Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

162 replies

BalloonSlayer · 05/06/2009 11:50

. . . 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.

OP posts:
Thunderduck · 05/06/2009 20:16

Nothing wrong with 5 cats.

pointydog · 05/06/2009 20:17

Well, one or two cats are fine but there is a moment of comtemplation when you hear someone has more than 3

MANATEEequineOHARA · 05/06/2009 20:17

Pointydog my response to someone saying they do not understand why people give money for manky cats when there are children dying,(words to that effect) and that they should just be pts, on page 1.

How stupidly narrow minded.

MANATEEequineOHARA · 05/06/2009 20:18

Oh, and I have 2 house cats and 2 stable cats

pointydog · 05/06/2009 20:18

oh I see.#

(I am sensing a lot of bristling backs and stares in my direction now)

pointydog · 05/06/2009 20:19

why can't all four cats be both house and stable cats?

OrmIrian · 05/06/2009 20:20

balloon - i think you should watch your step

Cats are the secret rulers of the universe and they never forget a slight. At least mine doesn't I am still apologising for having her space a month ago....

OrmIrian · 05/06/2009 20:20

spayed! Having her spayed.

nevergonnapost · 05/06/2009 20:23

pointydog i do know what you mean most people DO look horrified when i say i have 5 i think they imagine i have a dirty smelly home reeking of cats and heaving with cat ornaments when in fact it is very nice with lots of white(washable covers etc)

LovelyTinOfSpam · 05/06/2009 20:24

to those living in places not blessed with a waitrose.

It's our local (5 min walk) supermarket and I go there every single day

It's like an addiction, and it's an expensive one. I amble around generally admiring random items. DH has had to take on a second job and I'm considering sending DD up some chimneys...

Really crack would have been a cheaper option.

chegirl · 05/06/2009 20:26

I used to go to the Waitrose in Holloway but when ever I shouted at my kids everyone stared .

And there seemed to be some sort of secret dress code for the children = fairy wings and wellingtons MUST be worn at all times

MANATEEequineOHARA · 05/06/2009 20:26

Pointydog Because I live a few miles from the stables!

pointydog · 05/06/2009 20:28

ahh.

You cat folk are cunning

LovelyTinOfSpam · 05/06/2009 20:30

Oooh i was in the waitrose in holloway only the other day!

very nice it was too.

DD was in our local one today. Sporting a very grazed face and, yes, wellies...

OrmIrian · 05/06/2009 20:38

We don't have a Waitrose.

But then again we all have 2 heads and we point at planes. So only to be expected really.

chegirl · 05/06/2009 20:38

See! told you. Its the law or something

ClaireDeLoon · 05/06/2009 20:44

A nice lady in waitrose today said she wanted to come to my house as I was clutching a loaf of bread (my reason for going in) and impulse buy 4 bottles of prosecco (4 for 3 offer) and staggering towards the tills. You could widen your social circle considerably just by shopping at waitrose and being a bit of a lush.

ClaireDeLoon · 05/06/2009 20:45

A lush like me I mean, I'm not implying the other woman was a lush

LovelyTinOfSpam · 05/06/2009 20:49

But she insisted on her "new boots". And I'm buggered if I'm buying her fairy wings.

Maybe DD has subliminally got "on message" with waitrose acceptable attire.... She has been there an awful lot since birth... And she spends a lot of time with my mum who actually has a shrine to John Lewis Partnership in the garden....

Original poster
BalloonSlayer · 05/06/2009 20:50

I had decided earlier on to "abandon threeeeaaad!!!"

However have made a comeback to repeat once more that my OP was NOT about what charities people choose to give to.

I totally agree that people should give to the charities which support the causes dear to their hearts.

But this is not about anyone giving but Waitrose, who are effectively asking, with every green disk you put in:

Whom shall this green disk benefit:

  1. Local SCBU
  2. Local small charity supporting families of children with Down's Syndrome
  3. Local Cats' Protection League

And me being surprised at the number of people choosing 3. over 1. and 2.

Personally I have little problem with people supporting CPL. My Mum has adopted several elderly cats, whose elderly owners have all presumably passed away, and it touches and moves me to think how worried they must have been about what might happen to their moggies when they are gone. I think the CPL does a sterling job. But I maintain that I do not consider their work more important than the other two charities. And I must stress that it is the comparison with the other two charities that is the crux of the matter.

And CPL has not been historically short of money - although it may well be now. The CPL lost approx. £11 million in an Icelandic Bank. (But most big charities have massive investments, and the NHS would I presume have many times that.)

I am enjoying the debate, and yes, will view things differently for it.

OP posts:
edam · 05/06/2009 20:51

I had to wait ages in Waitrose today as the girl on the till was too young to sell me wine. VERY irritating. But a nice girl.

herladyship · 05/06/2009 20:54

i HATE cats!!

however, the world would be very dull if we were all the same, so i think that YABU..

the whole reason there are 3 boxes is to give people an element of choice

edam · 05/06/2009 20:56

Total NHS budget is currently something like £106 billion pounds a year. So yes, just a few times the CPL's reserves!

Imagine some people don't put the disc into the other two boxes as they think these are things the government should fund?

LovelyTinOfSpam · 05/06/2009 20:57

But balloon...

The SCBU and DS thingys had more in than the CPL.

So most people were choosing those over the cats.

And the balance may have been made up with people like me who put the token in the one with least due to feeling a bit sorry for them, or sharing them out. Actually they always give DD about 4 thingys and she just stuffs them in any-old-how.

Plus (bold due to excellent salient point coming) everyone knows that the money is split, and whichever thing you put your dooberry in they all end up with a few hundred quid. I wonder if it was a "winner takes all" scenario, the tokens would stack up differently.

Getting into the psychology now, know what I mean...

claire I bought 4 bottles for the price of 3 as well today. I am 8 months pg. It was a good look

herladyship · 05/06/2009 20:57

oh, thread has moved on in time taken to for me to post..

i still hate cats though for anyone who is interested