Charity starts at home

You think money should be spent in your own community. Fine, then spend your money in your community. Other people are entitled to different views

Quite. I spend money in local social enterprise. I go to their cafes and buy their produce. I volunteer in Emmaus and the red cross. I also help fundraise for people who are having bombs dropped upon them in far flung countries.

It's not like you can't do both local and global if you have the time and the inclination.

I live in an extremely deprived area (SIMD top 10%) with a reduced life expectancy of 13 yrs, I do loads of volunteering in my community ( not boasting just saying for context) and I think you are being unreasonable, if other people choose to fundraise for Ukraine good for them, at least they are getting off their arse and trying to help someone. If you want to criticise folk in your community, criticise the ones who are doing nothing either “ at home” or elsewhere.
it’s like supporting any charity, I have ones I choose to support, others choose to support different charities, I might think everyone should support children’s charities as that is more important that say animal charities, but I wouldn’t dream of telling someone fundraising for an animal charity that they should be raising money to benefit children instead. That would just be massively wrong.

I struggle to understand when people criticize others for doing what they can to try to help people. It's not for you to say that she's helping the wrong people. But I'm sure you'd be welcome to start your own collection for whatever charitable endeavor is important to you.

If you ask IABU and then discard most of the opinions offered, YABU.

But what have you done for your community?

Why aren’t you out collecting?

It’s no good criticising this woman if you can’t be arsed to get mobilised and do any good yourself.

Yes, this.
Why can't people do both?
What's to stop you doing something charitable for your neighbourhood, to make a difference?
You might find other like minded people who want to as well.

Perhaps try X if you want an echo chamber.

If you feel this strongly then do something about it. Set up a community fundraiser to help those local to you that need it. Otherwise you do come across as one of those people who complain about charity should be beginning at home but don't contribute.

If you think local services are underfunded then start your own collection.
Other people can also start collections for whatever cause they want to.

You have had multiple reasonable responses on here. If your post is actually true, I feel embarrassed for you that you could be so totally thoughtless.

Good question.
Do it yourself, op, instead of trying to divert the attentions of someone else who’s willing to make an effort.

So you’ve struck out on FB and now here… I’m sensing a pattern.

Seriously though. I did give you the benefit of the doubt early on, but your responses haven’t been stellar. Either you are trying to understand where you went wrong with the FB comment or you want to pontificate about why you are right about local charities. Pick one of those two things because you’ll never get anywhere trying both.

A higher rate than the reasonableness of your posts.

You say that we are making assumptions about what you do for your community. Do why don’t you clear up these assumptions and tell us all the things that you do?

You started this thread, was told you were being unreasonable, doubled down and then made your assumptions. Is that about right?

I just call it when I see it. And FYI, I live in a very deprived area and no one and I mean no one owns horses or second homes.

So what are you doing to contribute to your community?

You sound like one of those people who disagree with sending money abroad or animals or homeless people, and/or that some charities are more deserving than others.
Which is it, I wonder?
I can immediately tell by your response, your defensiveness and your jab about where the rest of us may live that you are not going to back down or learn anything I can almost predict who you will vote for in the next election.

Anyway , good luck with that I guess.

Your town might be in a bit of a decline, but to literally billions in this World, you are living a dream life, OP.

There is no need to challenge others who seek to help people in need, no matter where those people are from.

@Berrytea Do you pay extra taxes? I’m not 100% sure how it works in your area, but where I live, every citizen has the right to pay extra taxes. Like there’s a form for it and everything. I’d be shocked if you didn’t have the same option.

I’m surprised that you don’t care that the local services are underfunded or non existent. I suppose it’s lucky that you don’t need them

This is what is known as a “straw-man argument”.

Nobody said they don’t care that local services are underfunded and nobody said that they don’t need them. You made that up i.e. constructed a “straw-man”.

It is a manipulative political/journalistic technique but you’re using it on the wrong audience here: Mumsnet users are too clever for that nonsense.

I understand what you mean but the issue here is underfunding by the government rather than this lady who is trying to do some good. You clearly feel strongly about the matter which is fair enough and you could consider matching this with action by setting up something yourself locally. Best wishes.

Since you already thought you were right and don't seem to be open to other viewpoints, why did you post?

This wasn’t Community money, it was someone’s disposable time and money.
not yours to spend or comment on.

Then start your own fundraiser 🤷‍♀️

You think money should be spent in your own community. Fine, then spend your money in your community. Other people are entitled to different views.