bugeyeandy

I don't donate to Comic Relief despite the fact that they give money to some very worthwhile causes. I just though i'd put up some of the "charities" they give money to and show just why I don't and why I believe some people are being conned.
Just my opinion, might be an eye opener for some people.

• Asylum Aid
  
  The systems for claiming asylum applications are outdated and tend to favour men, despite UK Gender Guidelines which should be considered for all applications from women. This means women often go through the process while they are still traumatised. Asylum Aid support women in making claims so that this group of women make more successful asylum claims.
  Spend: £150,000
  

• Refugee Council
  
  Refugee and asylum-seeking women have often experienced rape and torture which leaves them extremely traumatised but also in situations that can lead to further sexual exploitation. The Refugee Council provides support to these women and presses for changes to law and policy. These women can therefore get more intensive support and their specific needs will be better understood.
  Spend: £138,134
  

• Asylum Support Appeals Project
  
  There is limited support for women whose asylum claims have been rejected. The Asylum Support Appeals Project offer legal advice to women who are victims of sexual violence, to help them make fresh asylum claims and begin to recover from their experiences.
  Spend: £87,486
  

• Irish Traveller Movement
  
  Travellers die at a younger age, experience more health problems and often live in appalling conditions. Groups of Travellers are getting together to have their say and support each other. Traveller groups in the North of England are being supported so they can work and campaign for better services, helping them to have more of a stake in society.
  Spend: £93,000
  

• POLARI
  
  Many older lesbians and gay men grew up leading secret lives, when homosexuality was still illegal. Polari wants those who provide services for older people take account of the needs of older lesbians and gay men so that these people feel supported and part of the community.
  Spend: £90,000
  

• Rights of Women
  
  More than 40% of women who seek asylum have been raped, tortured or experienced some form of violence, but they find it hard to get support. Rights of Women provide training and advice to organisations across England to improve the support they offer. This means these vulnerable women have a better chance of making successful asylum claims.
  Spend: £101,174
  

• The Helen Bamber Foundation
  
  Women refugees and asylum seekers often arrive in the UK after experiencing huge amounts of trauma and receive little support. Helen Bamber Foundation provides intensive support for these women through therapy, group work and medical casework. This helps women address the underlying causes of their distress, feel less alone and start to rebuild their lives.
  Spend: £135,000
  

• International Institute for Environment and Development
  
  The poorest communities in Africa are most at risk from the destructive effects of a warming planet. Unpredictable rainfall and droughts are affecting small scale farmers across the continent, as it affects their ability to grow crops and make a living. In 2009, world leaders are gathering in Copenhagen to talk about how best to tackle climate change. This grant will enable IIED to gather climate change experts across Africa to improve their ability to influence debates at national and international levels, to lobby those participating in the climate change talks.
  Spend: £124,000
  

stara

yeh i don't blame you, i would not want to try to help save the life of a child too just in case one of the charities in your banned list got hold of a portion of your pound.

Timwinner

iTrader: (3)

Rights of women.... How can that be a bad charity, I dont donate as I dont believe enough money is spent on family planning in Africa, I believe thats the only way to stop the massive amount of kids being born with Aids.
But not because of rights of women.

tanyatriangles

iTrader: (2)

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, BUT:

Don't INTERNATIONAL LAWS on asylum specifically state that asylum MUST be requested in the FIRST country the asylum seeker comes to AFTER leaving the country they are seeking asylum FROM?

If so, unless we have LOADS of people coming by plane, (how do they afford it?), or unless there are lots seeking asylum from France, Belgium, Ireland, Iceland, Holland, Sweden, Norway etc etc, ALL THE REST ARE NOT ASYLUM SEEKERS AT ALL, AND SHOULD BE SENT STRAIGHT BACK WHERE THEY CAME FROM.........BY LAW.

So all this money spent on asylum seekers..........wasted.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Looks like most of those charities listed are aimed at helping a person get the most amount of benefits and support from the government by steering them through the appropriate channels. Which in the end, is being being payed for by teh tax payer...us, some of which who dontated to the charity in the first place. Robbing Peter to pay Paul to rob, er Peter (again).

The money could be better spent. Rather than being used to help people to tip-toe through the UK's legal loopholes in aim to get them the most benefits.

dpb

The only only reasons not for donating is the very real possibity that we're just perpetuating the sitaution where by the west drip feeds africa whilst eploiting them as we've allways done.

Martin2005

I am either a Troll or a Dik, can't decide which at the moment

spireite

AGGGHHH the good old name calling

Martin2005

Presumably you are about to add something constructive to this thread then?

NotoriousREV

OK, so that accounts for £360,174 out of the £40,000,000 raised last night, so less than 1%. Does that 0.9% outweigh the good done by the other 99.1%? Maybe you could ask for your 1p back?

If you don't wish to give to this charity then that's fine, it's entirely your choice, but why would you try and rubbish the excellent work done by the charity as a whole?

