justonepercent

My 1% is sorted

2005-08-17T13:36:00.000+01:00

Well I've done it!!

I have now dished out my 1% to charity and just have to wait for it to come out of my account once a month (direct debit is such a marvellous thing).

Anyway, I've decided to split my money two ways so I have set up a £9.50 a month direct debit to Medicins sans frontiers (www.msf.org) and the same amount to Amnesty International (http://www.amnesty.org.uk/). Hurrah!

£19 per month is actually very slightly over 1%, but I felt really tight giving out £18.36!!!

Thanks to everyone who has emailed me with tales of where you will be giving your money. It's a really interesting variety of places. I shall give you all some detail here about it very soon.

ta ta

Cola

xxx

Lovely people

2005-08-15T13:20:00.000+01:00

Just a quickie.

I just wanted to thank everyone who has commented so far - it's great to have such a positive response. I'll blog later on with news of my 1% and other exciting things.

Just a quick note to those of you who don't have a blogger account (and don't want to sign up). Feel free to email me and I'll somehow try and include the emails on my blog.

Thanks all

Cola

PS. A big BOO HISS to the spammers who attacked my blog overnight. I am not impressed .I shall fix you with some software later (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha - demonic laugh!)

Wahey! Pledge successful

2005-08-14T21:01:00.000+01:00

Hooray!

I have 100 people for my new pledge and therefore - I AM A WINNER!!!!

I'm so chuffed - I was away for a couple of days and what do you know it's all happening.

I've just emailed all the people from the old pledge telling them the good news (and also to try and get a few more of them to sign up as there are still a few days to go).

Anyway - I would love to know where people decide to give their 1%. Therefore if people would like to leave a comment telling me who they're giving it to on my blog that would be fab. It would also be really interesting to find out how you decided to give - monthly, one-off payment etc., and how much you gave. I may then try and do some fabulous statistical analysis, possibly involving pie charts!

I'm going to keep the blog going with news so please come back and visit me soon!!

ttfn

Cola

xx

The heat is on (na na na na etc.)....

2005-08-05T09:05:00.000+01:00

Hi People

Well - the new pledge is doing v well - 65 lovely people have signed up, so only another 35 to go. Anyone who's reading and hasn't signed up do it now (for me!).

What I'm wondering is though, where are the other 100 people who signed up for the first pledge? I think they're lost in web-land somewhere.

Anyway - I shall email some people and try and convince them to sign up. It would be a shame if I didn't get OVER the 100 people I'm looking for.

ttfn

Cola

xx

Time for a rethink....

2005-07-18T22:24:00.000+01:00

So...

I've been thrilled that some lovely people have signed up to my pledge. But with only a couple of days to go it looks like I'm not going to get the 400 people to sign up.

"Oh dear Cola - you must be very upset about this?"

Well my interweb chums I was a little sad. I may even have shed a tear into my weetabix this morning. However, then it struck me that there was no need to look at this as a defeat for somehow I could make a positive outcome.

"Gosh Cola - how do you intend to do that?"

Well - I've set up a new pledge!!

"Cola you truly are a genius."

*blush* Shh now.

Anyway - I have set up a new pledge which is at www.pledgebank.com/onepercent

It's the same as the old pledge, but with a slightly smaller target (100) and a shorter time frame (about a month). I've also revised the wording so that it now says income rather than salary following some comments from bloggers and pledgers alike.

So I'm going to email all my pledgers in a minute and hope that most of them will sign up. (eek!)

I shall update my blog soon (promise) and absolutely promise an update on pledge numbers, my Glastonbury report and a fabulous idea the lovely Zoe had for seeing where and how people give their money.

If at first you don't succeed....

Cola

xxx

Houston we have a problem....

2005-07-06T21:46:00.000+01:00

Well maybe not on that scale but things are a little slow on the pledge front.

Probably not helped by my lack of blog action in the last 2 weeks. My lovely reader bogan suggested that my lap-top may have been washed away at Glastonbury - not the case although it could have been in the deluge! I've just had very boring work related reasons for not blogging that I shan't waste moments of your precious time explaining. Anyway, things are a bit quieter now so I am back in interweb world.

I shall do a much longer post about my fun filled frolicks in Somerset and about trying to get people to sign up whilst there (not as easy as I'd hoped!) a little later this week but for the moment I shall just stick with a little plea.

I currently have 127 lovely pledgees - hurrah! However - I need 400 for my pledge to succeed.

AND I ONLY HAVE 17 DAYS LEFT - EEEEEEK!

So a little plea to anyone reading this - please, please sign up if you haven't already. And if you have, talk 2 of your mates into signing up. Get them to text in - if they say they'll do it later tell them they can do it now!

It would be a shame if the pledge failed because it could make such a massive difference to charity for such a small amount of effort.

And I'll sulk for days :(

More later in the week but sign up purlease....

Cola (batting eyelashes with nicest sign-up please smile on face)

Once more unto Somerset my friends....

