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Why we give?
Graham Jones MP: 49 per cent of people think that society is too cynical about those who give says ?Why We Give? report
Why we give... quite a few quid has gone into this research..could have saved them the money.. It's because someone is rattling their tin in the foyer of the supermarket and you chuck your loose change in...did it myself at Tesco this morning...have absolutely no idea what the charity was. But thinking about it, just where does a charity stop being a charity and become a business with relaxed governance? Case in point..many years ago as a 14yr old I had a job doing the cancer and polio round. Subscribers had a card with 4 numbers relating to football teams, if the number of goals scored by these teams was the highest, they got a share of the payout, the lowest got a booby prize too. It was 1s 6d per week to play..of this I got 3d, there was a bloke that collected off me, and a bloke that collected off him to pay too...if you subtract the prize money there was probably 6d going to the charity..thats the equivalent of 2 or 3p actually going to the charity. Move on to today, we have charities setting up shop on our high streets, staffed by volunteers and a paid manager. Volunteers are, in general, blue stocking middle class women with time on their hands, unemployed strivers looking to add to their cv or people with learning disabilities/mental health issues given menial 'jobs' to massage the county council figures so they can say 'look how good we are at re-enabling' We have charities that can 'undercut' bids from the private sector, that can pay better wages, offer more training, can attend more useless meetings and tick the appropriate boxes....simply because idiots like me chuck a few quid into a bucket after I've bought my weeks supply of liffey water. Thing is, charities cant make profit, so friend of mine who works (paid) for a charity, got a bonus at Xmas that the bankers would be proud of..just to balance the books! Meanwhile, the taxes I pay that are supposed to better society are spent on MP's expenses, bankers bonuses, twitter Google Page Ranking, facebook Google Page Ranking and bloody stupid research like this one??? All the time there are cuts to those in real need..just proves to me that Tory idealogy and the thoughts of chairman Graham are entwined and would make lttle difference at the polling booth! |
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I agree with you, Guinness, that it is a travesty only a very small amount of money actually makes its way to the charity it was originally destined for after all the expenses (of which there should be very little or none!) are taken out. I do not give to such organisations. However, I do take umbrage at your somewhat derogatory description of volunteers.
I personally do not fit into any of the categories you mention – and nor do any of my friends and acquaintances, however we have all spent many hours volunteering in various capacities. I normally would not mention this, I am not looking for a pat on the back for doing something that gives me great enjoyment, but I felt I had to respond to your posting. Why do we volunteer? Maybe (and without meaning to offend you, perhaps this is something you won’t understand) we enjoy giving and though we can’t give much in the monetary sense we can give some of our time to help others. Volunteers are the life-blood of many organisations. No person needs to be bored as there is always some place that needs you, someone who will benefit from your help. Perhaps some volunteers do fit into your description but the ones I know get enjoyment out of helping others, and knowing you are appreciated and that your input is important is reward enough. Maybe you should try it one day. |
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I agree with dotti,your description of volunteers is somewhat derogatory.
Their are 1000's of volunteers all over the world (that don't fall into your categorisation) so your experiences with them are statistically irrelevant :p |
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We all have our own motives for giving.
Mine is having poverty in my past. I am not talking about the poverty of today. I am talking about having nothing in the house to eat......being cold, because we had no coal. I remember it. It is ingrained in my being. Charity should be like prayer - private and meaningful. Charity is personal. The large charities have become big business. How much would one of those TV ads cost. You know the ones I mean...those that ask us for £2 a month. How much of this goes to the needy and how much to pay for the CEO's lavish salary of 340K per year. Charity shops perform a social function - they recycle stuff, they mean that people who have limited funds can buy something which is 'new' to them. As for the volunteers - in my experience they are not just the blue stocking, middle class women with time on their hands. I have been served by young people, older people, people of ethnic origin....all of whom are getting something out of giving their time....whether it be something to include on their CV or just the joy of knowing that your time is making a difference. Some will volunteer because they feel a need to give something back(maybe they have been helped in the past and feel it is their duty). To some people knowing that they made a difference is reward in itself. |
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Volunteers the world oer, in the main are great selfless people, as i have witnessed.Don't matter a stuff what strata of society they come from.
