To Infinity And Beyond!

Well, what else could I have titled today's post?! These guys, dressed as Woody and Buzz Lightyear from the Pixar animated film Toy Story, were on the High Street doing their bit for Comic Relief. They were selling Red Nose Day balloons to kids and adults alike.

For those that don't know Comic Relief is a charity started by Richard Curtis (writer of Four Weddings And A Funeral, Notting Hill etc), and other comedians, in the 80's. Every other year Comic Relief organises Red Nose Day (this years is on Friday 13th March) which see celebrities and the public doing all sorts of mad and courageous things to raise money (like a group of celebs climbing Kilimanjaro this year - they have raised over one and a half million pounds!) and wearing red noses! To read more about the charity, that is working to end poverty, head here and find out more about Red Nose Day here. But, most importantly, Do Something Funny For Money!
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Have You Got 30 Seconds?

That's the question asked by these 'charity workers'. My answer is always "No".

Now I'm not uncharitable, bear with me. Cheltenhams High Street often has half a dozen or so people trying to get you to sign up to donating on a regular basis to one charity or another. As far as I am aware these people are not doing this charity work as a volunteer, they are being paid. I am quite happy to give to good causes but I don't like being trapped in the High Street by an overly friendly student, laying it on thick. I find nothing more off putting than this form of trying to raise money. I'm sure I'm not the only one, as people are often walking on by, trying to ignore the requests and saying "No". Surely the organisers of these charities must see this happening in their own town centres and realise it's not a good image to be promoting. What happened to the days of dropping a few quid into a collection pot?

There we are, rant over.