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A few months ago I was asked to give a talk in a residential home for the elderly, which I did.The lady who booked me was thrilled to bits and gave me a plant as a thank you. I was there about an hour, but it took me a while to gather together appropriate material and to make a reading plan.
I have just got an email from another care home asking me to go in to give a reading. They mentioned that they had heard that I had spoken at the other one (and presumably heard it was for free!).
My dilemma is do I charge for this?
Morally, I feel that I should freely give my time to these lonely old people, but if my name is going to be passed around the circuit, then I am going to driving all over the place and giving these readings for nothing in my own time when I could be writing. Also, I imagine that there will be a budget set aside for entertainment. I know how much they might pay in fees to live there, so the pot can't be empty.
Back in January I did think that giving readings was a way to earn a bit and my intention was to start looking for opportunities this year (which I haven't really pursued).
What would you do?
Do you think £30 is a fair price?
Comments
As for morals - like you say - care homes charge a fortune and they can surely spare a few pounds on entertainment for their 'guests'/'inmates'(?).
But Pete does talks at WIs etc and for local charities, and doesn't ask a fee. I do stuff like this for free (not at a school! but at a home like this) and also as a choir we go and entertain old people twice a year, for free.
They don't have budgets and the old people don't get enough care as it is.
It's up to you whether you want to do it as a charitable act or not. There is no obligation on you to do so. If you do, then fine; if you don't then decide on a fee and if they can't afford it then don't do it. I think £30 is more than reasonable if not a little low.
It's different if you've offered to do it because you want to or would like the practise, but if they're asking you and it's not something you'd otherwise have volunteered for then it's work.
I have sent an email saying that I won't charge for travel expenses as it's not far, but I charge £30 for the talk - and am happy to let them have a coffee break in the middle if they want to. I have asked her to let me know if she'd like to proceed with the booking and to give me some dates to see if I am available (as, of course, I am SOOOOO busy giving talks far and wide!!)
I'll just wait and see what she says...
Thanks, all.
Hope they give a positive response.
Time spent away from the desk reduces earning potential, so asking even £30 isn't unreasonable.
I wd take yr books to sell. The centre itself might buy one then stick it in their raffles and get the cost of it back several times over from visitors. The old folk themselves don't need to buy unless they really want to. Maybe a visiting relative might buy for them.
You cd then have pics taken to advertise both yrself and the centre in local media. Let the centre know they cd advertise this way, through you having visited.
While yr there, sound them out for any other groups in the area might be interested in a visit from you. Somebody always knows someone and it cd increase yr fan base.
Go ferrit and charge.
Thank you, Dora!
She wants me!
You can come and talk to my U3A group, we provide tea and biscuits.
*ducks*
Your repartee is boundless, SM.