EltonFrog
Legendary Member
I was wondering today what sort of society we would today have if we didn't have charitable organisations. Would cancer treatment be worse today than it was fifty years ago if it wasn't for Cancer Research? Would sufferers of Multipls Sclerosis be worse off but for the generous fundraising efforts of the thousand of volunteers raising the cash they do?
I expect, like me there are a lot folk here who get bit fed up of being asked for charitable donations, pledges, prize draw gifts, raffle tickets and the like. I get a tatte'd off with the students in the towns harassing me for donations to save an otter here and there, or the Red Cross people in Tescos foyer rattling their tins so I can help save the life of some poor unfortunate in a county I've never heard of. And as for Comic Relief and Sport Relief, I'd rather sit in a bath of battery acid than get involved or watch it on T.V.
But, surely these charities must do some good? After all the years they have been running and the billions of pounds they have raised something good must have come from it. But what? I don't see it, nothing tangible anyway, nothing I can get my hands on so to speak. My mother died when she was 48, thirty years ago, I wonder if any progress has been made, I wonder if she was 48 now, whether she would have survived that horrible illness, because of progress, as a direct result of the efforts of Cancer Reseach's funds in the last thirty years?
I can't help feeling cynical about some of the organisations that are fund raising using the London Marathon, and the London-Surrey100. In the Ride London magazine there are full page adverts tempting and encouraging folk to ride and raise money for Cancer Research, Anthony Nolan, Shelter, Great Ormonfpd Street amd others all offering incentives, like a free cycling jersey, free training advice, a dedicated Event Manager, and free hospitality after the ride with food and drink. All this paid for presumably from donations that folk have worked hard to raise. Speculate to accumulate or squandering? Not to mention all the staff, offices and chief executives to administer all this cash and run these organisations.
I don't have any answers, just lots of questions and a possibly an unhealthy amount of cynicism, of which I'm not proud, it doesn't mean I won't give donations, or I won't choose a charity when I do my ride, but I cant help thinking sometimes that we are all being taken for a ride.
What say you my virtual chums?
I expect, like me there are a lot folk here who get bit fed up of being asked for charitable donations, pledges, prize draw gifts, raffle tickets and the like. I get a tatte'd off with the students in the towns harassing me for donations to save an otter here and there, or the Red Cross people in Tescos foyer rattling their tins so I can help save the life of some poor unfortunate in a county I've never heard of. And as for Comic Relief and Sport Relief, I'd rather sit in a bath of battery acid than get involved or watch it on T.V.
But, surely these charities must do some good? After all the years they have been running and the billions of pounds they have raised something good must have come from it. But what? I don't see it, nothing tangible anyway, nothing I can get my hands on so to speak. My mother died when she was 48, thirty years ago, I wonder if any progress has been made, I wonder if she was 48 now, whether she would have survived that horrible illness, because of progress, as a direct result of the efforts of Cancer Reseach's funds in the last thirty years?
I can't help feeling cynical about some of the organisations that are fund raising using the London Marathon, and the London-Surrey100. In the Ride London magazine there are full page adverts tempting and encouraging folk to ride and raise money for Cancer Research, Anthony Nolan, Shelter, Great Ormonfpd Street amd others all offering incentives, like a free cycling jersey, free training advice, a dedicated Event Manager, and free hospitality after the ride with food and drink. All this paid for presumably from donations that folk have worked hard to raise. Speculate to accumulate or squandering? Not to mention all the staff, offices and chief executives to administer all this cash and run these organisations.
I don't have any answers, just lots of questions and a possibly an unhealthy amount of cynicism, of which I'm not proud, it doesn't mean I won't give donations, or I won't choose a charity when I do my ride, but I cant help thinking sometimes that we are all being taken for a ride.
What say you my virtual chums?
