Help For Heroes Charity

[Authoritarian]

I can't move in my local high street for Help for Heroes donation seekers anymore, and I'm getting tired of being brow beaten by these people each time I go out.

It's not that I don't respect the work that the armed forces are having to perform at the moment, I do, but I resent the assumption that we all have to pull together to help 'our boys' out in the middle east by giving generously to a particular charity. Sorry mate, it's not my problem.

Firstly I have never voted for any party that had anything to do with the war, perhaps Labour and Tory supporters can donate on my behalf given their enthusiasm for blowing up donkeys in the middle east.

Secondly the armed forces have volunteered to put themselves into the firing line, what about all the rail workers that have died of asbestos related diseases and all the tradesmen that will die in the future because of this disease? Their work is arguably more important but because they're not considered heroes they won't get a penny.

Finally anytime I've met squaddies in the street they've tended to be utter morons. We have plenty of jocks that bowl it up around here getting pissed up and threatening the locals, only to have a charity beg on their behalf for compensation when they get injured. ****** em.

So Help for Heroes, please go away.

[Guest theboltonfury]

I can't move in my local high street for Help for Heroes donation seekers anymore, and I'm getting tired of being brow beaten by these people each time I go out.

It's not that I don't respect the work that the armed forces are having to perform at the moment, I do, but I resent the assumption that we all have to pull together to help 'our boys' out in the middle east by giving generously to a particular charity. Sorry mate, it's not my problem.

Firstly I have never voted for any party that had anything to do with the war, perhaps Labour and Tory supporters can donate on my behalf given their enthusiasm for blowing up donkeys in the middle east.

Secondly the armed forces have volunteered to put themselves into the firing line, what about all the rail workers that have died of asbestos related diseases and all the tradesmen that will die in the future because of this disease? Their work is arguably more important but because they're not considered heroes they won't get a penny.

Finally anytime I've met squaddies in the street they've tended to be utter morons. We have plenty of jocks that bowl it up around here getting pissed up and threatening the locals, only to have a charity beg on their behalf for compensation when they get injured. ****** em.

So Help for Heroes, please go away.

It's also such an easy way for TV personalities to boost their public ratings. Simon Cowell's X factor record for example. Like he gives a ******....

[pl1]

I agree they do take the Queen's Shilling. I have something against charity bullying in general particuarly the in-your-face type for a couple of reasons:

1. If someone comes around with a tin at a pub or at work you have no guarantee how much of your money is actually going to go to the charity in question. You would be far better off going to http://www.intelligentgiving.com/ which shows you exactly how much of your £ goes to the charities front line and how much is eaten up by workers salaries, advertising etc.

2. There's something uneasy about someone from work comming around with a tin. Not a week goes by it seems where I work, where someone isn't comming over with the latest crusade. It's tiresome, irksome and who wants to be the tightass at work who doesn't give? I feel charity crusaders in working environments realise this and think they are impervious to "no I'm not giving you anything this week". Also, times are tougher now then they have been in years and charities need to accept their coffers will be less too. I have a feeling though they will just up the ante, using slick marketing techniques and suasion tactics like workplace and public collections, where it is more difficult to say no.

[Dubai]

Just grow a thick skin and say "no". If you think an explanation will help then simply say you don't agree with the war in Iraq / Afghanistan / wherever next, but you're being forced to pay for it already with your taxes. Giving will be interpreted as public approval, which in the long run will result in more of our fellow countrymen being put in harms way just for some bullsh1t politician to look good to his american master.....

[Guest X-QUORK]

Can't see what the problem is here? If you don't want to support Help For Heroes, don't.

[indirectapproach]

I have noticed how aggressive a lot of charity street collectors have become in the last what ....? ..... six or seven years.

They seem convinced that amnesty international, save the babies (whales), help our heroes, whatever it is, is utterly faultless and must be donated to and failure to donate should be punishable with instant defenestration.

These poor bunglers have not been trained that there are people who already have their charitable stuff already well taken care of, that may already give generously by mechanisms slightly better than lobbing kopeks into buckets on streets.

That I happen not to be one of these people seems to me a perfectly satisfactory reason not to give to street charities.

[rxe]

If you want to give to charity, do it via payroll (far more tax efficient) and simply tell the people with the tins that you do this.

