As regards supporting charities, I've always believed it better to give a little of your time rather than cash. Unlike cash donations you can direct its use and see the results of your efforts.
Over the years I've supported our local church, fixing lights and the PA system, etc, (though I'm not a regular church-goer), for several years I serviced and repaired talking book machines for the RNIB, I helped our Scout group, mostly by maintaining the minibus, and sometimes driving, and more recently I support a local heritage group. There is no shortage of deserving local causes.
Many people may consider me stingy, as the pitiful TV ad's and the postal begging letters are consistently ignored, but that's my way.
Years ago I was a volunteer for the Red Cross, we were entitled to claim expenses, such as fuel, but none of us ever did, I gave it up when I found out how much not only the 'big bosses' got paid, but also the guy in charge of my team, put it this way, he'd left an extremely well paid job in the NHS to work for the Red Cross, so that speaks volumes.
As regards giving to charities, I'm always skeptical regarding figures they quote, there used to be an advert for a certain charity helping kids in Africa, it said something like 8000 kids an hour were dying due to lack of food and clean water, blimey at that rate there should be nobody left in a couple of months, so how fast were they breeding?
AÂ lot of what gets donated never makes it to the people who need it, there was a documentary on tv a while back and this charity was taking food to one of the African countries, they'd aqquired 3 brand new landrovers, not defenders, but fancy ones, anyway, they ended up with one for the job, apparently some guy who ran the country wanted one and so di one of his ministers, it was a case of, 'give us the motors or we won't let you bring the food in', there's loads of corruption in these little tin pot countries.
I will help anyone, but I'd rather give my time than my money, at least I can see what my time is being spent on.
