to be disappointed that MNers haven't got off their arses and

[MardyBra]

exceeded the targets for the MN giving week?

Here's the thread link:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/2087731-Giving-Week-is-here-donate-funds-to-MNer-nominated-organisations-and-MNHQ-will-match-them?msgid=47541127

Wikipedia tells me that there are 4,800,000 monthly users of MN. So if we all just get a quid each, that'd be £4.8m. So £25k should be more than achievable.

I see that some of the causes have reached their target, but what Womens' Aid have only had just over a grand.

MN are offering to match our donations, and there's gift aid too, so it's a very effective way of donating.

A quid each. More if you can afford it.

NOW

It doesnt seem like charity giving has such a good press any more. I think the scandals around the celebrities around them are to blame.

Oh don't get so worked up, BIWI! The whinging about Mardy's well-meaning OP is tiresome but it's fine to discuss the charities/organisations involved -what with this being a chat forum. I found the info about WA HQ interesting.

For me the fab thing about this is MNHQ matching donations - even if baby barrister thinks they're tight wads for capping it at £25k

I haven't once slagged off efforts made by MNHQ or other Mumsnetters, as you say, the charities were chosen by members not mumsnet staff, & HQ are being extremely generous with their donation. All great!

I just thought the op was being overly judgemental & bossy, I'm sure there are Mumsnetters who can't afford to donate even £2 - they don't need shouting at. A kinder, more polite approach would have been far more effective IMO.

& if that makes me a swivel eyed loon then so be it.

I'm glad someone is raising this but I won't be donating as I've already done more than I can afford this month for the charities close to my heart.

Crystal, isn't the networking day for the volunteers?

If foie don't fund the running of a charity, no one can get any support.

FFS.

How do you think charities work, CrystalSkulls?

People don't consider how charities run. They just want warm fuzzies. Not the reality that in order to give people support you need to administrate it, and pay phone bills and. insurance and a million other less tug-at-the-heart-strings bills.

Crystal Then don't donate?! It's quite clear on the page what they'll use the money for, so they're hardly being disingenuous.

Things like networking days are needed in order to get people to notice the charity and therefore increase donations/support.

Sometimes you have to spend money in order to increase the money which is coming in, or to help them meet their charitable outcomes.

it would be great if every single penny could go to exactly where the charity was for, but realistically for all but the smallest charities unless you are going to leave volunteers out of pocket that isn't going to be possible

I actively prefer that the charities I support spend some of the money we give on proper infrastructure and administration, paying their staff fairly, etc etc. It's much more efficient, and means that the purposes of the charity are much more likely to be fulfilled.

"I just thought the op was being overly judgemental & bossy"

And I apologised more than once for that. But that's never acknowledged on aibu.

Am so pleased to see that there were more donations yesterday, and especially pleased that Womens' Aid have reached more than half of target. and peace and love for everyone.

And too for MNHQ. £25k is a fantastic amount to match. Yes, MNHQ is a profitable business, but that £25k still comes out of the pockets of Justine and any other shareholders.

Charities are big business.
Some of them are very big business.
Most of them are 85% funded by Government

Charities are big business.
Some of them are very big business.
Most of them are 85% funded by Government

Charities are big business. - Some of them are, absolutely.
Some of them are very big business. - Undoubtedly true
Most of them are 85% funded by Government - No, 'most of them' really aren't.

Quite nice too Mardy to think that by posting here with such wit and wisdom on a good day and making the site such an un-missable place for both entertainment and support, we've all helped generate that 25k profit - which is now going to be given to some excellent good causes.

Win-win-win I reckon. I always love that feeling - like I get when I find a good bargain in a charity shop

I actually don't see any good reason to post how much one donates to charity. I think it's horribly crass.

One could easily post about donating shit loads and it constitute a tiny ppn of ones income whereas some others may be donating a fiver that constitutes a huge part of their disposable income .

Really pointless and thoughtless .

Arf Randall!! Woolly Thugs that properly made me snort What a bunch of grabby bastards!

Please know, Woolly Hugs is entirely run on a voluntary and donated basis, every moment, every resource, everything. We are so grateful and humbled by all support we receive. It means we can help more families and children going through very bleak times.

We started with the big blankets for bereaved Mumsnetters, these are still central, but we've spread our wings and now have several ongoing projects, from making Angel Hugs for the Brompton Hospital, to comforting blankets for children with cancer as far away as Malawi and Bangladesh with World Child Cancer, and for teens visiting this country with the Children of Chernobyl project. We make Little Hugs for very poorly children of Mumsnetters and for those in Yorkhill Children's Hospital Glasgow, inc their PICU. All voluntary and all funded by donations, and very often using vegan friendly yarn!

We might be 'kitchen table' but every single penny benefits others, and all feedback we have had makes us know it is so very worthwhile.

Honest and heartfelt thanks

Mardy - your intentions were stellar, and whilst some folk may not like your style, and you've apologised, you've prompted and introduced the appeal to several, bless you, thank you.

Charities are not big businesses. That's why they are called charities.

I manage a small untrendy charity which gets minimal statutory funding and I spend my time trying to fundraise, get grants etc. When we do 'networking' days, or need to upgrade our website etc, we have to budget very carefully and consider the outcomes we would achieve. I would rather the money we raise, is used to actually directly benefit the recipients.

I love this idea that some charities are funded 85% by the government. I am a volunteer for a large national charity.. in our dreams we would get 85% of funding from the government!

Large charities have to operate with a businesslike model in order to operate and ensure that the charitable aims are met. It would be impossible to do that without paying employees reasonable wages to do so. Everything they do still has to be shown to the Charities Commission as being above board

85% funding from government?

Yeh, maybe Nuclear Defence Trident Replacement UK

Anyone else - I don't think so

And as for those Woolly Thugs