Hi Jules
The percentage for these treks varies, from about 25 to 50% depending on the trip and its location. EBC is a long haul flight, a longer trek because of acclimatisation, and fairly high (but not exceptional) ground costs, so it's at the top end of this - about 50% costs and 50% to the charity. We ask the participant to pay £500 in registration in this case, which offsets some of this, and usually participants will pay some more of the costs themselves as the fundraising dictates.
I view these things as a win win ... there's no doubt the challengers get a trip of a lifetime, and experience something they would probably not otherwise do, but the charity raises money it would not have otherwise received. Benefit all round. My only criteria would be that a trip (like this one) is a genuine personal challenge worthy of sponsorship, which EBC certainly is.
I have not does EBC myself but I have done 5 treks for charity, and raised about £20k in total. I wouldn't have done that fundraising work without the incentive of the challenge, so it is genuine "incremental" money for the charity.
This EBC trek is for RP Fighting Blindness, my earlier work was for Mencap. RPFB is running thier very first trek (to the Sahara) this month and will raise about £35k after costs. Mencap have been doing them for 10 years and raised millions.
Hope this gives you some insight, if you want more details of the budgets email me separately at david <at> brps <dot> org <dot> uk
Welcome to the forum on OM there David.
