children in need really pisses me off

[Mightybanhammer]

I know I am being unreasonable but I really do dislike it and can't quite articulate why.
Prefer to choose my charities rather than have it thrust down my throat I suppose.
Anyone else?

I watch and donate. CIN supports the drama group which Wilf attends. It enables children with and without disabilities to produce a drama show each year...

This year my DM has decided not to donate at all because they're demanding too much. £5 she might have given, but because they're asking for a text donation of £10 they're getting nothing.

In some ways I sympathise with the charities, fundraising is a Sisyphean effort, no matter how much is raised the job is never done. And yet the sector as a whole has over the last decade or so adopted increasingly unsavoury and grabby tactics, and now we're seeing a public backlash against that.

I'm usually that I've had to buy a new pair of pyjamas or a spotty jumper to wear to work...I haven't had to do that this year, so can actually donate some cash.

I thought it was £10 but found the £5 number online....

Terry wigon always got a nice fat fee from it. Doubtless others do now. And Gary fucking Barlow wouldn't need to plaster his face all over that blessed bear if he'd paid his taxes to fund essential services.

BBC is banned tonight. I will give money anyhow; just not via bbc.

Although I get the “just give to local charities” mentality but realistically they would be fighting a losing battle to try to fundraise locally the amounts needed. One charity that DS has benefited from was given £100,000 it would have taken them years to raise anywhere near close to that amount even though locally they are a well known/well loved charity.

I very much doubt that all the charities that collectively benefit could raise anywhere near the totals raised by CIN each year

All these self-righteous celebs, avoiding paying what they should in taxes - maybe if they did we wouldn't need CiN to pay for necessary services that our government should be providing?

Prefer to choose my charities rather than have it thrust down my throat

.....and the Child who is at school with my son and taking part in children in need tonight would, no doubt, have chosen not to have developed a degenerative condition which has affected their life and their (otherwise very bright) future. You have the choice to TURN IT OFF.

They, on the other hand, do not. But for the grace of God .....

No child should be forced to rely on charitable donations to fund their care/wellbeing. Nor should anyone child or not.

By donating to such celebrity fundraising we are absolutely taking every Government that existed while this was going on, off the effin hook. Every time.

Those moaning about the celebrities involved - would you feel better if they had a tag around their necks stating what they'd donated? Who else do you propose would host such a program otherwise, the general public? It would never raise as much as it does.

I hope some of you don't ever need the services of the charities helped through CIN.

No, we shouldn't need it in this day and age, but we do, be grateful there are still people happy to donate to those less fortunate.

And before anyone starts, yes you can donate wherever you want, I just don't think the hatred towards CIN is needed...

LillyBilly, the poor outnumber the rich by 1000 to 1. Many wealthy people are generous, but there are not vast numbers of them, and even they have bottoms in their pockets. As far as I know, a lot (not all) successful people are very generous with their time and money and talent in fundraising for those less well off. Is your view that they should reduce themselves to the breadline, so they share pain? It won't happen.

My children have benefitted from children in need. It helps fund ds5's preschool and ds1's youth club. My boys love the programme and all the fuss, my older 2 say that it's the one day a year that they feel that people care about them.

it annoys me to that we have to rely on charities to support our most vulnerable - like air ambulance charities - lets just fund them from our taxes?!

Oh ffs if you don’t like it turn over perfectly fine but for those of us who actually HAVE children with awful difficulties and who actually live those lives and understand that there is never enough money to go round we are very grateful for the money raised by any charity which helps make our lives a little bit easier

If you have problems with CIN and their ethics, never ever donate to CRUK.

I hate it with a passion and don’t get me started on my hatred for that bloody bear

And yet the sector as a whole has over the last decade or so adopted increasingly unsavoury and grabby tactics, and now we're seeing a public backlash against that.

Which is a shame really, as people’s anger should lie with a government which has asked charities to plug the ever increasingly chasm in public services which simultaneously slashing their funding.

*while not which

CIN give funding to the after-school care and playscheme I'm involved in. Their funding means that we can be affordable (the area I live in has a real split in people who can afford things and people who really, really can't), we can do things with the kids that couldn't be done otherwise and, most importantly, we could buy equipment and training for our volunteers which mean we can be inclusive to the children who attend the special school locally. They also fund the only local youth club in the area.

I can only assume that the comments about not seeing where money goes is from CIN themselves because the grant report is really quite in depth and you do have to account for the money they give you. Their decision to make it possible for small grants to run for 3 years has made a massive difference to us. We can plan, which means the parents who use our services, for the first time ever.

They seem to get a lot of stick with regards to NHS and social services being stretched, but they don't fund anything that the government or LA should fund. I'm glad they don't - that would be a dangerous road to go down. Small local groups would lose out if they started splitting the money in a way that included statutory requirement things.

This is a horrible thread. I used to volunteer for my friends charity which raised money for physiotherapy and rest bite care for children with cerebral palsy. We received a donation from CIN which kept us going. We were all volunteers so the money went to helping the families.

Yes it could be funded by the government but the public would be up in arms if they had to pay more taxes. It's a reflection of the sad selfish society we live in
The programme is a bit naff but the children and their families hardships are real. You don't have to watch or donate.

Well said RupertsMum2 ( sorry don’t know how to do that properly) there - thanks very much god- go I and let me tell you it’s crap.
Sorry, had a rubbish week defending my daughters corner and I’m worn out by it

I always make a point of not watching and I don't donate either, I have my own favourite charities which are just as much in need of support, but my mother in law is staying and wanted to watch it.

Well I'm watching it and enjoying it. It's improving the lives of children all over the UK, anything that does that gets my vote.

Hi I hope your ok Sahara123. I saw a lot of families struggling in the time I was helping at the charity. It's really tough