2005-06-20T23:13:00.000+01:00

Hi there

So tomorrow evening I am off to the fabulous Glastonbury festival (woo!). I will be getting on a fun coach provided courtesy of the very lovely people at the Workers Beer Company.

Fear not though! I have to take my lap-top with me, so I can provide daily updates on the magic and madness! I will be spending most of my time in the Leftfield where great music and politics will be happening (and the cider bus obviously!)

Anyway, my extra pledge has worked and I've got some pledge promoters to help me (just sent you an email if you're reading this).

Enough on Glasto already! I had a lovely comment on my previous comment by a lovely Antipodean - I have officially gone international! Holly Valance eat your heart out!

Anyway - I am thrilled that you want to sign up and definitely sign your friends up! Anyone anywhere in the world should sign up if they want to. Better still - get your friends to sign up and set up your own pledge in your home country. Get as many people as you can!

I think probably now is a good time to finish blogging - my next entry will be from the fab fields of glastonbury!

ttfn

Cola

I think I've gone pledge mad...

2005-06-17T08:31:00.000+01:00

Hi people

Well - over 80 pledgers now and coverage in the Guardian yesterday:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/story/0,,1506918,00.html

How fab is that! I'm starting to feel like I may reach my target!

I've set-up another pledge as well:

http://www.pledgebank.com/pledgecider

I'd love some crazy festival goers at Glastobury to help me sign some people up. Give us a shout if you fancy it....

xx

Cola

Fame at Last!

2005-06-14T13:02:00.000+01:00

Wow:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4091682.stm

I get a mention on the BBC website!! How excited am I. I am about to email all my slightly rubbish friends who haven't signed up yet to show them what they are missing out on!

Am now up to over 40 pledgers and counting. All since the official launch of pledgebank yesterday but it finally feels like I'm getting somewhere.

Hurrah - there was (and will be) much rejoicing.

More later...

ttfn

xxx

Shoegazers and non-believers

2005-06-11T19:03:00.000+01:00

So

I'm up to a massive 13 pledgers (unlucky for some - not me though!). I am starting to get a little concerned that people don't want to sign up for my pledge. Hope has not gone yet though - blind optimism will out!

The lovely Tim commented on my pledge and blog that he thought that there was a problem with my pledge that there is a feeling that this kind of philanthropy is seen as somewhat smug and self-congratulatory. I have to agree that it is, but does that mean it's a bad thing. It rather depends if you go round shoutung about it, which most people don't do. I actually work for a big charity myself, and I know there are a number of very famous people who give large amounts to the charity I work for, but don't publicise it for specifically that reason. Perhaps this is more to do with the cynical way in which the British brain works - maybe we should be more like the Americans on this front (not something I'd hear myself say very often!).

Also it was mentioned that making the pledge from gross earnings was unfair on the wealthy! It's not really - if people can afford it they can afford it. If I were to make the pledge from net salary it wouldn't be nearly as worthwhile.

However, I'd like to thank Tim for his points, some of which are quite valid in. And also thanks for signing up.

I shall continue with my postering campaign for now. However if anyone of my lovely pledgees is going to Glastonbury - look out for my little campaign which I will be mounting...

ttfn

Cola

xxx

Chugging the Chuggers

2005-06-05T21:20:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone

So at the end of last week I was innocently walking down the street on my way to meet a friend for a post work beverage. Nothing unusual in that I here you say. I was a sea of tranquility in a bit of a daze and listening to a very calming song on my ipod ('Easy Money' by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - a great song and very prophetic as it turns out).

And then a chugger steps into my path.

Now, I believe chuggers are spreading like weeds throughout the country, but in case you don't know what they look like here is an example:

They are the quite annoying people who ask if you have five minutes to spare for such and such charity. A good thing in theory, but unfortunately they change charity from week to week and you constantly run the gauntlet of them if you live in London. I personally feel that they have a lot to do with putting people off donating to charities that they'd otherwise be interested in.

Anyway, he literally stepped into my path (I almost walked into him) and started with the "can you spare 5 minutes for this charity" speil. For a change I thought I'd hear him out. Very interesting and the charity in question does some very good work. Anyway I explained that I would consider donating but wasn't prepared to give out my bank details to a total stranger in the middle of the street (which I don't think is unreasonable).

So at this point he goes to walk away. And the genius of the Cola kicks in....

"Have you got 5 minutes to hear about the pledge I'm doing online"

Oh yes!

Anyway he wasn't that keen to listen to me as he obviously had targets to meet. I made sure I gave him one of my little pledge cards though. This is going to be my new policy - hear them out and then see if they're prepared to do what they're asking people to do.

In his case he said he'd think about it. I think he was trying to get rid of me though. With any luck he's either feeling guilty and going to sign up (although he could be one of the people I don't know who has - if you are sorry for giving you a bad press!), or he's taken the card and shown his mates telling them that I'm a mentalist and giving me more publicity. Ha ha ha ha

So if a chugger comes up to you tomorrow, turn it round on them. Give them one of My flyers. I can guarantee they will shuffle and look uncomfortable but you never know!

ttfn

Cola

xxxx

Where's Bob Geldof.....

