I find it offensive to have my empty pockets plundered in the name of charity. I believe what they are doing is a just and worthwhile cause but when someone obscenely rich like Elton John tells me that £75 will pay for an African village to have proper sanitation for a week, why doesn’t he just give it to them.
He is the one with the money in the first place. Why, in an era of credit, borrowing and more credit, when just about everybody owes some corporate company cash, should we, the impoverished, dole out more money for charities?
What’s more its Children In Need as well tonight — it just comes thick and fast. Wander down Sutton High Street and someone somewhere will ask you to donate. I say target the people who can give like the hapless Robbie Williams, Elton John, Girls Aloud and Bono, or the Government who truly have the power to help.
These ‘stars’ have more than enough cash in their back pockets to wipe out national debts of a host of African and third world countries, but instead of putting their money where their mouth is, they expect us to donate for poxy third rate songs sung by third rate performers for the good of poverty.
I would gladly donate if I wasn’t so cash-strapped myself, and I’d borrow more if these ‘stars’ promised not to perform at all.
Luke ive got to say i give very little to charity, but sometimes you have to just think that people somewhere havent even got water, sanitation or even food, some people on this planet are waiting for days for their next meal, poverty in other countries is a hell of a lot worse than the so called poverty in his country, when we all know if people in this country got off their fat arses and found a job they would not be in poverty.
So dont think you arent all that well off mate because you are very well off compared to some people, and as for Elton John he is giving his time to the charities for free when he could be somewhere else earning millions for a one night gig so its not all that bad then eh?.
I too would give my services for free if i had as much money in the bank as these huge stars have…notice that they only get on their high horse when they have made it to the top…i do not give to charity except cancer relief, and on the odd occasion to the guys selling the big issue…i got put off years ago when i read exactly how much of the money actually reaches the front line…my wife worked for a charity for a pittance…the boss was on £30.000 a year, so i wouldnt like to guess how much his assistants were on…and as for band aid…i wouldnt have the record if you gave it to me…its not as good as the original anyway, and you cant have too much of a good thing i say…and where is the money going.to fight war??.to buy more jumbo jets for the hierarchy…in someones pocket… i wont give a sausage cos theyve had years and lots of money to sort out their problems…where is the next concert for our pensioners some of whom are living in poverty, after fighting 2 world wars…charity begins at home…and as for children in need…i better shut up cos i`m on my high horse
have a nice day
I know you are right, and I do donate to charity through two direct debits out of my account into Cancer Research and NSPCC. What I really object to the kind of direct guilt that is implied if you don’t involved with these sort of events (Band Aid and Children In Need).
Yes, like for like we are not the ones in trouble but our situation can’t be compared like for like. On my budget giving up cash, however little, just isn’t an option.
Sure Elton John and likes can give their time for free but how can they charge for charity work. The ones that have in the past aren’t involved now.
My wife got involved with an Elton John charity even for aids a few years ago and had to donate a painting for an exhibition. This cost her £350 to produce and then she had to buy a ticket to the event for £100 because his name was attached. Entry was free and people paid cash for the works on display.
The whole thing really cost her money she couldn’t afford to lose, and the picture sold for a fraction of what it cost to make, but that was irrelevant because it sold. It was the ticket to the event that got me, because it was free for everyone visiting it. As a result of being a struggling artist and looking for a break she gave it up and became a teacher.
Ultimately its only money and in a society where it’s a crime to be poor and unsuccessful who am I to change the course of anything.
Besides, I paid £35 to see my boss sit in a bath of baked beans this morning for Children In Need and it was well worth it.
I don’t give to charity as such. I give to the Poppy appeal and I actually did give 20 quid to children in need this year, but no one’s shoved it in my face yet. If they do I don’t mess around, I just tell them to eff off. When they enquire about why I won’t give, I say it’s because I have no perants (words to that effect anyways 
).
I have to agree with Luke here. It isn’t that there aren’t people in need, or that you shouldn’t contribute to those in need when you can. But to live a life of luxury, with every possible ammenity you could imagine, and have millions and millions of dollars in the bank, then accost the average working people who have all they can do to meet their mortgage payment from one month to the other, using guilt tactics like “for less than the cost of a cup of coffee a day”… and crap like that… its hypocritical. Luke’s right, Elton John has enough money to pull any one of these African nations out of poverty all by himself… if he’s so philanthropic, why doesn’t he do it? The cost of one pair of his stupid designer sunglasses could feed a village for a week. And to be honest,… these African nations are run by the very wealthy, who keep the wealth to themselves. These governments aren’t as poor as the people in their countries… and they have the ability to solve alot of their poverty issues themselves. They just don’t want to. And charity should begin at home.
Most of us are working class people who have all we can do to support our own families. And if you’re in a postion to give to others, take a good long look at your own neighborhoods first. We all know someone who has a hard time feeding their kids, and people who are going to spend the next month worried about how they’ll buy their kids any Christmas presents without having to skip a rent payment or electric bill. I’ve been in that situation before, and my friends, family and neighbors have come through for me. I remember Christmas 5 years ago… I came home to find boxes of food and some toys on my front step. I don’t know who put them there, but it had to be people that knew us, because it was all food that Seth liked and toys that he’d asked Santa for… that I couldn’t afford to buy at the time. I didn’t know who to thank, and still don’t know. Everyone I knew denied knowing anything about it. Something like that is very overwhelming. My situation has changed since marrying Patrick, and I’ve been lucky. So now I try to give back what I can. Its not usually in the form of cash, but it doesn’t have to be in order to be appreciated.
I think the charities have overdone it. People dont respond anymore to apauling scenes of starving people in Africa. Mostly because they know they cant really make a difference (afterall we have given millions to charity and not much has changed)
They also go beyond the pale by asking for £6 a month direct debit.
Nearly all charities are flawed anyway - give a man a fish & he will eat for a day, give a man a net & he will eat for a lifetime. Most charities spout this but they dont mean it afterall if they did succeed what would they do afterwards? there would be nothing.
I give to charities that are close to me & can & do make a difference.
Of course what i failed to mention is the fact that Elton John spends £250.000 thats two hundred and fifty thousand pounds a year on flowers…enough said really
have a nice day