FabSwingers.com > Forums > The Lounge > cynical charities

cynical charities

By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

firstly may i state i have no problem with charities, i think they do a sterling job, and without them, many more people would be in deeper shit than they already are.

my biggest problem with them is the way they advertise, or beg.

the ones that are childcentric apart (make a wish/nspcc and so on) they all seem to show images of children starving or whatever ther type of help they are trying to offer to people, even the WWF use baby animals to tug at the heart strings.

its not like, if you donate towards a village in africa getting a well, so little dumbulu can get a drink of clean water, its not as if the adults in the village are sipping evian, or not going to be allowed to use the well.

the same with food.

not as if the parents of these starving children are sitting eating caviar and wild fowl just out of camera shot.

why do they just show children?

i know it tugs at the heart of people that would do anything for kids, i understand that, but dont they realise that, by using the images too often, of every campaign they are running the risk of desensitizing the donating public.

discuss?

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *nnyMan over a year ago

Glasgow

".......... but dont they realise that, by using the images too often, of every campaign they are running the risk of desensitizing the donating public.

discuss?"

Compassion fatigue.

Geldof started it and it's grown and grown.

Charities realised a few years back that more and more of them are competing for fewer and fewer spare £pounds so their adverts have become more shocking to the point of becoming misleading.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I pick the ones I want to support myself and give regularly so they can get the tax back. I can't help think a lot of money is being wasted on tv adds rather than helping.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I used to drop off envelopes for a charity, then call a few days later and pick up any donations. One year they sent the envelopes, I explained I couldn't do it on this occasion, as I wasn't well.

They sent me a letter with a tear off strip to reply with. It said, 'I am unable to assist with.........but I enclose a donation for............'. I stopped collecting for that charity.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I pick the ones I want to support myself and give regularly so they can get the tax back. I can't help think a lot of money is being wasted on tv adds rather than helping."

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *nnyMan over a year ago

Glasgow

When you have charities paying their Chief Executive more than the Prime Minister, you know something has gone wrong.

When you have 2 or 3 charities ALL doing much the same thing, ALL paying their Chief Executives more than the Prime Minister, you know someone is taking the piss (+Gift Aid).

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

i support several charities directly via my wages.

about 6 months ago i decided to increased the number of charities from 4 to 6 however i wanted to keep the outgoing the same (reduce contributions) so i informed the original charities of my intentions

out of the original four 2 of them sent me very snotty letters and a lot of information on how by decreasing my contributions would affect their cause.

the other two thanked me for continuing to support them in hard times and were actually very sincere.

i felt bad but i cut out the two original charities that in my opinion were over bearing and instead i increased my contributions to the other two

i also added two more but at a reduced rate

as anyone else had experience of this from charities.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *ee VianteWoman over a year ago

Somewhere in North Norfolk

I volunteered for a local charity until fairly recently. As a result of this I got included in a supporters mailshot asking for financial donation! The work I did was to support the physiotherapists which enabled them to work with more people so I was in an active, hands on role and had had to undergo lifting and handling training.

That's not the reason I stopped work there, nor even a contributing factor, but it did shock me a little. I wasn't in a position to help any charity financially but I had free time so I gave that. It's a good thing the job was so rewarding because otherwise I might have felt my time wasn't worth enough to them.

I've grown very tired of the pushy collecting tactics of some charities. The ones that have management that take large salaries can niggle meva bit too.

I was recently followed down the street by a Red Cross collector waving a bucket at me and talking at me to try to change my mind after I'd said sorry but no. It was embarrassing and also very stressful because I wasn't well that day, really didn't want to be out and wanted to do what I needed to as quickly as possible and get home. I believe those collection tactics are actually not allowed but it didn't stop him trying it.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

"When you have charities paying their Chief Executive more than the Prime Minister, you know something has gone wrong.

