Iceland Bank/Charities

[nightowl]

Talking of Good Causes, as we have been this morning, I was disgusted to hear that some charities have lost, or may lose, a lot of money that they had squirrelled away in the Iceland Bank.

I want to know which charities these are, to ensure that I am not supporting them . I find it disgraceful that any charity has enough money spare to invest like this, and want to make sure they don't get mine!!

I have already ceased to support many charities who, IMO, spend too much of their funds on mailshots, glossy mags and leaflets, TV advertising, flashy new headquarters etc.

It also annoys me that there are so many charities out there all working independently for the same goals . Why don't they pool their resources and work together to be more effective?? Makes me cross!!!

[Barbara]

I stopped supporting one charity, when I found they paid the fundraiser £35 thousand a year ,. and spent £25 thousand on hotels for a meeting.

[Biggles]

--N O and Barbara--re- Charities.
I agree with both of you--And why do they spend money sending 'Biro-pens' in the post which are useless anyway-
The only one I support is the RNLI -

[Spruance]

I have some sympathy with charities over the Icelandic banking situation as hindsight is a wonderful thing. Until very recently I don't think that there was any reason to doubt the reliability of these institutions. After all who would have thought that the once mighty Halifax would be vulnerable?

Investing surplus funds in high interest bank accounts rather than gambling on the stock market would ordinarily be perceived as very prudent behaviour.

What I don't like about charities is the ridiculous inducements such as free slippers or the few coppers (money not boys in blue!) that they send out to try to persuade you to donate. Equally the over the top literature trying to send people on a guilt trip in the hope that they will dip into their pockets.

Also, those preprinted donation forms where the minimum amount is often £20.00!

[Barbara]

I used to give to RNIB until about 6 weeksa ago, then a woman phoned me , told me she had to tell me she was paid a wage to make these calls, then asked would i donate £10 per month, no says I, I cant afford it, well £10 per quarter, no says I, I cant afford it,this went on and on, with the amounts getting smaller, and the gaps getting bigger, until she said something I didn't catch and hung up. now I have sold raffle tickets for them for years, but I dont feel like doing it any more. if they can afford wages to how many people, and long phone calls, they dont need my few bob.

[Plocket]

I have a great deal of sympathy with charities in general at the moment - they are losing out because the Government are grabbing to pay for the Olympics, and now this. Ok so the Charities are daft to have taken advice and put their money in Icelandic Banks, but I think some investment is a good idea, because in theory they should get a return for their investment, and therefore earn more money. Obviously in the case of Icelandic banks that's not going to happen now.

[MamIDdau]

With the job that I'm in, I see a lot of the "glossy mail shots" etc and many of them being returned as unsolicited mail.

I see some of the pics they put on the front to try and guilt trip you into giving them money. Really annoys me and it's not even my mail!

[nightowl]

There was something on TV today about a Childrens' Hospice charity having 6 million trapped in the Iceland Bank. The childrens' care will not be affected cos that only represents a third of their funds!!!!

I wonder how many grieving parents bust a gut to raise a few hundred pounds for this charity, when they are sitting on a fortune

And what about all those County Councils who have millions stashed away while pleading poverty so they can justify service cuts and council tax increases?