I'd love to know exactly what the people who are knocking Comic Relief have done themselves for charity or for disadvanatged people and I don't mean simply putting your hand in your pocket.

spireite

WTF that as to do with you i don't know , maybe you should refrain from labeling people "dik and troll "

The Zohan

Maybe he is just looking to derail and move the thread off subject, shame he does not contribute constructively instead although as soon as Mart sees something he does not like or agree with he does quickly resort to labels like this and childish, silly name calling, kind of sad really!

Some might call it trolling, ironic in a way

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Martin, maybe you should take your own advise "and add something constructive" rather than posting this:

It serves no purpose other than to troll/bait in itself.

Martin2005

OK so somebody posts a thread attacking giving to charity because some of the charities involved are there to help 'certain groups'...this pi55es me off somewhat so I respond.

Paul you are forever getting irrate about some Daily Mail headline or other and posting it up on here so come off it.

The OP comments are beneath contempt and you know it

The Zohan

Do i come on here insulting other members, no! so get a grip. Take a good, long look at yourself and how you come acrross before attacking and insulting other people on here.

OP is entitled to their comments, you of all people should be aware of that, although you do seem to pick and choose who you defend

Nuff said, keep on topic

Martin2005

Yes you regularly insult me for starters, or doesn't that count?

I pick and choose what I choose to react against, if something is wrong, it should be challenged

The Zohan

Come off it, gentle banter mate and you know it, You can and often do better than resorting to just insulting other members on here.
Martin take it like a man and suck it up!

You Leftie, Guardian reading homo!

scoobynutta555

Has Scoobynet become left wing?

bugeyeandy

Well, I wasn't expecting that response. Lets just say if any of those charities was openly collecting in the street I can probably count on one hand how many people would donate.

If you want to give money to help asylum seekers , Irish travellers and OAP lesbians feel free. Just not for me and hence why I don't donate to Comic Relief.

I'm sure many of the people pledging think all their money goes to African kids or the Red Cross (which lots of it does) but just like the National Lottery there are other fringe causes that get the money.

spireite

I regularly donate any scrap metal i have to the pikey travellers, does that count

unclebuck

Posts of that nature deserve an infraction at the very least IMO (a ban would send a clearer message)

Anyway - I would never give any money to the BBC for any reason. They help themselves more than enough of mine already for very very little in return.

I wonder how much 'Wossy' and all those other scum 'celebs' give?

scoobynutta555

On the flip side a small percentage of the total donated was probably from these groups.

spireite

Good thing your opinion doesn't count for much then

Martin2005

I just don't understand why you would decide that asylum seekers are such a poor cause. Surely genuine asylum seekers are fleeing persecution, do you want us to turn our backs on these people...what would that say about us?

Martin2005

I know that you are not insulting me, I was making a stubborn point.

I do genuinely feel that if I started a thread about how we should do more to help such groups, then I would be subjected to absolute castigation by the usual right wing pack of hounds on this site.

But hey you are right, insults are never helpful so to the OP I say sorry, I completely disagree with you but, insults are wrong and I should know better.

I've edited my original post for accuracy

Maz

iTrader: (34)

Leaving aside the specifics of asylum, refuge and so on, what some of the women in Africa have experienced is truly horrific. In Rwanda for example the genocide surpassed even Hitler's killing ratio. Women were subjected to watching their whole families butchered in front of them husbands, children hacked and beaten to death. These women having witnessed this were then repeatedly raped. There was no help from the outside world. Personally I don't mind donating a few quid.

bugeyeandy

Martin,
Thanks for the replies, i'm not here to troll just to have a discussion. Maybe I didn't put too much thought into the title of the thread. What I was really after was a discussion on Comic Relief and what peoples thoughts are on including these sorts of causes.
Personally I don't see them as causes I'd donate to and as such I don't donate to the whole Comic Relief thing. I'm not saying i'm right, it's just my personal feeling that charities for Asylum seekers and travellers are hidden from the general public when collecting and the African children/Red Cross are pushed to the front.
This is probalby wise in terms of generating the most collections and I do applaud people who work hard for nothing to help keep these charities running.
1% is a tiny amount but it is still £1000s being syphoned away from more worthy causes.
If we as a nation really felt strongly for all these persecuted people throughout the world we'd be spending every spare penny helping them and throwing our doors open with our spare rooms/beds being given up to help them get established. The harsh fact is a lot of people don't want them here and would turn their back to them as is done to tramps in our cities rather than live without a nice car or comfy lifestyle.
My thoughts on it and apolgies for the crappy thread title. Not trolling in any way.

The Zohan

You know what, yes you are right, the problem (or as i see one) is that the system is open to abuse and abused. Reading Einsteins comments on Rwanda i completely agree that women in cases like this need help and sanctuary. same for other good causes. The answer in rwanda is of course to get rid of corrupt and genocidal governments but how do you do that without being seen as another oppressor or interfering or sending in troops and committing them foer many, many years and what happens when they leave. Lot of countires and people are corrupt and open to corruption, especially in Africa!

Asylum system in this country is open to abuse by people coming in and of course those who then disappear or do not leave. This is down the the people abusing the system (an i wonder just how many are genuine) and those who allow this o happen The UKBA and government.

Ultimately it is the people who really need help who are let down and suffer - it sucks!