Golden Mile but throughout football.

We want the traditional 3 pointer at the foot of the table, the hope that just 1 more win could keep us up, the awful feeling of supporting our local rivals just for 1 game because they are playing a team fighting to avoid the same relegation that we are fighting against.

We are British and we want our promotion and relegation back.

P.S. To the RFL.  My club Widnes Vikings are most likely to gain a franchise spot at this round of applications, so I'd be very grateful if you are going to change the process can you wait until after March 2011, thank you very much.