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The big ones have become big businesses.If you donate to the big ones you have to accept they will use some of your money to keep their profiles up as they are national charities.i do hold some respect for RNLI though.
But I'd say pick a more localised charity, food bank or donate to a local church that provides assistance in the community.I'll never give to Oxfam etc because of their overheads, their large office block, Directors/Managers salaries (and their motors). Any charity that uses any of following are guaranteed not to get one round coin off me.These include (but are not limited too) guilt trip TV adverts, mass mail-outs, unsolicited phonecalls,cold calling. I use to volunteer for a small dog rescue they relied mostly on funding raised in the summer at car boots and fairs etc,they also/rarely had a couple of people leave money in their wills too, but they can't afford to advertise for donations like these big charities do. All the workers were volunteers and any money went straight towards vet fees and (very) occasionally the animals food, although most us feed our foster dogs out of our own wallets. Ps If any of you philanthropists are feeling generous I'm excepting payments :D |
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However, this still doesn't take away from my argument that in a modern civilised society there should be no need for charities and that the charities of today are little more than businesses with tax breaks taking advantage of the volunteer ethos. |
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In a perfect world, there would be no need of charity...but the world is not perfect and there are people who are greedy, there are people who are lazy....but I think that those who do stuff for charity are to be applauded for recognising that they can help - and do so by putting their back into it.
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Guinness, it takes a big man to apologise - so, speaking on behalf of volunteers world-wide, your apology is accepted. Sorry if I came on a bit strong - hope the rap wasn't too hard on your knuckles. Have put the cane away again now.
However, I do agree with you on the other points you make. I also agree with all of Margaret's comments. |
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Well, I wonder where he got the 49% from?
Meanwhile I think I'm one of the cynical ones, a quick copy and paste to prove it:- http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/1...-post3665.html http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/a...9&d=1394191547 I'm not sure if I've got my slogan right! :D |
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I found the site in the link most interesting, well put together and full of interesting information.
So much so, I have added it to my favourites and will be looking in regularly. When I went to the home page I found a large number of links to other sites, however even though he has been a member of a certain site for many years and does post often, a link to it seems to have been omitted. 1/ Can you guess which site? 2/ Can you suggest a reason why the omission? 3/ Can you see him correcting this omission in the near future? Severe Karma points and likeys from me for the best answers. |
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It's the things you mention that prevent me from giving. I'm just not happy in paying for something if I'm not fully aware of what it is.
I volunteer my time instead, but in the past I have done both. I have been a charity shop worker in the past, and I still shop at them now-so in a sense I am giving my money in that way. |
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Cameron has always banged on about the 'big society' where people help each other. (I got news for him, people have ALWAYS helped each other, long before his catchphrase vote grabber, people have always been 'Big' on helping others, especially amongst us working class). We've all cut our elderly neighbours lawn, picked something up from the shops for them, checked on them from time to time etc..etc.. Some charities are worthwhile, problem is too many others are aided and abetted to the extent of job destruction. Some of them, like the RSPCA, have become political (anyone tried taking a stray to them recently?), others use your money for crazy research or to undercut private sector job creation, many of these charities are creating so much money that they are paying bonuses to their paid staff just to balance the books. Camerons argument is that there is no need for society to pick up the bill to ensure that people are cared for, that we should all take responsibility, he's not going to lower your taxes for the money he saves if we do, because thats reserved for his bankers, backers and other associated leeches to society. He's never going to cut his neighbours lawn because his nearest neighbour lives a couple of miles away and has a gardener. He's ok with the rise of charities, because he doesn't have to pay for it from the money you give him in taxes, you do..you pay your taxes and then you pay again for a charity to do something that your taxes were meant to pay for. You are being altruistic, and fair play to