To boycott any charity sending out unsolicited Christmas card packs

[DyslexicScientist]

I seem to be getting one almost everyday at the moment. What a waste of paper and three of the companies doing it I have supported for many years (British legion, Isis and shelter).

I just hate waste and worry that my money has gone into this waste rather than something useful.

[MamaLazarou]

I do not support charities who send out free pens and marketing stuff. I figure that the smaller, more obscure charities who can't afford to do this need my money more. YANBU.

[MamaLazarou]

To the poster who avoids charities who pay their staff: how do you think charities are run? Entirely by volunteers? You are very naive.

[gingerdad]

In response to Kampus. I already donate a lot of my own time to a couple of charities and have been a school governor, donate free use of my company products to local events and charities. Big charities are big business with big salaries and not getting any support from me.

Answer me this why would on Chief Exec of an air ambulance be worth £250k a year when another chief Exec of an air ambulance with the same turnover gets £80k.

None of the big charities will get a penny from me.

[gingerdad]

MamaLazarou I refer you to my above post. Paid staff at the service end maybe. Does the regional manager for St. John's really need over £100k per year.

[Castrovalva]

Is it wrong to want to see what an ISIS Christmas card might be like ?

[MamaLazarou]

Sorry, gingerdad, your above post does not make your issue any clearer. So you're ok with charities who pay their staff as long as it's within reasonable parameters? Is that correct?

[gingerdad]

Maybe. Will try to come up with a clearer response.

[StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes]

They do it because some people will feel guilty and feel they should 'pay' for their crap coasters. That's why they do it, it's unsolicited and generally takes advantage of vulnerable people. The likes of whom they're purporting to help in the first place. Makes me cross. me too, my elderly Mum opened one when I was visiting and asked me how much she should make the cheque out for, did I think £10 was enough. she was when I said no mum don't you do not have to pay for them, she really could not believe they would not come knocking if she did not pay. Goodness knows how many she had sent money to before this. That and the bloody unsolicited 'sell our raffle tickets'

[specialsubject]

all charities have paid staff. Doesn't mean they should waste money.

my donations are either by direct debit with a big 'NO CORRESPONDENCE OR ELSE' or by cheque, plus the odd coin in a tin. This minimises the lists I am on.

got the dreaded raffle tickets from another charity shop where I signed up to gift aid. They got a 'cease and desist' email. Hopefully they will.

the Red Cross stuff comes as 'to occupier'. The cards get used, the coasters/pens/whatever get dropped off at the Red Cross shop in town when I am passing, joining a big pile. I do buy from the shop and also give them stuff so I think we are square.

[Sirzy]

Does the regional manager for St. John's really need over £100k per year out of interest where are you getting your figures from?

However with a charity like St John Ambulance you have to remember they have two seperate (but interlinked) sections - the commercial side which is the people who go out into companies etc and provide first aid training. This is in effect a business.

The voluntary side are the people who go out and provide first aid to the public at events, provides training to members (and often other groups and charities) and run the youth program.

All of that takes an awful lot of management, and as such needs a manager who has a lot of experience and the right skills. People like that don't come for free!

[Hatethis22]

'Is it wrong to want to see what an ISIS Christmas card might be like?'

I'm thinking modern minimalist.

[MyVisionsComeFromSoup]

huh, the national charity I work with would LOVE paid staff - have you ever tried running a national charity using volunteers who all work full-time? With no office, no phone line, having to use up holiday days to run charity events? If we had funding for just one member of staff, we could pay for them several times over in increased income.