To tell you about *BESOM* if you are fed up with freecycle?

[GuffSmuggler]

I have read a few threads on here recently about people being fed-up with the rude grabby people on freecycle and I would like to direct you to //www.besom.com if you have stuff you want to get rid of and would like it to go to a good home.

This is from their website:

Many of us have good quality things that we do not use or need and local Besoms provide a service that enables you to pass them on to people who really need them. Those who are re-housed are often given flats with absolutely nothing in them. Those escaping domestic violence may have to leave all their possessions behind. Through a network of contacts in social services, charities, refuges and family centres, The Besom constantly hears about people living on the edge. We are then able to match up the things given with the needs we hear about.

If you have good quality items you wish to give away, your local Besom would love to receive them. We can pass them on immediately to vulnerable people who really need them. These include women escaping domestic violence, homeless people, refugees, families or individuals living in extreme poverty

They collect stuff and are the nicest bunch of people making a real difference to the needy in their communities. They aren't everywhere, but if you click on the local besom link you will find if there is one near you.

[GuffSmuggler]

Ha rediac that's funny! "female upstart'!?

[giraffesCantWearSuncream]

I thought that too redlac

I thought the OP meant we were all to share our stories of besoms on freecycle!!

[giraffesCantWearSuncream]

I am not religious at all. But used to volunteer for a christian charity - because I liked what they were doing.

[Rhubarbgarden]

I'm inclined to agree with eccentrica

[MikeOxard]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahah aaaaaaaaaaaaah. So a lot of Christians are anti-Semitic are they? [No, no they really aren't] You must know that Jesus was Jewish?! That (plus the other nonsense about such a charity not helping people in need) really is the silliest and rudest thing I've heard in a long time. Get a grip. Maybe you should talk to someone about your issues or just educate yourself.

Besom looks fab.

[eccentrica]

Guff "I'm sorry you felt I should have mentioned it was set up by Christians but it just doesn't seem relevant to me. They give to the needy in the community irrespective of what those people's beliefs are (I have checked and they confirmed this)."

When did you check? Do you mean you were concerned enough to ring them up or email them to ask? So presumably you too have reservations about religious charities? In which case, why not mention in your OP - they're Christian but I specifically checked with them... etc. ?

Seems very odd to say that on the one hand it "doesn't seem relevant", but on the other hand you went to the trouble of checking?

Why keep it secret?

"Alternatively you can keep giving your stuff to the greedy freeloaders are freecycle, it's completely up to you!"

Er, there are plenty of non-religious charities out there to choose from. A local furniture reuse group are coming to collect my sofabed (previously advertised on freecycle) tomorrow afternoon. There's also the British Heart Foundation, Help the Aged, my local hospice, and many others i'm sure, which are NOT run by a specific religion. I suspect that many people, like me, would prefer to give to non-religious charities.

incidentally the charity I donated to without knowing it was Christian was Camphill Communities. I saw their leaflet and it looked like great work. It was only when I got a letter thanking me for my donation that I realised they were a religious organisation. I was not happy at all as I would much rather have donated to a similar but non-religious organisation.

[GuffSmuggler]

It doesn't seem relevant to me, I was just chatting to the lady that picked up some furniture about it and she explained how they worked and that they got referrals through various people such as social services and helped people irrespective of faith/values.

There is no conspiracy here I assure you, I just think they do a fab job!

I'm fed up with freecycle and have had trouble with some of the other organisations you mention picking stuff up but have found these people more than helpful.

[enpanne]

Sounds very good in theory, just like freecycle sounds very good in theory. If you think this is any less open to 'grabby' people and things going to those who don't really need them you are naive. It's just the same thing except by proxy, so you're relying on somebody else to decide who to 'help' rather than doing it yourself.

[eccentrica]

Guff I wasn't accusing you of anything dastardly - I just think if you publicly recommend a charity to donate to, it's only right to give people the full picture.