you, BUT, although you are giving your time and spending your hard earned money to support the charity by buying from their shops, you are still complicit in this governments attempt to turn many paying jobs into volunteer positions, you are complicit in helping Cameron make cut after cut after cut to the detriment of many of the people these so called charities portend to support. Charities spring up daily, it's not really that hard to become a charity, it's a tad harder to become a registered charity, but big business with an array of lawyers can easily overcome the restrictions placed by the charity commission. Just a thought if a business indirectly runs a charity and then donates to that charity what kind of tax breaks that business gets on that donation? One thing I've gained from the Graham Jones blog that I originally posted is that I will be extremely careful which charities I donate to in future, I will not just chuck my loose change into any old bucket in Tesco, and I will stay the heck away from any charity than can afford mainstream advertising or high street shops! |
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All good points Mr Guinness. I am a charitable person as I am sure many people on this forum are... I'll help people if I can, and you're right-I'm not unique. People, generally are quite willing to assist others if they can. The RSPCA have their place, I know of people and animals they're assisted..-But...not sure if you're aware but I ran an animal rescue centre for some time, a couple of years ago. I was there when the local RSPCA facilities were full..They usually are, it seems. Their rules on rehoming are a little too strict, in my opinion-coming from an animal lover to the extreme that's saying something. EG to get a dog, you have to have an enclosed garden. Why?If you're available to walk a dog twice daily and have a large house to keep him/her in,why need a garden?Dogs are stolen from gardens. Just an example. Cameron does have skewed views-not even outdated ones, just a biased view. I'll never say I'm altruistic, though-I don't really believe in altruism. People are usually out for themselves in some way or other. If you help someone, it makes you feel good, or viable-or that you're DOING some good. It's part of human nature for many. I shop in charity shops because I feel It's better than buying new, I'm not a fan of consumerism or waste....And I'm from Yorkshire ;) If I do a little bit of good in the process, or at least do not contribute to the 'bad' , then I feel better (again , not altruistic). I agree about the chucking of loose change. I have never done that. And also, I do not like how begging on the street is frowned upon for the homeless-yet many so called 'charities' seem to find it totally acceptable, even though in neither case do we really know where our money is going. As charities are not 'allowed' to make a profit, what if they do? Large bonus, anyone... Also RSPCA 'big wigs' are known to be on quite a large wage so I've read. And with 50% of the animals in their care being put to sleep... (My case is having a rest, now).... |
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I only use the RSPCA as an example of a charity gone beyond its original remit..i.e. to prevent cruelty to animals (rsPCA)..yet now stick their oar in many political arguments yet refuse to take in strays and redirect you to the local dogwarden, or as you say a rescue centre. Kinda like HBC debating an area of Asia but refusing to engage on the provision of benches outside the town hall. Delusions of grandeur and totally lost their focus.
As for charity shops...back in the day, they were called second hand shops, usually on the back streets of the town centre, and is yet another example of how the rise of charities has destroyed jobs in the private sector, you would be hard pressed to find a second hand shop in this day and age that could compete with charities that have doorstep collections, volunteer staff, tax and rate break high street shops and TV advertising. |
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Unfortunately Margaret you are not alone in experiencing poverty in the past. I too grew up in poverty but luckily enough it wasn't until I grew older and wiser that I recognised what poverty was. Yet in growing older I believe I was a better person for it.
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It certainly taught me a lot of lessons which have helped mi in my life. I can make do and mend, I can make a decent meal out of leftovers. I am careful with money.....these are things that you don't learn in school. |
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I won't get started on TV advertisements. Adverts that beg for my money-as far as I am concerned, the causes already have my money. It's on a differing note but one thing that annoys me is how expensive charity shops now are, compared to years past. Quote:
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Why we give?
Got to admit, I'm part of the can cook can't be arsed' brigade, unless I'm fortunate enough to get a bit of road kill.
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Sunflower, that is a big problem...but it maybe because their mother/grandmother never showed them how to do these things.