2005-06-02T22:03:00.000+01:00

Woo yay!!

Two more people have signed up. Better still I don't know who they are!

It's about time some more people signed up - I can't believe people are being so tight!! I'll have to ask Bob Geldof to mention it at Live8 (he is a close personal friend after all!!?!) . Maybe I can get a Spice Girl to sign up (Ginger must need the publicity - limited though it is...)

Anyway - it's mine and Mr Cola's 10th anniversary (not of marriage - just of tolerating each other) at the weekend and we're having a little bash. So I shall be employing strong arm tactics. I shall report soon.

Laters!

Cola

xxx

Guerilla action

2005-05-31T21:13:00.000+01:00

Well then....

It appears that all my friends have gone suspiciously quiet about signing up to my pledge. I'll do some more work on them later.

So on Sunday I went on the offensive with the general public. I took the opportunity of an evening out to share the joy of my pledge. I started by journeying to far away North London using the fabulous Victoria Line tube. My little campaign began with some surreptitious leaflets finding their way on to the advertising:

You'll notice that I have sensibly disguised myself with a camoflauge jacket and some outlandish sunglasses as any sensible guerilla would do.

Next to the toilets at my destination:

It was a bit tricky to flyer them but I used some chewing gum to stick it on the back of the door (which was frankly a stroke of genius on my part).

As you'll see above I was practicing my leafletting outside a gig stance earnestly before people came out and:

Success! Lot's of people take my leaflets. Only 2 people dropped them (good result) and I recycled those thereby spreading the joy to even more people!

Now we wait and hope they sign up.

Tomorrow I shall be targetting Soho when I meet a friend for a drink. I shall also be hassling him to sign up!!

Cola

xxx

Flyers

2005-05-29T17:32:00.000+01:00

Hi again

Very brief. Someone suggested I post up some leaflets for anyone who feels like giving them out for me. Here they are:

My flyers

I'd be very chuffed if people did give them out.

Ta

Cola

It's oh so quiet.....

2005-05-29T17:04:00.000+01:00

Hmmm

I sent an email round to all my friends on Thursday evening excitedly telling them about my pledge. Now normally I get a couple of emails a day from various people, but all of a sudden everyone has gone very quiet. Could this be a coincidence?

I don't want to start getting heavy with people but it's really not very much money is it? 1% is not a lot and saying you can't afford it is rubbish. Just go out 1 night less in a month - not only will you help people, you'll also help yourself by giving your overworked liver a rest!

Anyway - if any of you lot are reading this I will be adopting guerilla tactics to make you sign up. Watch this space.

I'm off to a gig tonight at the Islington Academy and I will be handing out pledgecards to people there - we shall have to see if they're a bit more generous....

Cola

Hi people who just got an email

2005-05-26T22:00:00.000+01:00

Hiya

Ok - a bit more explanation.

I was drunk when I came up with the idea (post FA Cup & Eurovision) - probably explains a bit more, but I really hope it'll work.

Mainly because I don't do nearly enough for charity - 1% works out moneywise as less than £20 a month. If I'd run a marathon, which is entirely likely (ahem), you'd be more than happy to sponsor me. So just think of it as a marathon a month or something!

It is important to stress that if you sign up you don't have to give your 1% unless I get a full 400 people. If you do sign up it'll make a real difference if we get enough people. Make sure you pass this on to loads of people to give maximum exposure for my craziness (althhough it's clearly not as crazy as the crazy frog!!).

Anyhoo - I'll be updating you all on my campaigning techniques and I'd like input from you lovely people with any ideas. I will be making a fool of myself giving out leaflets and looking like a local mentalist and I will provide pictoral evidence on this little webby diary type thing.

ttfn my lovelies

Cola

xxx

Let's do some maths on my new calculator

2005-05-24T22:02:00.000+01:00

With a woo and a yay to the nice people at Pledgebank (www.pledgebank.com)! I've put my pledge on there and they've kindly put me on their front page - hooray! They also made me a calculator which is above so that you can work out what 1% of your salary is.

Anyway - you must go and visit their website. As well as my pledge, (it would be super if you'd sign up to it!), they've also got lots of other pledges to look at and sign up to.

Serious stuff though - use the calculator and work out what 1% would be. It's not as much as you'd think (unless you're Richard Branson of course - in which case it probably is!).

Cola
xxx

Did you have a nice weekend?

2005-05-23T21:00:00.000+01:00

Just a short post to start with.

Had a good weekend? I did - went out to the pub had lots of beer and a nice meal. Usual kind of thing.

Whilst having a semi-drunken conversation (during the Eurovision Song Contest of course - good work Terry Wogan), I realised how much 1% of my salary is each month. I won't bore you with the figures (it's not a lot!) but I realised that if I gave that 1% to charity it would make a bit of a difference. Then I realised what a difference it would make if 1000 other people did the same.

So I'm going to do it if another 400 people do it. I'd love to have you join me my interweb buddies and I shall keep you up to date with my progress.

Cola

xxx