To be amazed that there were any green discs in the Waitrose charity thing for the Cat's Protection League . . .

[BalloonSlayer]

. . . when the other two charities to choose from were a SCBU and a charity for families of people with Downs Syndrome?

There were about two feet of green disks for the SCBU, about 18" for the other charity and about a foot for the Cats' Protection.

I mean, I love cats, but would ANYONE think they were more important than the other two?

And yeah, I do understand the political argument that the SCBU should be funded well enough not to need to have to raise its own money.

Cats? You know - it's a cat.

< whips around again >

Glad we have helped you reach that new level of self-enlightenment, BalloonSlayer. You can go forth a more balanced person.

balloonslayer

BalloonSlayer

haha that was very funny tinofspam

Pah, link doesn't work. You'd have loved it though.

pmsl Lovelytinofspam

< wags tail >

YABU (only read op).

You've also got to think what knowledge and experiences most people have. Chances are that a lot of shoppers have pets or have been converned about a stray cat at some point. So they might have stronger personal feelings towards cats. I would imagine fewer people have a relative or friend with Down's or a baby in SCBU.

I understand your frustration at choosing cats over people but the UK does have an awful lot of animal lovers.

As long as you don't pretend to throw it, but not really throw it at all.

I don't know why, but I find that confusing and fall for it every time.

Dont understand the disc thing cos we aint got not waitrose rahnd er - strickly Morrisons country.

Giving to charity is v.personal. People who give to one charity often give in lots of ways to lots of things.

I used to give to several different ones - animals, kids in care, FSIDS etc but since DD's death I only give to children's cancer charities. Somehow nothing else seems important. But of course there are loads of important charities, including animals ones. My priorities are skewed so I am pleased there are people who continue to support cats and whales and things.

Great post chegirl, yet again you are the voice of balance and reason . It's so true, that people who have something personal naturally favour those charities. I also suspect that peoples priorities change through their lives - I certainly respond to childrens charities now I have a child of my own.

If you're interested (feel free not to bother reading if you're not!), each branch gives £1000 to charity each week. The charities are nominated by forms in-store. Each week they have 3 charities, when you shop you get a green button which you put in the box for charity of your choice. Then they apportion the money at the end of the week according to amounts of buttons.

I think it's a brilliant idea. There have been so many small local charities on there that I'd never even dreamt existed, so I suspect a lot of people will see one and it will resonate with them, and they will start donating/supporting regularly.

Oo ta LTOS [blus]

And thanks for explaining. I feel a bit left out of the whole Waitrose thing

I suppose there is always Ocado

Well I suppose it's a feel-good thing for after you've just emptied your wallet at the tills

che, I've never been to a waitrose either. They're thin on the ground here. You are not alone

I don't shop at Waitrose - can't afford it and it's full of white haired old ladies who think your DCs are the reincarnation of Satan and absolutely hate anyone under 50, so I have no idea what the disc system is.

However would agree with chegirl that it's personal thing regarding what charities take preference and having a BIL with MS I always give to the MS Society first. But I am quite fond of cats...

You aren't alone Che. I've never been to Waitrose either. The nearest one is in Edinburgh.

Obviously we Glaswegians aren't 'posh' enough to appreciate the quality of Waitrose.

well that explains the disc I got given teh other day

I can't stand anthropocentricism

Lets all have pets when it suits and then because they are just 'manky old cats' they can be pts when we have had enough of them.

FFS

what do you mena, hara?!

V. good post by ohfuschia. I'm always suspicious of people who moan about others giving to animal charities when there are human beings suffering - how much do those particular people do to ease suffering in the world anyway, animal or human? And why do they want to stop other people expressing their compassion?

Would the world really be a much nicer place if every single penny raised by charity went to human beings, and strays were left to die in the streets, or put down because they had no owners to pay the vet?

How would you stop money raised for environmental causes helping animals - would Greenpeace have to slaughter a whale every so often to keep you happy?

If you want to fund charities for humans, feel free. But don't slag off people who support other causes.

(FWIW I support a variety of human/environmental/animal charities.)

i seem to have developed a waitrose fetish i keep popping up in threads which mention them i was hoping to go to the edinburgh one tomorrow but h is playing golf all day hmph as for the cat thing i have 5 cats and can understand why people give to their charity but i also have son with sn so i try to balance out what i give

five cats is a little crazy

I said I didn't want one of these the other day as I thought it was a car park token I now understand!

why is 5 cats crazy? i love my cats they make me laugh with their antics i have a cat flap and they just come and go