We cannot blame them for not knowing how to do these things...except I was taught that once you find a gap in your knowledge/skills, it is your responsibility to make sure you do something about it. I still try to follow that maxim....and today with the internet and Youtube as a teacher, there is little excuse to stay clueless. |
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I cook for others(himself, the tinlids,Ma...Nicola, Jim next door) much more that I would ever do for myself. I think that fit single people should band together and form some sort of meal club. |
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I wholeheartedly agree, sometimes when you get a 16stone ex rugby player that died in a traffic accident, you waste more than you eat! ;) |
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The RSPCA were established in 1824 as the SPCA - Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Royal patronage follwed in 1837 and Queen Victoria gave permission to add the 'royal R' in 1840, making them the RSPCA as their more commonly known today. The Queen is patron of more than 620 charities and organisations. As much as I dislike the royals,she's done quite a bit for charity in this country so I say good on her. But lets not forget she is kept by the taxpayer and there are folk that do much more valuable work for charity than the royals, and they don't get reports/articles in the media trumpeting about their work. |
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Our peg went missing over a week ago while walking the dog, I'm not bothered about the Mrs but there's a reward for the safe return of the dog.
I rang greenbank they said I should "expect the worse" :eek: So this morning I've been down age concern and got all her stuff back :) |
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Yes, Margaret, I think many of us were in the same boat as far as the small amount of money there was in 'those' days. I have no idea how my mother managed in the way she did, always making sure we had sufficient food - have a feeling that she must have very quietly gone without a lot of things herself to make this happen. Never complained. There was never any spare cash to waste but we accepted that as being the way it was.
Such a different concept of money these days - some Smart Alec has come up with a suggestion that kids should be paid 25 cents a day (from the Government, therefore from the taxpayer) as a payment/reward if they eat more vegetables and fruit at school. One young student (looked about 10) was asked if he would do this and his reply was 'for 25 cents, I don't think so!' |
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"Money is numbers and numbers never end. If it takes money to be happy, your search for happiness will never end" Robert Marley.
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No, money will not make you happy....it just buys you a better class of misery.
Happiness is a very personal thing. Obviously you need to have some money, there is no happiness if you cannot pay your way. Despite having very little money when I was growing up, I believe I had a very rich childhood. My parents gave us their time.....we played silly board games.....we listened to radio programs in the firelight, drinking cocoa and eating toast cooked on the coals. We went fishing for sticklebacks with improvised fishing nets, we picked blackberries, we picked flowers....we slept out in home made tents. |
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There were some great plays on the radio in those days. Had to listen well and visualise. Cocoa and toast on the coals - you have certainly brought back some memories for me, Margaret. Long walks with my nature-loving dad, when I was small he would carry me on his shoulders for miles. Blackberry-picking, and eating them all on the way home - so no blackberry pie!
You have hit the nail on the head - parents giving their time, and quality time at that. Before I started school I could play most card games - thanks to my dad teaching me these. We didn't need a lot of money - no latest gadgets to buy to keep up with the Joneses. They didn't have any money either!!!!! |
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charity is good buissness
its been fact for many years that those at the top of oxfam drive bentleys think how many bowls of rice one of them could buy |
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Yes, and that is why I buy nothing from Oxfam.
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i dont buy from oxfam or donate to them because i think africa has had more than enough from this country
i also think local charities need our help more but then again i think there shouldnt be a need for cancer research and macmillans nurses teh government shoudl be funding them instead of funding china , india, pakistan , etc etc and so on |
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I also try to use local charities, but I also try to spread my donations around a bit.
I buy most of my designer clothes from BHF.......and donate them back when I am fed up of them.....books too, I have a kindle but still cannot resist books from the charity shops. They are really only on loan as I donate them back when I have read them......sometimes still priced up. |
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One of my bugbears is folk claiming poverty whilst buying takeaway dinners several times per week! Quote:
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I don't think money can make anybody happy. I think needing more money than you have can cause one to be UNhappy, but that as you say is very personal. Also nowadays it seems all things material are easily come by, even to those who are poor. Credit means everybody can have what they want, at a price. I see a lot of 'plastic millionaires' in the industry I work in. They have the car and the clothing and the home comforts...None fully paid for. I would be a bag of nerves if I lived like that. Quote:
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If you have much and donate some of it to good causes, or helping family and friends than of course you are spreading around a little happiness...but you are never going to miss what you have given because you have plenty more where that came from. But when you have very little, but give of yourself, or your time, then surely that is more worthy. Do we not place too much reliance on material things? Do these material things really make us happy? Ok maybe we get a buz from being able to go out and indulge in something for ourselves....but does that buzz fade pretty quickly as we move on to our next 'want'...so much so that we no longer see it as a 'want' but as a 'need'. Just thinking out loud.....I am sure I was happier as a child than the children of today seem to be....but then that is relative because we can never really have a definitive answer. I certainly never heard of any child saying that they were 'depressed'...bored maybe, but depressed never. |
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An owd saying is "Money aint everything, But its way ahead of whatevers in second place.":D
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That saying isn't true......health is first every time. If you do not have your health then all else is miserable.