[blankster]

It is sad when soldiers are killed and I do understand the reason we got involved in Afghanistan but there has been a lot of mission creep since then because of the resurgence of the Taliban.

However, many of the younger soldiers who have been killed have joined the Army since the invasion of Afghanistan. That would indicate that they 1) realised they were likely to be sent there and 2) support the war, otherwise they wouldn't have joined up.

[Guest anorthosite]

Blimey, some people do like to whinge, don't they?

[happy_renting]

Chugging is fun. It cost me only £12.50 to print a sweatshirt with 'Homeless Orphan Amputee Puppy Fund' on it and another £1.50 to make the tin.

The ROI is unbelievable.

[SNACR]

As a public facing business we get inundated with requests for charitable donations and raffle prizes etc. It all adds up to a fairly serious chunk of cash and frankly many of the charities I may not have through personal choice supported. I also didn't like that a few quid to every charity that asks was a very diffuse way to make a serious difference.

The solution I've gone for is to pick one charity, whose work I approve of, and support only them. We give a set figure a year and on top of that every time any charity/school etc (schools, really WTF? I've been asked to pay for new bike sheds and all sorts - given the money paid in tax and the amount sloshing around the public sector over the last ten years it's a right bloody cheek).

Anyway, everytime someone from any charity asks we reply that we support only one charity but, because they've made a request we'll give our chosen charity and extra £5 (£5 may sound tight but the requests really are constant). If people go into shops and ask they have to just put their charity and number in a book there are we give the £5 to our very good charity - loads can't be bothered/refuse.

[Kurt Barlow]

I have noticed how aggressive a lot of charity street collectors have become in the last what ....? ..... six or seven years.

They seem convinced that amnesty international, save the babies (whales), help our heroes, whatever it is, is utterly faultless and must be donated to and failure to donate should be punishable with instant defenestration.

These poor bunglers have not been trained that there are people who already have their charitable stuff already well taken care of, that may already give generously by mechanisms slightly better than lobbing kopeks into buckets on streets.

That I happen not to be one of these people seems to me a perfectly satisfactory reason not to give to street charities.

Beacuse in most cases they take a cut of the takings. 9/10 couldn't give a f00k about the cause

[RichB]

what gets me, is that this charity should not have any reason to exist. Its just doing a job the government should _genuinely_ be doing. Lesbian play group outreach coordinators should be the charity...

[Northwest Smith]

It is sad when soldiers are killed and I do understand the reason we got involved in Afghanistan but there has been a lot of mission creep since then because of the resurgence of the Taliban.

However, many of the younger soldiers who have been killed have joined the Army since the invasion of Afghanistan. That would indicate that they 1) realised they were likely to be sent there and 2) support the war, otherwise they wouldn't have joined up.

They realised they would be seriously injured , that is bravery beyond anything I've ever thought of.

[Frank Hovis]

what gets me, is that this charity should not have any reason to exist. Its just doing a job the government should _genuinely_ be doing. Lesbian play group outreach coordinators should be the charity...

Yes, ditto the RNLI.

Why that has to survive on donations when taxes go to fund all manner of waste baffles me.

As an example:

National Policing Improvement Agency

Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Adviser

Applications for this job may have CLOSED

Location: London - Victoria St

Salary: £27,000 - £29,000 or PC/Civilian secondment

Job Vacancy: Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Adviser

Vacancy Ref: CEO089

Location: London - Victoria St

Salary: £27,000 - £29,000 or PC/Civilian secondment

Categories: Secondees; Specialist roles

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ywyJW3z7fkwJ:www.allpolicejobs.co.uk/index.php%3Fp%3Dpolice_job%26jid%3D26305+police+jobs+equality&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&client=firefox-a

[porca misèria]

As a public facing business we get inundated with requests for charitable donations and raffle prizes etc. It all adds up to a fairly serious chunk of cash and frankly many of the charities I may not have through personal choice supported. I also didn't like that a few quid to every charity that asks was a very diffuse way to make a serious difference.

Ever thought of devolving your charity budget to your employees, by matching their charitable gifts? A lot of american companies do that. Encourage them to give via the payroll (or outsource to someone like the Charities Aid Foundation), and match all gifts up to [limit].

[Dubai]

what gets me, is that this charity should not have any reason to exist.  Its just doing a job the government should _genuinely_ be doing.  Lesbian play group outreach coordinators should be the charity...