When you have 2 or 3 charities ALL doing much the same thing, ALL paying their Chief Executives more than the Prime Minister, you know someone is taking the piss (+Gift Aid)."

this, along with a multi million pound computer system a guy i used to talk to fitted in their new, purpose built headquarters, is the main reason i have nothing to do with crUK

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *ucsparkMan over a year ago

dudley

"I volunteered for a local charity until fairly recently. As a result of this I got included in a supporters mailshot asking for financial donation! The work I did was to support the physiotherapists which enabled them to work with more people so I was in an active, hands on role and had had to undergo lifting and handling training.

I've grown very tired of the pushy collecting tactics of some charities. The ones that have management that take large salaries can niggle meva bit too.

It is not allowed you are not allowed to even shake collecting boxes.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Stopped giving to overseas charities and national ones ...i now support a couple of local ones that have supported loved ones in their need ...so its my way of giving back ....

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *iamondsmiles.Woman over a year ago

little house on the praire

I tried to donate some books to an over seas charity. They wanted me to donate £1 per book. I took them to the charity shop here

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *nnyMan over a year ago

Glasgow

I'm on the mailing list for an organisation which houses a number of smallish charities (I sometimes rent meeting rooms from them).

More that half of the emails are adverts for their £500 a day 'training sessions' almost exclusively on the subject of how to wring more money out of the punters.

For those for whom £500 a day seems a bit steep, there are instructions on how to and to whom to apply for financial support to attend.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I am trustee of a charity providing headstones for babies and children up to the age of 5 for those parents that cant afford to give their babies that final goodbye, we dont advertise on tv or by paper fliers and we dont drop leaflets through letterboxs, we go by word of mouth and through social media as we think on the whole the money spent advertising is detracting from our goals, none of us take a penny from the organisation if anything we use our own money to bolster any auctions or raffles to enable us to raise the much needed funds, we also try to give freebies away to show that we do really care because we do, we dont want huge amounts of praise all we want it to ease the burden that some families have to bear.

i personally find the fact that most charities are using much needed funds to advertise on tv and pay their exec's a huge salary extremely distasteful, surely that money could be better spent elsewhere

now my family on a whole donate a lot of money per month to various charities but they are charities we have chosen of our own violition i really dont think that guilt tripping the public into donating works (this is just my personally opinion so please dont bite my head off lol)

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *ucy and CarlCouple over a year ago

Broadstairs

"When you have charities paying their Chief Executive more than the Prime Minister, you know something has gone wrong.

When you have 2 or 3 charities ALL doing much the same thing, ALL paying their Chief Executives more than the Prime Minister, you know someone is taking the piss (+Gift Aid)."
I totally agree with this. A few years ago I (Carl) produced an adult tongue in cheek humour music production. We raised 15k in one show for demelza house which is a children's hospice. The show was a year in the making. Only later to find out that paid the wages for 6 months for the chief executive wages. Not to mention all the other paid managers and area managers who hardly lifted a finger to assist. Hasten to say the following show went direct to a young local cancer sufferer to send her and her family to Disney USA. But to discuss the original point it seems they will try every tactic to grab the last penny. Then ask how much did that advert cost.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"When you have charities paying their Chief Executive more than the Prime Minister, you know something has gone wrong.

When you have 2 or 3 charities ALL doing much the same thing, ALL paying their Chief Executives more than the Prime Minister, you know someone is taking the piss (+Gift Aid). I totally agree with this. A few years ago I (Carl) produced an adult tongue in cheek humour music production. We raised 15k in one show for demelza house which is a children's hospice. The show was a year in the making. Only later to find out that paid the wages for 6 months for the chief executive wages. Not to mention all the other paid managers and area managers who hardly lifted a finger to assist. Hasten to say the following show went direct to a young local cancer sufferer to send her and her family to Disney USA. But to discuss the original point it seems they will try every tactic to grab the last penny. Then ask how much did that advert cost. "

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

"When you have charities paying their Chief Executive more than the Prime Minister, you know something has gone wrong.

being honest, i think charity adverts get huge discounts, hence they are nver on primetime, but still, cant be free

