Charity

[crystal ball]

Local Oxfam shop recently thanked residents for raising £8K for their aid funds, in the same article it mentioned they had spent £20K refurbishing the shop am I missing something or are these big charities just another PLC and happen to be in the "charity" business

 

[mildmanneredjanitor]

Speculate to accumalate etc...

I think they are maybe trying to lose the run down and tatty image most people have when they think of a charity shop.

Raising money is a business, don't be so naive!

 

[AdamW]

Charity shops? Brilliant!

If any of you have sons off to sixth form or university balls anytime soon, get them down the charity shops. I had all my DJs and tuxedos from them from the age of 17 to 22. Great stuff! I once bought an only-worn-once evening suit for £5 and a tuxedo for £10, when my friends paid about £40 for tired-looking, worn-a-hundred-times-with-sick-stains-on-the-front hire suits.

Most blokes grow horizontally so much during that time, so with these suits you can afford to grow out of them all the time. Last I heard my first DJ was doing the rounds at my little sister's old sixth form (passed it on to her then-boyfriend when I grew out of it)

 

[mildmanneredjanitor]

only ever use them for fancy dress myself!

Need something really distasteful and dated... Oxfam here we come!

(me thinks London charity shops are a bit posher than our Westcountry ones!)

 

[securespark]

Most blokes grow horizontally

Ooh Err!

 

[IanDB]

Down our way there are loads of charity shops. In ,many that they have a shortage of volunteer staff to run them. Answer - pay people to work as assistants! Some charity!

Similar to some of the collectors on the streets - they're also paid.

 

[waran]

Actually on that paid charity employee note. I get quite annoyed by those people who stop you on the street and ask you to sign a direct debit for x amount to their charity and actually part of your money goes to paying for those people to ask you!!! the charity is much better off if you pay them directly!!!

 

[TexMex]

But surely, a charity has it's own business needs like any other. If Oxfam need people to go out onto the street to collect money, and there are people willing to do such work for a pitance. What's wrong with that.

If you believe that the workers shouldn't get paid at all, then you could extend the logic to say, the charity doesn't need money at all. Any goods or services they require should be given for nothing?

Surely, fund raisers have got to live as well? It's not as if they are getting paid shed loads to be out there, facing the public.

 

[ZenStalinist]

Not that good for new clothing, and yes, admin costs are high, but you've got to spend some admin, money doesn't raise itself. I don't really beleive charity does much for society, however like mentioned for suits and traditional clothing, it is about the best place to go if you can't afford/can't justify blowing the money on new suits.

 

[crystal ball]

I feel that the major charities are becoming very corporate and business like, whether that is a good thing or a bad thing I do not know, I restrict my donations to small local volunteer run charities and some direct to the people themselves

 

[breezer]

mrs breezer gave cc details to a well known charity, (one off x £x donation) now since then they write asking for more money.

also tv ads for this and that charity, tv companies still charge for air time

I am sorry but because of this and "administartion fees" i treat all charities the same, they get nothing from me.

Big issue vendors on other hand, no problem, they are "selling" a product and making a living, charities, no thanks

 

[waran]

TexMex, whilst I agree that charities have admin costs and have to pay some of their staff, I think that the number of people stopping you on the street and asking for a direct debit mandate is excessive. I feel the charity is better off with you donating money to them directly rather than through the people stopping you in the street.

 

[mildmanneredjanitor]

Actually on that paid charity employee note. I get quite annoyed by those people who stop you on the street and ask you to sign a direct debit for x amount to their charity and actually part of your money goes to paying for those people to ask you!!! the charity is much better off if you pay them directly!!!

This sort of pro-active tactic annoys me too. It's not right that you should be made to feel guilty about not donating anything. We are constantly bombarded by various charities asking for money using ever more complex techniques. Not wearing a poppy, sticker or your children not holding balloons... No-one likes to feel the odd one out do they?

 

[kendor]

There should be no need for charities of any sort if the governments of the world got their acts together! this goes back to what i was saying a while back about not enough sympathy and care for your fellow brothers and sisters happens these days, rather just leave it to an organisation to sort it out who havn't the resources nor the means to do a proper job.

Yes there will be need for prompt and immediate help for certain situations like refugees from war torn countries but instead of the governments just sending aid as and when it produces maximum media coverage and fervent back slapping of officials, there should be a mechanism set up to firstly make sure of safe havens for the people involved and then quick and immediate assessment of the required amount of help needed and action taken forthwith.
I think i know what the reaction from other tax payers will be but why does there need to be a monetery issue here? if it means a small shortage of items in the shops here and in other countries for a short period then so what and it should be compulsory for people to give up their time with full approval of their firms to help the aid effort.
I'm sure we could cope with a few shortages in the shops for a time period as it won't be life threatening as it is for those poor souls.
I say put the effort where it's needed not in the pockets of charities![/b] Yes this will be a nightmare on a logistics point of view but with enough thought and legislation it could be made into a reality, at least it'll give the U.N. something to do instead of listening to their Walkmans all day!

 

[masona]

Paul McCartney is on his way to be the 1st ever billionaire pop star in the world.

£1000,000,000.

Good luck to the man, but surely what the point of having too much money specially without us he wouldn't anywhere.

If that was me I would give most of it away, I could never spend that amount unless you give most away to charity.

I know he does give to charity but could give more I think.

If you got far too much money what is the point of it ?

Rant over.