JTaylor

Hello all,

Please take the time to have a look at this link

http://www.childline.org.uk/nightserviceappealindex.asp

I saw Esther Rantzen earlier on the news, she was discussing the issues faced by Childline as highlighted in the link, it touched me and I thought I'd check it out.

Confession time: I didn't give a penny to Live 8 and very little to Tsunami (only an obligatory donation for a work "dress down day"). I have, however, just given a few quid to Childline.

Exactly how I can pay £600 per month in tax and national insurance (not including the £150 council tax and petrol, ****, beer, parking fees/fines etc etc) and yet my government is unable to subsidise this service, is beyond my comprehension.

We all have our own opinions on charity - whatever they may be, there is no denying that if this service goes out of operation then British children will suffer.

Thanks for reading and best wishes,

James

moses

i agree mate and it should be funded by the government, makes me sad really

The Zohan

Agreed!
Childline provides a unique and vital service to the most vunerable members of society.

JTaylor

I'm seriously thinking about signing up as a campaigner - it defies belief that this service can't find funding.

The good citizens of our country have given away millions of pounds to foreign charity.......ok, but look what our government has spent invading other countries http://www.iraqanalysis.org/briefings/235. How exactly we, the indiginous British, benefit from this is beyond me. And yet.....and yet, we can't afford to fund CHILDLINE. Incredible.

suprabeast

i totally agree, charity begins at home.

(by the way, nice choice of title , you should get quite few people reading this ! )

JTaylor

Well, we can do our bit. For those of us who are skint, no problem, there are few options.

a) When you're on your way to Rally day tommorrow, cruise at 70mph for 20 miles. Give the £5 worth of optimax you've saved to Childline (or the cash equivalant ).

b) Send this link http://www.childline.org.uk/nightserviceappealindex.asp to friends to help raise awareness.

c) Give up some of your spare time to campaign .

Don't panic, I'm not a do-gooder. Do-badder would be more accurate. I just think we need to get our priorities right.

J

Richard_P

As bravo 2 zero says and as I've always thought our government needs to concentrate on our own problems before throwing money around.

Maybe someone could tell Bob Geldof about this?????

Nicci

I bet some people here thought about calling childline when they were a kid.

Just remember, we knew we had somone to turn to if we really needed it.

Not fair to take this away from children now (and yes I think it is sad that the government do not help)

I will donate (when I get home).

BlackadderII

Well done James

Although everybody is right in respect that the government should be funding such an important facility for our youngsters, i couldn't help but donate

Good work James keep it up!

JTaylor

It's difficult really. I begrudge giving away my hard earned - not because I don't want to help, but because it feels like another stealth tax.

For me, the moral dilema is this; do you stand by your principles and see the service (Childline, RNLI, Air Ambulance, Cancer Research) cease to operate or do you stick your hand in your pocket? Rock and a hard place. One way sees a vital service (for ordinary British people) become endangered, the other justifies the government's decision not to fund it .

Please talk about this with friends, work colleagues and people of influence - £5billion was put aside for the war on Iraq (£1 for every human on earth). Say it slowly... and..... YOU paid for it. What have you gained out of it other then to be scared witless by revenge attacks?

When we've got nice cars, widescreen TVs, posh PCs and enough money for a pint and a pizza, it's easy to get lethargic. Please don't get me wrong, each of the things I mention above please me, particularly pizza, but are undoubtedly weapons of mass distraction.......... well, maybe not the pizza.

As always, I'm keen to read other views.

BlackadderII

BTTT

JTaylor

ScoobyDoo555

I couldn't have put it better. Whilst I agree in principle with the campaigning for UK-based charities, with all due respect, speaking personally, ALL charities come off 2nd best (read as last place) when it come to me parting with my hard-earned money.
I see it that I have one sole purpose in my life now - to look after my wife and 2 kids. Period. The priority order is kids, wife, and finally, me in terms of money. There is no money left over to give to other concerns.

If you think the government should be paying for these UK services (and worthy causes they are too), then do something about it.

I haven't given a penny to charity in many a year, however, I did donate my services and time to the Scoobynet Tsunami auction with a prize. (Anytime you're ready Phil!! ) and I don't see this position changing.

However, (and not trying to sound patronising), I wish you the best of luck as you're doing something that not many people would actually do. (They say they would, but talk is cheap!!)

Dan

JTaylor

Nice one. This was my Fathers stance almost entirely.

To be honest, this thread is not so much about asking for cash (I hate that), but about raising awareness of where our money goes.

No doubt, when me and the missus eventually have kids, my outlook will change to "my kids are my priority". Having said that, I shudder when I think of children who aren't their parent's priority, ' cos smack is or booze or staying in a destructive relationship. When these children have had as much as they can take, one phone call to the trained counsellors at Childline may be all it takes to point them in the direction of long term professional help. This potentially life saving outlet will be lost if we don't act now.

A lot of people don't give to charity and I fully understand why (I rarely do), but then a lot us do pay considerable Tax and NI and expect this to be redistributed to people in GREAT BRITAIN first and others second.

Actually, the more I think about, the more pissed off I get.

http://www.childline.org.uk/extra/nina.asp

http://www.childline.org.uk/extra/hasina.asp

http://www.childline.org.uk/extra/mel.asp

http://www.childline.org.uk/extra/simon.asp

These kids would not have been helped had it not been for the nightline.

Don't forget £5,000,000,000 of YOUR cash spent on Iraq and yet your being asked to pay extra cash to help keep British kids safe. WTF?

JTaylor

BTTT

The Zohan

Bump

I agree charity begins at home and i hate the fact the Childline does not get money from the government - it danm well should!

Won't get into the rights and wrongs of some of the people and organisations the gv't do fund as this is not the time or place

I will be setting up a D/D to pay an amount evey month in future - least i can do to help one of the most worthwhile charities there is.

Just read those case histories posted above and it made me weep!

Chip

Agree with most of the above should be funded by government as should certain other charities ie lifeboats.

Chip

BlackadderII

Boing

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

Do something about it then http://www.writetothem.com/

Just throwing money away unless the root cause is sorted.

I can't imagine a better charity to give to though. I'm sorry but I can't even read the case studies I know it'll only make me

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

Tell you what, someone knock up a letter we can send to our MP's post it in this thread and we'll see how many s'netters send a letter off to their MP,

BlackadderII

^^^ There you go James ^^^

You draught it and i'll circulate it to everyone on my address list. I'm sure there are a lot of people on here would do the same

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

Put the web address and the letter in a new topic and get the mods to make it sticky, or don't they care about little jimmy?

JTaylor

I'm now in touch with Gary Streeter MP. A local councillor I managed at Royal Mail linked us up. Gary is going to get back to me with the expenditure figures for the last 5 years. When this arrives I'll knock up a letter.

Thanks for the support lads, it's quite restorative.

James

Nicci

and ladies

JTaylor

and ladies

The Zohan

Thread title change at the originators request (thanks Ian)

Keep up the good work, this is a worth while cause.

Let me know what i can do in the way of support - i will keep an eye on this thread.

Paul

JTaylor

Thanks Paul and Ian.

ALL - This needs more exposure, please share the contents of this thread with friends and family or register your objection to generate debate and open, honest discussion.

Cheers

J

BlackadderII

Any news ?

The Zohan

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