Has poppymania gone too far?

[Rusty Nails]

That's my point
they are filling gaps that a senior RAF Officer promised my Dad that the State would fill with no questions

I agree that they are necessary and do a good job

That senior officer was at best unwise in raising expectations by promising something that he was not responsible for and for which he had no say in the policy.

Politicians always promise jam tomorrow knowing they will not be around when it doesn’t arrive…someone else’s problem.

I apologise for my cynicism but I have no intention of becoming this old man:

 

[Beebo]

That is why charities exist and are necessary…to fill the gaps.

Exactly. In an ideal world there would be no charity and the state would provide for all needs.
It’s mad that things like lifeboats and air ambulances are charities.
Also why can’t the state oversee animal cruelty. The list goes on and on.

The Clement Attlee quote is very good.
“Charity is a cold grey loveless thing. If a rich man wants to help the poor, he should pay his taxes gladly, not dole out money at a whim.”

 

[BoldonLad]

It would appear to me that it is too easy to set up a Charity. Almost every time there is some, admittedly very sad, event eg young person dies etc, there are parents, siblings etc setting another niche charity. I understand the sentiments behind it, but, it is a waste of resources IMHO.

 

[Rusty Nails]

It would appear to me that it is too easy to set up a Charity. Almost every time there is some, admittedly very sad, event eg young person dies etc, there are parents, siblings etc setting another niche charity. I understand the sentiments behind it, but, it is a waste of resources IMHO.

Whose resources? These are niche, usually small, charities with a specific purpose and usually shorter timescales. There is no evidence that the money given to them is diverted from other charities so in fact, because of their personal nature I would say it is unlikely. I am not sure where the waste of resources is.
Of course it is important to ensure these charities meet the requirements and are run properly, but that applies to all charities.

 

[BoldonLad]

Whose resources? These are niche, usually small, charities with a specific purpose and usually shorter timescales. There is no evidence that the money given to them is diverted from other charities so in fact, because of their personal nature I would say it is unlikely. I am not sure where the waste of resources is.
Of course it is important to ensure these charities meet the requirements and are run properly, but that applies to all charities.

Has anyone investigated donation patterns for Charities?, if no-one has looked, it is unlikely that evidence has been found. I did say, IMHO, I did not present it as a proven fact.

 

[AuroraSaab]

I think if you raise less than £30k a year your charity doesn't need to be audited. This does leave the system open for people to open small 'charities' with nefarious intentions, eg income £29k, CEO salary £25k.

Unfortunately the Charity Commission haven't the time to keep track of every little charity. There are 2,500 charities (minimum) in the UK supporting the homeless alone. I'm not suggesting homeless charities are particularly prone to being dodgy, just using them as an illustration of the numbers involved.