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I know im going to be shot down in flames here but its my view ....i personally think that more local and small charities need this countries support to do the work they do here than any charity that can afford advertising and paying chief executives wages more than the people that supports it gets paid

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Often its not the charity but a marketing company that generates the adverts and collects the money passing only part of this on. The charities agree because they see it as extra money. In reality is sometime well under 50% passed on.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *UNCHBOXMan over a year ago

folkestone

I think charities need to be more open and show exactly where the breakdown of each pound donated goes. If you could see exactly what you money is helping, then i think more people would donate.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I am trustee of a charity providing headstones for babies and children up to the age of 5 for those parents that cant afford to give their babies that final goodbye, we dont advertise on tv or by paper fliers and we dont drop leaflets through letterboxs, we go by word of mouth and through social media as we think on the whole the money spent advertising is detracting from our goals, none of us take a penny from the organisation if anything we use our own money to bolster any auctions or raffles to enable us to raise the much needed funds, we also try to give freebies away to show that we do really care because we do, we dont want huge amounts of praise all we want it to ease the burden that some families have to bear.

I think thats a fabulous charity to be part of, well done xx

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I think charities need to be more open and show exactly where the breakdown of each pound donated goes. If you could see exactly what you money is helping, then i think more people would donate.

You can find details of income and expenditure on the Charity Commision website.

The sad animal adverts annoy me most.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I hate Sky asking me to save the Jaguar and Rainforest.

Well I'm sorry but you're a commercial broadcasting conglomerate that supports the highest bidder i.e. the hand that feeds. Therefore you support the destruction of rainforests to make way for single crop plantations, which sees the death of hundreds of thousands of tropical creatures and the extinction of several others.

YOU - THE ONES WITH ALL THE FUCKING MONEY - ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR RIDICULOUS AMOUNTS OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR ADVERTISING THIS SHIT IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!

How the fuck is charity going to stop the destruction of our greatest natural asset to the environment, when it's in the hands of conglomerates that rely on the money of other companies that rely on us to buy their shit to begin with???

Yeah thats the tip of the iceberg for me sorry, I should stop now.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *nnyMan over a year ago

Glasgow

"I think charities need to be more open and show exactly where the breakdown of each pound donated goes. If you could see exactly what you money is helping, then i think more people would donate.

You can find details of income and expenditure on the Charity Commision website.

............."

I don't think that's the case in Scotland via OSCR.

You can get a total income figure but if you want proper accounts, you have to apply to the charity direct and smaller charities are allowed to refuse on grounds of cost.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I think charities need to be more open and show exactly where the breakdown of each pound donated goes. If you could see exactly what you money is helping, then i think more people would donate.

You can find details of income and expenditure on the Charity Commision website.

.............

I don't think that's the case in Scotland via OSCR.

You can get a total income figure but if you want proper accounts, you have to apply to the charity direct and smaller charities are allowed to refuse on grounds of cost."

I heard charities only have to give as little as 30% and then the rest will go to wherever else it will go.

Do charity companies get taxed anymore than income tax and national insurance? Corporate tax at all?

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I think thats a fabulous charity to be part of, well done xx"

thank you but it really is neccessary and worthwhile, we do our best to help those in need in their darkest hours, we dont do it for thanks or kudos we do it because we genuinely care and it is unfortunatley a very sad fact of life that happens

but if we can ease just one persons burden then it is worth every minute and every penny we spend

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I support 2 charities, both mean something to me, The stroke association and a Local Donkey trust, I friends 2 your old had a stroke when she was about 9 months old and has hemiplegia, the SA for obvious reasons and the donkey trust because she goes there along with a good number of other disabled kids to ride the donkeys

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I think charities need to be more open and show exactly where the breakdown of each pound donated goes. If you could see exactly what you money is helping, then i think more people would donate.

You can find details of income and expenditure on the Charity Commision website.

.............

I don't think that's the case in Scotland via OSCR.

You can get a total income figure but if you want proper accounts, you have to apply to the charity direct and smaller charities are allowed to refuse on grounds of cost.

