Since a Vision exposé revealing complaints about a team taking part in its ‘Ten Pound Challenge,” York Entrepreneurs Society has decided to donate the proceeds of a controversial raffle to charity work in Haiti.
It was only after enquiries were made to the team that they revealed that only ten pence out of every pound they were raising was going to Haiti relief, with the remaining 90% going to the team’s profits.
The four members who carried out the raffle, who cannot be named due to the University media welfare rules, were not penalised for their activities and have now been declared joint winners of the competition, cashing in on a £400 prize.
Since first breaking the story during the competition, Vision has been contacted by several concerned students explaining that they too had bought raffle tickets from the team, with no knowledge that the raffle was not purely for Haiti. They labelled the team’s tactics as, “disgraceful”, “exploitative” and “unethical.”
Henry Coyle, President of York Entrepreneurs Society, initially attempted to ignore the concerns of students, when Vision broguht them to his attention, however he eventually promised a full investigation into the allegations. This concluded that,“some students were confused about the raffle and felt more money was going to charity than in reality it was.” Despite this Coyle was still confident that “all teams were found to have acted without malice”.
This comes after Coyle revealed he had only sanctioned the raffle “as long as it was made clear that only a percentage was going to the charity”.
A fellow competitor in the challenge, who wanted to remain anonymous, dismissed the findings of the investigation: “Although it is not possible to say they left information out intentionally, I imagine not mentioning that only 10% was going to charity helped them sell more tickets.”
The profits that the team made from the raffle went to the funds of York Entrepreneurs Society, however they felt unable to keep the money from the disputed raffle and instead donated the £300 proceeds to Medicins Sans Frontiers’ work in Haiti.
However, the team at the centre of the allegations were not penalised and, it has since been revealed that they were joint winners of the competition, securing a prize of £400.
Scott Bryan, a third-year Politics student, who bought a ticket because he felt it was helping the Haiti relief effort, said he was “delighted” with the decision of the Society to donate to the charity.
But he added: “those who failed to mention the true destination of our donations, have gained from exploiting the suffering of others and the good nature of students.”
When informed of events Mr Jon Meacock, Director of the Heslington East Project, who has previously acted as a judge for the York Entrepreneurs Society, claimed that, “I am against any personal profiteering from the suffering of others.”
Chris Etheridge, the YUSU campaigns officer who, earlier this term helped organize a charity walk for Haiti that raised over £3000 commented, “Charity work must never be confused with the interests of private individuals.”
Vision approached a member of the team for comment, but was referred to the statements made by York Entrepreneurs Society.
Why can’t they be named for legal reasons? Unless this is going to court there’s no reason not to name them. Everyone knows who they are anyway. They bring shame upon this Univeristy and it’s absolutely disgusting that they won the competition.
Yeah, I don’t understand why this is a legal issue, you have, quite admirably not accused these people of deceiving people, so surely you haven’t accused them of a crime?
I think it is shocking that these people were not thrown out of the competition, and they should consider very carefully what they do with their ill-gotten gains.
I bought one of these tickets and I can confirm that at no point did the person selling it mention the Ten Pound Challenge. I obviously assumed that all my money was going to help Haiti and I am annoyed that they exploited me to make a profit, but disgusted that they exploited those who have suffered in Haiti.
Those responsible should be ashamed of themselves.
By saying it is a legal issue so the team members cannot be named would indicate that there are some issues with libel if they are. That does then lead to question of the entire article…highly fabricated at best?
and I thought all the money did go to haiti anyway?
From my vague understanding of libel law, I would assume that the ‘legal issues’ are that it is impossible to prove intent.
Therefore although you can say they sold tickets and failed to mention where the money was going, if you were to accuse named individuals of doing this on purpose then it wold be potentially libellous, that is probably why the names are not mentioned.
Also I am aware of people who bought tickets and agreed with this article, as it seems did the two other commenters, therefore I wouldn’t say it is ‘highly fabricated’.
Yes the entrepreneurs eventually decided to donate the money to Haiti, but that does not get away from the fact that a team, ran the raffle with the knowledge that only 10% of profits would go to Haiti and the rest would go to a societies profits in the aim of winning themselves money.
As Mr Meacock comments, they were “profiteering from the suffering of others”
Wonder who it was?
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I feel sorry for the other competitors who worked hard to raise money without having to mislead students and use a natural disaster. They are the ones who truly deserve the money.
Well done to the society for giving up the money in the end, its a shame you didn’t realise sooner how disgraceful the behaviour of the team was.