............. ............ Exactly! Our Armed Forces should at least know they're doing the life threatening dirty work of the political class on the basis that they and their families will be well taken care of. The fact that there even needs to be a charity is a disgrace.

[porca misèria]

It is sad when soldiers are killed

Is it sad when suicide bombers are killed?

Suicide bombers do what they do because they are in despair about their own country, and have no tolerable alternative. They may of course be religious nuts, not least because religion seems to be strongest amongst oppressed peoples.

By contrast, British government thugs have a perfectly good country, and no business terrorising Afghan peasants.

[Northwest Smith]

Is it sad when suicide bombers are killed?

Suicide bombers do what they do because they are in despair about their own country, and have no tolerable alternative. They may of course be religious nuts, not least because religion seems to be strongest amongst oppressed peoples.

By contrast, British government thugs have a perfectly good country, and no business terrorising Afghan peasants.

If they want to wear something like an armband to identify themselves it would be fair. British thugs do so.

[porca misèria]

If they want to wear something like an armband to identify themselves it would be fair. British thugs do so.

How does that help the terrified child who gets woken by a sudden midnight commotion, as they burst into the house, beat up the father and drag him off, never to be seen again?

[Kingding]

I got scammed once by a charity (or so I thought) so my wallet stays firmly in my pocket from now on.

I do buy a poppy though.

I don't mind being asked but I give very short shrift to anyone putting on the hard sell, the nerve of someone coming up to me in the street asking for cash then getting arsey when I say no thanks is not on.

[Dubai]

I got scammed once by a charity (or so I thought) so my wallet stays firmly in my pocket from now on.

I do buy a poppy though.

I don't mind being asked but I give very short shrift to anyone putting on the hard sell, the nerve of someone coming up to me in the street asking for cash then getting arsey when I say no thanks is not on.

Nut 'em. .......

[Guest X-QUORK]

Is it sad when suicide bombers are killed?

Suicide bombers do what they do because they are in despair about their own country, and have no tolerable alternative. They may of course be religious nuts, not least because religion seems to be strongest amongst oppressed peoples.

By contrast, British government thugs have a perfectly good country, and no business terrorising Afghan peasants.

The Armed Forces are government thugs? You've been listening to Injin too much.

[Guest theboltonfury]

The Armed Forces are government thugs? You've been listening to Injin too much.

I think they are heroes, in the sense that I would never be brave/motivated enough to do it. But that's it, and that really doesn't warrant hero status.

However, I also think that many are masters of their own destiny - particularly anyone who has joined in the past 8 years, which must be a major proportion.

This whole 'heroe' thing has gone way too far. They are complicit in fighting illegal wars. As a collective, as oposed to individuals, I don't think they are heroes at all. Sorry.

[AThirdWay]

Is it sad when suicide bombers are killed?

Suicide bombers do what they do because they are in despair about their own country, and have no tolerable alternative. They may of course be religious nuts, not least because religion seems to be strongest amongst oppressed peoples.

By contrast, British government thugs have a perfectly good country, and no business terrorising Afghan peasants.

Suicide bombers, by definition, kill themselves. It's not unknown for British military personnel to kill themselves, but by and large they are killed by A.N. Other. The difference may seem moot to you, both bomber and soldier are dead, but their behaviour before meeting their end is the differential.

The vast majority of British squaddies want to engage a clearly identifiable enemy force, not the local populace. The ludicrous bs spun by VI's that shooting women and bayoneting babies is the favorite pass-time of the average rifleman can only be believed by those that WANT to believe it. The suicide bomber however, will target women and children (remember the Iraq market bombing campaign?) if it meets his objective, terrorism.

As to the connection between oppression and religious extremism, you may have a point. But we seem to be 'growing our own' now, so there would appear to be other factors involved.

This thread was started because the OP was tired of feeling pressurized by collectors for the 'Help for Heroes' charity, and I can sympathize. I get tired of charity collections for the poor in Africa, Christian Aid, Save the Donkeys etc. So when asked to give cash to a charity that I don't wish to support, I just say no. It's not too difficult, and perhaps the OP should try it.

However, to denigrate the suffering of the men and women relying on this help, or to encourage others to deny them this help because the Government should be doing more (and it should) is not, I believe, acceptable.