Ask anyone who has a chronic health issue and I think they will agree. |
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As we live abroad it is difficult for me to physically assist in things I personally deem as good causes within the UK, so I "Do my bit" for my favoured charities/causes by donation/ sponsorship & the likes. We're not exactly rich, we muddle along like most folk & we pay our bills, our finances don't really allow for frivolities & wants, but there's always a couple of quid for something worthwhile, be that Guide dogs, RNLI, Help for heroes, Poppy appeal, McMillan & cancer research to name a few. In fact when we're over & wandering round browsing in the emporia & centres of commerce if someone waves a tin at me I'll usually chuck in a couple of quid regardless. We'll visit a Lifeboat station, make a donation, then spend £20-25, on odds & ends in their shop (we've got a fridge full of magnets & pens for a lifetime!) but as far as we're concerned it's money well spent. :) |
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Because you give what you can, when you can.....someone is benefitting.
We all choose those charities which we deem deserving as a result of life experiences. We should never forget that one day we may benefit from their help. At least that is my maxim when giving! Anyway, if I ever come into money I already know exactly where it is going. Money is like muck.....in a pile it stinks, but if you spread it around it puts life back into dead earth. |
Why we give?
Someone benefits Only if you give to a true charity Margaret. Which of the big charities can we give to and know our money is going to the needy not the greedy?
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When you donate cash...especially to the big charities.....you really do not know how much of what you give actually gets to the people who really need the help....how much of your donation goes to pay the vast wages of the CEO's of these charities.
Small local charities like Bleakholt, Only foals and Horses need the money to continue their efforts. When I am in Asda I will buy a tin of dog food...or cat food because I know even this small donation will help the animals in their care. |
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We aren't only on the same page of the hymn book...we are in the same church too:D:D. |
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Yes Cashy, I can guess. I am sure there are many folk out there who would trade good health for every penny they possess. It is something that we fail to truly value until we no longer have it.
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BBC NEWS | Have Your Say | Who pays for the air ambulance?
Today I got a charity bag (air ambulance). Now i know it's probably best they stay out of it (because they'll bleep it up like everything else they get involved in). But why do we not have government support for our air ambulances (they do excellent work in many Traffic collisions etc). I understand a air ambulance isn't always the best option when it comes to built up areas due to hazards from obstacles, that's hardly a reason to blank them. Also as a island nation why no gov support for RNLI? Is it to remain free from all interference from outside bureaucracy, which would almost inevitably end up with the charity being compromised in its aims? Or is it that they're loaded like oxfam etc,and they don't need the support? :confused: |
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I've never been short of money. Never as a child nor adult. I may have been a bit short of income at times but I don't count that as being impoverished. It's strange how my situation also runs alongside my being tight as a crab's bum though. Maybe It's true what they say about those from Yorkshire. It's nice to have money, I won't deny that-It's a lot better than NOT having money, but true happiness is something related to being a fully-functioning person and not something directly related to finances. I put it too simply before I guess. Quote:
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Who was it who said, 'I don't like money, but it calms my nerves'. I like that one. Kind of close to how I feel about it. Quote:
Not sure about Air Ambulance, AccyExplorer. One thing that I've noticd today is my facebook newsfeed being full of women posting pictures of themselves without make up 'To raise cancer awareness'. I've yet to meet somebody who isn't aware of cancer. Plus the original point was to put the picture alongside a number to call or text instructing how to donate to Cancer Research Uk. Most women seem to have forgotten to do that, however Cancer Research UK are big business, not a charity I'd ever choose to give money to. And why women are thinking that their bare faces will do anything for cancer sufferers, without the donation number attached, is beyond me? |
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