Charities becoming big businesses ?

[unclebulgaria67]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3081294/Britain-s-oldest-poppy-seller-dead-Avon-Gorge-aged-92.html

 

This story of a 92 year old being hounded by charities, because she was kind with her money, should make people and charities think.

 

20 years ago, there were not so many charities around and people loyally gave to a few they had an interest in. In the last 10 years there has been an explosion in the number of charities and the amount of communications they produce. They have become businesses some of which may be more interested in making money for the people running them, than any people the charity is supposed to be supporting.

 

I won't name the charities, but this is my experience.

 

1) Childrens charity - small DD payment per month. Every month a begging letter through the post with pictures of David or Sally, abused by one of their parents, with very sad pictures and story to go with it. They ask for more money to help David and Sally, so the charity can help more children. Stopped giving them money due to the constant letters.

 

2) Charity for the blind - After buying some raffle tickets for about £10 or £20, I kept being sent more raffle tickets every few months for the latest draw, with the expectation I would buy or sell them others. I would also receive phone calls from them begging me to take even more raffle tickets. Stopped giving them money.

 

3) Heart related charity - Gave a donation on behalf of a relative who died - Constant letters asking for more donations, as well as emails and phone calls. Some of the letters would have been expensive to send out, as they were large magazines Have not given to them since and they have stopped sending letters.

 

I expect that everyone who gives to charity experiences exactly the same and I am not sure the charities obtain more money because they keep sending out begging letters. Perhaps they need to have a think about how they raise money.

[Sparks_]

I can add the RSPB, the count how many wild birds you see in your garden on a named day is a [problem]! They use your details that you put in to phone you and ask for donations...I dont think the bird count is used for anything other than getting peoples details!

[citizenB]

This is very sad indeed. I have heard of others being targeted in this way. It is very wrong when someone donates to a charity, their details are then sold on to others.

[unclebulgaria67]

This is very sad indeed. I have heard of others being targeted in this way. It is very wrong when someone donates to a charity, their details are then sold on to others.

 

The sale of personal data is a growth industry. Even if you tick the box saying that you do not wish your data to be available to anyone else, I am not sure this is always honoured. How do you know when you get a phone call or letter, who has sold them your personal data. If you made a complaint, they may not reveal this or it is some data company who have got hold of it.

[snowdragon]

I saw this and put it in the what made you swear today bit on here, so sad, I fund raise for The Lullaby Trust ( formally F.S.I.D, Cot death charity ) they get no Government help what so ever.

All money I raise goes to them xx

[Conniff]

IMO 99% of charities are a rip-off, they are set up to make lots of money for those that run them. Look at the amount that are being set up everyday, from loss of six times removed niece memorial fund to Oxfam, they are there to make easy money and nothing else.

 

 

There is no regulation that says how much admin you can take so lets take 95% for admin and the other towards the charity that was set up and you don't ever hear about again.

 

 

There are only two charities I give to, the air ambulance and our local Hospice all the rest can get stuffed, especially the foreign ones.

[SabreSheep]

My sisters experience.

 

Joined a charity that was related to what her son suffers form.

 

Run by the older generation including a police officer

 

Discovered through meetings that funds were being misappropriated and support only given out to the families of those running the charity.

 

Opposed any idea or suggestion that was put forward to help others or move the charity forward.

 

Was asked as she stated she was never going to return if she would step up to secretary.

 

Found widescale fraud. To the degree that a property was left to the charity and was not on the books and was being lived in by "relation of the trustees"

 

Found donations for £1000s made but not where it went.

 

She Tried to being in things like CRB checks (As charity deals with children) and was opposed

 

In the end resigned.

 

Received loads of abuse afterwards

 

6 months down the line the treasurer and wife arested and found guilty of massive fraud selling elderly people death insurance from another company and splashed over the local paper.

 

At no time did the charity commission investigate my sisters complaints.

 

It seems that people have woken up to how regulation in the charity sector does not work

[unclebulgaria67]

My Sister has been involved in a small local charity for years and they take the running of it very seriously, with all the rules followed. But from what she has said it can be an admin nightmare and you do get arguments about who can benefit from money raised. Some people do join charities to see what help they can get for themselves.

 

I suspect that there are so many charities that the charity commision or whoever is responsible for regulatory oversight, cannot possible keep an eye on what is going on.

 

Charities should never be set up to be mostly about a career for the founder and their friends/family. Going back in time, they were mostly run by people in their spare time, who had a particular interest in helping a cause. They are now mostly businesses and should be viewed in that way.

[Conniff]

It seems that people have woken up to how regulation in the charity sector does not work

 

 

It certainly does, everyones getting in on the act of easy money.

 

 

Yanks fall to sleep thinking who they can sue, Brits fall to sleep thinking 'what charity can I set up'.

[unclebulgaria67]

It certainly does, everyones getting in on the act of easy money.

 

 

Yanks fall to sleep thinking who they can sue, Brits fall to sleep thinking 'what charity can I set up'.

 

I have only recently come to the conclusion about charities, as I previously thought most were in it for the right reasons. But given world economics, I think there are people who see it as a way to make money.

 

I now only donate items to local charity shops, one being for a hospice and another dealing with disabled.

[maroondevo52]

I find if you donate once they then continue to get on your back, some of them are superb at their jobs and can talk you into giving your granny away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ps. I've just asked them to give her back

[snowdragon]

https://www.facebook.com/LullabyTrust?fref=ts

 

help give babies the chance of a lifetime x

[citizenB]

 

 

There are only two charities I give to, the air ambulance and our local Hospice all the rest can get stuffed, especially the foreign ones.