Mike leaving aside the incredible rudeness and immaturity of your post, with its pathetic references to "my issues", and responding to its content for the sake of anyone else reading the thread:

I am Jewish (not by religion - I am an atheist - but by birth and upbringing), and was in a relationship with a C of E vicar's son for 10 years. My current partner writes and researches on Christianity in its historic and cultural context, so er yeah, I do actually know a fair bit about the history of Christianity, its current manifestations in the UK and beyond, and in particular relations between Christians and Jews. Er yeah, I may perhaps know that Jesus was Jewish and are you seriously claiming that you think that means there has never been any antisemitism in the Church? I suggest you educate yourself a fair bit more about the history of antisemitism in the Church, and perhaps have a look into contemporary Christianity, before you patronise me on this subject again.

[kinkyfuckery]

Mmm don't think they took account of what besom means in Scotland

besom
(biz·um) Dialect, chiefly Scot -n.

1. obstreperous girl or woman; female upstart (as in ?Dinnae pou? yer brither?s hair, ya wee besom?)
   
2. woman of low moral standing; a hussy (?Thon yin?s a right mucky besom?).
   
3. a broomstick or scourge; any broom made from loose twigs
   

---

S'ok, they don't want our shit anyway by the looks of the map

[fabergeegg]

They have a cross in the logo. How could it be anymore obvious?

[giraffesCantWearSuncream]

Sorry I can't stop sniggering at the word besom.

How do they pronounce it?

"She is a cheeky wee besom"

[Snazzyenjoyingsummer]

Seriously, eccentrica, you now regret giving something to an organisation that did some good with it, because they are religious? And you would rather have not given it specifically for that reason? It's you who is sounding prejudiced. The stroke to your ego of aligning yourself with particular viewpoints seems to be more important than the end result of giving to charity. It's not all about you.

[ElephantsEye]

'Besom' should be pronounced "bizz'm" with the emphasis on the first syllable.

How else would you pronounce it? bee-som? b'sommmm? beee-s'm?

[eccentrica]

Snazzy ?? Of course it's not "all about me" but I hardly think I'm unusual in wanting to give my (limited) donations to organisations whose ethos I support.

As I said above, it's not abstract "aligning with viewpoints" but has real practical consequences. With an organisation which provides pastoral care I don't want to be (for example) supporting them to deliver an anti-abortion or anti-contraception message.

I don't exactly regret donating in the sense that I hope the money was spent on something worthwhile. However, as I said above, had I known that it was a religious organisation I would have chosen to donate to a similar but non-religious cause.

I agree that Besom's website makes it fairly obvious but that wasn't the case with the charity I donated to,and it wasn't mentioned in the OP of ths thread when it was recommended. I think it's only fair to potential donators to give the full picture. Many Christians would not want to donate to either a different religion's charity, or (perhaps more so) to a charity such as Marie Stopes or Brook, even though they do lots of good work.

[fabergeegg]

All hopelessly hypersensitive about that kind of thing on mumsnet.

[TheFantasticFixit]

There is something really revolting about your debate eccentrica. I would imagine that those benefiting, or hoping to benefit, from such a charity would wish that they had the luxury of such a debate. Give or don't give. J think it is marvellous that these Christians (who, by the way, are not all zealots) have chosen to take time to set up a service such as this to benefit the poorest, or most desperate in society.

How is the view up there in your ivory tower, Eccentrica?

[TheFantasticFixit]

Thank you OP for raising awareness of this charity. I'm going to donate.

[Sunnysummer]

Thank you OP! Will bypass freecycle next time around...

[LittleNoona]

Thanks for posting this! Didn't know anything about them at all and turns out there's one very local to me!

Will definitely donate and perhaps volunteer

[Msbluebozooka]

Eccentrica get a grip !!! Christan, Hindu , Muslim, Jewish who gives a flying fuck!! At the end of the day it's not about politics it's about charity!
People in needddd !!
When you put your hand in your purse and pass a pound to cancer research do I ask the person holding the box what they believe in?

[WillSingForCake]

Thank you OP, I've got some baby stuff to donate & was wondering how to give it to someone who was actually in need.

Astounded by the fact that someone wouldn't donate stuff to someone in need because the people passing it to them was Christian!

[Nospringflower]

I agree with Eccentrica and think that she puts forward totally reasonable views as to why it might have been good to say it was a religious organisation. Most people use various bits of information to decide which charities they are going to support and religion may or may not be one of them.