Hi! Apologies in advance for my habit of waffling on.

 

Thanks for clicking the link I gave you and taking a moment to check out this page.

 

By day, I'm a professional Game Designer, who enjoys trying out playful ideas that hopefully benefit those who interact with them. On that note, I'm trying out what I think is an unconventional approach to fundraising for a charity I admire, and if you'd like, you're more than welcome to be involved.

 

I like to do things that make people smile, or that benefit them in some way. Whether making videogames, sharing ideas, or offering opinions and advice. I always have. I probably always will.

 

So one thing I'm going to try, just as an experiment or a 'pilot scheme' if you prefer, is this:

 

I will continue offering time and help to friends who request it - that's what friends do, after all. At some point, not straight away, I'll then refer them to this page, just like I referred you.

 

You then have an option. If you found something I said, wrote or did was helpful, interesting or funny (in a good way), then perhaps consider donating something small to my nominated charity.

 

Better yet - consider donating directly to GamesAid via http://www.justgiving.com/gamesaid/. That way there are even fewer clues I may be able to spot to figure out your preferences on this idea.

 

It's completely optional.

 

I'd suggest considering the amount you might spend on a sandwich, or on a single drink at the pub - just something small. Importantly, it has to be something you can comfortably and happily donate.

 

The key thing is - this is not me putting a price on my time! If you asked for my help with something, I will always endeavour to help. But if we can also raise a couple of pounds for an amazing charity, then that's pretty cool.

 

All I ask is this:

 

1) If you want to join in - please donate anonymously. You don't have to, but I'd prefer it.

 

2) There is an option I'd like you to select where the amount donated is not displayed. There are two example donations on this page to show you what this looks like.

 

3) This year, it's pretty easy to figure out who I am. Next year, I'll do something more stealthy. Maybe someone else will take over. Time will tell. Again, this is just a trial run.

 

I've tried to set the page up so I'm not alerted when a donation is made. I purposely want no way of knowing whether you donated or not. I'll never even know if you have seen this page, by design. Periodically I'll check in to see how this experiment is going; my next check-in and brief update will be at the end of July 2013.

 

The Secret Supporter 2013 is intended to be a way for people to do kind things for other people - because they want to. The idea is that no-one is obligated in any way whatsoever.

 

On New Year's Eve 2013, we'll see what we've raised together. Set a reminder on your phone maybe. If this goes well, there'll be a 2014 version too. The key thing to remember with any experiment or pilot scheme - they're used to test an idea, regardless of the hopes of the people carrying out the test. If this works, fantastic. If not, we’ll try something different.

 

It may not be an original or unique idea, but I did come up with it without outside assistance. If you'd like to adopt or adapt it, please do, but please provide a link back to where you first heard this idea if you can, even if it wasn't from here. And if you can, please come up with your own version of the 'Secret Supporter' name. (If you have something named 'The Secret Supporter' already, get in touch and I'll change this page's name if you want)

 

Thanks for reading. Let's see what we can accomplish here.

 

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Useful links:

Where the money would go - http://www.gamesaid.org/

Direct donation to GamesAid - http://www.justgiving.com/gamesaid/

 

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JustGiving official bit:

 

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

 

 

 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.