 

These are my two charities as well.

 

I used to give to one Charity by way of Direct Debit. I was astonished to receive a letter after the first 6 months from them saying they were sure I wouldn't mind if they were to increase my DD by £x amount, in order to cover their increased costs and that if I didn't, mind that is, then I didn't have to reply to their letter and they would simply go ahead and take the increased amount ??

[citizenB]

I saw this and put it in the what made you swear today bit on here, so sad, I fund raise for The Lullaby Trust ( formally F.S.I.D, Cot death charity ) they get no Government help what so ever.

All money I raise goes to them xx

 

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Sudden-infant-death-syndrome/Pages/Introduction.aspx

 

 

Bristol University also do quite a lot of Research into SIDS, I would imagine that is funded by Government funds, SD

[snowdragon]

no, The lullaby trust get no help what so ever, they rely on sponsorships, fund raising and donations , I have also learned GOSH also get no help

[Guest]

i had thought that eu legislation had said that anyones data cant be sold on unless they tick otherwise. but, everyone seems to still do the 'tick here if you dont want data sold on to third parties'. shld be the other way around ie auto no, unless tick otherwise?

it does seem as if there needs to be more accountability to show where all the publics generous donations go.

[Guest]

I saw this and put it in the what made you swear today bit on here, so sad, ..

 

the link

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/britain-s-oldest-poppy-seller-found-dead-aged-92-after--losing-her-faith-in-people-105637894.html?vp=1#9loQ5ux

 

'Generous Olive - who was a postwoman for 17 years - was also getting harrassing phone calls and up to 260 letters a month from charities pestering her for cash...........She had been forced to cancel some 27 direct debits payable to charities as in addition Olive had battled breast cancer and found her finances difficult to manage......Olive found herself inundated by charities eager to get her to restart payments and close friend Michael Earley said she was struggling to cope..........Mr Earley, 72, said the cash theft from the post was the start of her demise, which was compounded by the constant charity phone calls which left Olive feeling 'guilty'....Her body was found in the Avon Gorge in Bristol last Wednesday after onlookers saw her climb over the railings with the help of a stepladder.'.

[citizenB]

This was reported on the BBC news @ 6pm.

[Guest]

This was reported on the BBC news @ 6pm.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-32748923

[unclebulgaria67]

the link

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/britain-s-oldest-poppy-seller-found-dead-aged-92-after--losing-her-faith-in-people-105637894.html?vp=1#9loQ5ux

 

'Generous Olive - who was a postwoman for 17 years - was also getting harrassing phone calls and up to 260 letters a month from charities pestering her for cash...........She had been forced to cancel some 27 direct debits payable to charities as in addition Olive had battled breast cancer and found her finances difficult to manage......Olive found herself inundated by charities eager to get her to restart payments and close friend Michael Earley said she was struggling to cope..........Mr Earley, 72, said the cash theft from the post was the start of her demise, which was compounded by the constant charity phone calls which left Olive feeling 'guilty'....Her body was found in the Avon Gorge in Bristol last Wednesday after onlookers saw her climb over the railings with the help of a stepladder.'.

 

I bet following this story that charities start to receive less money. This has appeared on most of the TV news programmes and I suspect more coverage in the weekends newspapers.

 

I get a real sense that decent charities are really struggling to raise funds and as they try harder they are bombarding supporters with communications. Also government is looking for charities to step in to provide services/help, because they have cut department spending. This means that charities are having to raise more funds to meet demand. I have never understood why the NHS does not fund air ambulances. As A&E's are closed, with major trauma centres moving further away, then there will be more need for helicopters to be based in locations where they are required.

[Guest]

maybe. its not a good indictment!

 

most of the flyers through my letterbox are from charities. it is 'big business'.

as you pose, one q is whether there shld be a need for a charity for whatever in the first place.

[citizenB]

I have never understood why the NHS does not fund air ambulances. As A&E's are closed, with major trauma centres moving further away, then there will be more need for helicopters to be based in locations where they are required.

 

It was my understanding that charities, along with their charity tax status, also receive like for like from government by way of funding? Or is this not so any more ?

[unclebulgaria67]

It was my understanding that charities, along with their charity tax status, also receive like for like from government by way of funding? Or is this not so any more ?

 

They get the gift aid if people advise they have paid enough tax, which I think adds 20% to the donation value.

 

As far as I know the government only match charities donations on a case by case basis. It is not automatic. The government did give the air ambulance charities £250k each from the LIBOR fines.

[Conniff]

Here's a pertinent tweet to bring this thread back on:

 

Angelina Jolie: Actress Left Land Mine-Clearing Charity Over Trustee Payments, Reports Say

Jolie stepped down from the Halo Trust in May last year because she was "uncomfortable" with payments made to two trustees of up to £500 a day, multiple media outlets report.

 

Proof there that charities are what we suspected and not what they pretend to be.

[snowdragon]

I do fund raising for the Charity The Lullaby Trust ( formally F.S.I.D, Cot Death Charity ) this charity gets NO Government help what so ever and they have to rely on Sponsorship, donations and fund raising to help give babies the chance of a lifetime. No know atm knows why babies, children and even adults just suddenly die with no known reason/cause. My granddaughter was taken by SIDS aged just 8 weeks and the Coroner said she was a perfectly healthy little girl so no known reason x