Jump to content

Charities


Archied

Recommended Posts

We usually give a donation to crisis at Christmas each year ( nothing big just what we can spare ) this year we have just received a letter from them which was very much like a final demand on an unpaid bill which we found very unsettling ,we have checked out crisis and are not impressed with the amount per donation that actually gets spent on the homeless as opposed to costs and salaries , I know that sadly so many charities are professional businesses now but daftly I hadn’t realised crisis were right up there in terms of this ruthlessness , question is are there any charities / ways to donate without lining the pockets of those that really don’t need it ? Is Salvation Army still volunteer based 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 25
  • Created
  • Last Reply
9 minutes ago, Archied said:

We usually give a donation to crisis at Christmas each year ( nothing big just what we can spare ) this year we have just received a letter from them which was very much like a final demand on an unpaid bill which we found very unsettling ,we have checked out crisis and are not impressed with the amount per donation that actually gets spent on the homeless as opposed to costs and salaries , I know that sadly so many charities are professional businesses now but daftly I hadn’t realised crisis were right up there in terms of this ruthlessness , question is are there any charities / ways to donate without lining the pockets of those that really don’t need it ? Is Salvation Army still volunteer based 

We always fund raise for The Sheffield Children’s Hospital And they have their own charity,I’m pretty sure Derby is the same?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't help but do find it annoying that when you donate to a charity you are often ruthlessly badgered for additional donations.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, coneheadjohn said:

We always fund raise for The Sheffield Children’s Hospital And they have their own charity,I’m pretty sure Derby is the same?

Were not in derby but I’m sure your right in terms of finding something smaller and local

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Find a charity local to you where you can speak directly to the staff or volunteers. 

Having staff in a charity isn't necessarily a bad thing - they do the hard work - but if you select a local charity then you aren't paying for layers and layers of management above the front line workers. 

Wherever you live there will be a local CVS that can tell you which charities are working in your area and on what e.g.  homelessness, mental health, children, older people.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, sometimes they do seem to push things too far.

A few years back, I charidee zip-wired from the back row of the SW Upper corner to the Disabled seating area in the NE Lower Corner (PPS, that is).  Thoroughly enjoyed it, collected a few quid for the charity (that I won't name, because...) who took about 3 years to "shake off", what with their incessant texts, emails and letters making me feel extremely guilty for not raising £Thousands per year for them.  That particular charity has now lost out, even if it is only the odd tenner every now and again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Archied said:

We usually give a donation to crisis at Christmas each year ( nothing big just what we can spare ) this year we have just received a letter from them which was very much like a final demand on an unpaid bill which we found very unsettling ,we have checked out crisis and are not impressed with the amount per donation that actually gets spent on the homeless as opposed to costs and salaries , I know that sadly so many charities are professional businesses now but daftly I hadn’t realised crisis were right up there in terms of this ruthlessness , question is are there any charities / ways to donate without lining the pockets of those that really don’t need it ? Is Salvation Army still volunteer based 

Not volunteer based but as near as damn it. Arguably the best of the bigger named charities.

https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/our-trustees-and-staff-pay

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe a better idea if you're going to give a few quid.

Go to the supermarket. Do a weekly (or a three daily) shop and take it to one of the many food banks that will be open and accepting donations.

I believe in order to get a food bank parcel, folks have to prove they're eligible and be given a voucher.

At least that way you know every penny you spend goes to someone who really needs it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, ronnieronalde said:

Maybe a better idea if you're going to give a few quid.

Go to the supermarket. Do a weekly (or a three daily) shop and take it to one of the many food banks that will be open and accepting donations.

I believe in order to get a food bank parcel, folks have to prove they're eligible and be given a voucher.

At least that way you know every penny you spend goes to someone who really needs it.

Absolutely right!

Our church, along with others in the area (Smethwick) collect food for foodbanks.

This goes to a local distribution centre and anyone in need can ask a trained volunteer for a voucher for 3 days’ food.

Folk from all walks of life need a hand sometime. 

Delayed benefits, unexpected emergencies etc.

It is help at the point of greatest need. They can also accept and gift-aid donations.

No middle men or paid ‘executives’.

Well worth supporting and assisting generally!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whenever î buy petrol at one particular filling station, at payment it always states " would you like to add 0.25p for charity".

at first i used to say yes but then i stopped and so i always get the evil eye.

what if the supermarket till also prompted you to add 25p for charity everytime you visited. And homebase and screwfix, and boots the chemist, pizza hut, cafe nero, starbucks, macdonalds, marks and spencers, next, amazon etc etc. What if everytime you bought a pint, the barman asked if you would like to add 25p for charity. Soon everytime you fart you'll have to add a little bit for charity. 

What charity anyway?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I donate to Birmingham Children's Hospital because they are the reason I have a fantastic 11 year old granddaughter. 

Other than that, I would happily pay in to every political party that promises to keep the NHS free of privatisation. Unfortunately thats not many.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I once got stung on the doorstep by the RSPCA and signed up for their £2 a month appeal. When I checked the bank statement, they were taking £2 a week instead and when I cancelled the direct debit, I got a nasty letter with pictures of abused puppies etc. I also got bombarded with phone calls from other charities. Disgraceful

Now I only give when I can do so anonymously (collection boxes etc). We've been sponsoring a Gambian boy to go to school for a few years but that's through a local charity, so we don't get any hassle from that.

Mrs Wolfie takes all Miss Wolfie's old clothes (mostly barely warn) and toys etc to work, so they can be given to kids in care who've got bugger all. I think anyone can probably do this by dropping stuff off at Social Work offices.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Archied said:

We usually give a donation to crisis at Christmas each year ( nothing big just what we can spare ) this year we have just received a letter from them which was very much like a final demand on an unpaid bill which we found very unsettling ,we have checked out crisis and are not impressed with the amount per donation that actually gets spent on the homeless as opposed to costs and salaries , I know that sadly so many charities are professional businesses now but daftly I hadn’t realised crisis were right up there in terms of this ruthlessness , question is are there any charities / ways to donate without lining the pockets of those that really don’t need it ? Is Salvation Army still volunteer based 

I work for a charity which organise volunteering opportunities for companies to give back to their local community. We partner with all sorts of local groups who need help but this time of year it's all about foodbanks. If you dont want to give money to a charity who you dont feel you can trust I'd strongly suggest donating food to your local food bank or even volunteering for a day (or however much time you can give.)

If you are going to donate food, i will add that most foodbanks are massively over stocked with things like baked beans and dried pasta so maybe best to avoid these. Dried coffee, breakfast cereals are often in short supply. As are toiletries, so soaps, shampoo, sanitary products etc will be very well recieved. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is a tough one this.

I fully understand your frustration at the fact that some charities take their cut, but with out them then the whole thing would not function.

Some charities are purely run by volunteers and some of the donation just goes to keeping their infrastructure going, others as listed above also have professionals to run them and they do indeed take a cut.

I give to charities that have meant something in my life through family and friends. I also give regularly to certain collections (that also I have been affiliated to in some way).

I think I would be put off knowing that a large amount of my hard earned generously donated money would not reach the intended destination.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...