I heard charities only have to give as little as 30% and then the rest will go to wherever else it will go.

Do charity companies get taxed anymore than income tax and national insurance? Corporate tax at all?"

charities get taxed on profits made but exemptions can be made, we are subject to VAT if we have business activities but we can apply for relief and exemptions also corporation tax is also payable and again exemption can be applied for in some instances, its a bit of a dark area to me as i dont really deal with the accounting side but we audit our books at least every 3 months and every 6 its done by an accountant, we personally dont have to pay tax or NI being part of the charity because we personally dont take anything out of it but we do in our everyday jobs

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I support 2 charities, both mean something to me, The stroke association and a Local Donkey trust, I friends 2 your old had a stroke when she was about 9 months old and has hemiplegia, the SA for obvious reasons and the donkey trust because she goes there along with a good number of other disabled kids to ride the donkeys

i too am hemiplegic and also support stroke charities as my mother suffered a couple of them in her time, i am lucky my hemiplegia only gives me a really bad head and temporary paralysis, they are both whorthwhile causes

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I think thats a fabulous charity to be part of, well done xx

but if we can ease just one persons burden then it is worth every minute and every penny we spend "

My niece recently used a similar charity after she gave birth to a stillborn baby, as she was only so far into the pregnancy it wasnt classed as a "real" baby so she wouldnt have got any help and unable to pay for or be able to think about paying for a funeral a nurse at the hospital put her in touch with the charity and they helped sort everything out, yes I know you dont do it for the thanks but still .....thankyou xx

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I think thats a fabulous charity to be part of, well done xx

but if we can ease just one persons burden then it is worth every minute and every penny we spend

awww bless her

i am pleased she found one of us to help her, the rules on what term a baby is classed as a baby are so very wrong, i lost a baby to an early miscarriage and its hard i cant even begin to imagine what losing at a later date would have felt like, but the fact that we are out there to help and support and maybe just maybe make an angel parents life a little easier is worth every tear we shed, give your niece a hug for me, it really truly is our honour to do what we do, love and hugs to you all xx

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I hate how if you donate what you can via one of those text things you are signing up to be harassed for the rest of eternity for more money. It actually puts me off giving in the first place as I know I will start getting phone calls to tell me about 'all the good work' they are doing and if I could just 'sign up for a nominal monthly amount' I would be making a huge difference to (insert vulnerable species here) I don't think they do themselves any favours!

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I think charities need to be more open and show exactly where the breakdown of each pound donated goes. If you could see exactly what you money is helping, then i think more people would donate.

You can find details of income and expenditure on the Charity Commision website.

.............

I don't think that's the case in Scotland via OSCR.

You can get a total income figure but if you want proper accounts, you have to apply to the charity direct and smaller charities are allowed to refuse on grounds of cost.

I heard charities only have to give as little as 30% and then the rest will go to wherever else it will go.

Do charity companies get taxed anymore than income tax and national insurance? Corporate tax at all?

Corporation tax isn't due for charitable activities.

Small charities don't need to report in such detail as larger ones - but they're not likely to be the ones harassing you or paying six figure salaries!

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *nnyMan over a year ago

Glasgow

"LEADING charities have united in a desperate attempt to avert the humanitarian crisis of Scotland’s poverty.

Respected organisations including Oxfam, Save the Children, Shelter and Children 1st, have joined forces in a drastic step usually reserved for international conflicts and natural disasters.

The last time Scottish charities pulled together in such a move was to form a Disaster Emergency Committee for war-torn Syria.

The DEC usually call for donations but this time the appeal is for politicians to put poverty at the top of the agenda.

Next month, they will launch a Challenge Poverty Week, as the poor face the “perfect storm” of welfare cuts and rising costs.

Judith Robertson, head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “The fact that we’re coming together to raise the issue of poverty shows how serious we believe the situation is.

“Poverty is a scandal in rich, modern Scotland and Challenge Poverty Week is a chance to demand concrete action from our politicians and policy-makers.” "

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

» Add a new message to this topic