Topic: India First To Build a Supersonic Cruise Missile

[Sandra]

I doubt it Simon. Have you seen the breakdown of how much money Oxfam actually sends to where people think they have donated it to.

[sam]

enlighten us with a link?

[Sandra]

http://www.intelligentgiving.com/the_buzz/the_blog/is_giving_to_charity_shops_intelligent_giving

Our brief survey of almost 60 large charities with shops in 2007 showed that for every £1 spent in a charity shop, only 18p goes to good causes. Other surveys put the figure a bit higher, but it's widely agreed that Charity Shops just aren't an efficient way to raise money for charity.

I cant find the article I posted a link to about how little Oxfam spent on the people the money was given for last year or the year before for Gills benefit but its on the forum somewhere. If I come across it I will post it again.

[sam]

but surely that's not saying the money is going towards arms like you was suggesting? Its just going towards the running of shops etc... surely?

[Sandra]

I was referring to how little money went where people thought it was going when givin to charity Sam, not that it was going on arms although I did see a report from a woman in one of the african countries saying that a lot of the aid sent from oxfam was hijacked by rebels and terroroists so that most of it didnt get through to the people it was intended for.
 
Re the costs of the shops, they are usually free or low rent as normal shops cant afford the high rents in town and city centres so rather than let the shops stand empty they let charitiies use them and presumably claim a lot of money in tax relief. They are free of business taxes and most of their staff are volunteeres and the goods they sell are donated. It looks to me that such a low return on money donated indicates that someone higther up in the organisation is making quite a lot or the adminstration of the charity is very inefficient.

[Simon]

I've often wondered why shop rents are not lowered so that proper retail outlets can use them.  Surely that would be better than letting the charity shops have them free?  I have nothing against charity shops, but we have so many in our high street, it's hard to find anything new to buy!

[Clive]

All high streets are full of charity shops these days Simon.  Real shops have moved to out of town locations where parking is free.

[Simon]

Parking is free here, and directly on the high street!

[sam]

Sandra, from this:

I know it wasnt government money but look at the recent disclosure of how much of the money raised by band aid went to buy arms and how little actually went where the people giving it thought it was going to

and then this:

Have you seen the breakdown of how much money Oxfam actually sends to where people think they have donated it to.

I took it as you were suggesting that Oxfam was funding arms.

Anyway, yes people do think money is going to other places but surely they all should realise that Oxfam also has overheads (20% profit isn't really that bad!). Personally any money going is better than nowt, especially if people like yourself believe we shouldn't be sending government cash there.

[Clive]

Parking is free here, and directly on the high street!

How enlightened of your council.  Our council keeps putting up the parking charges every year.   

[Simon]

The trouble is, the main holdups driving through the town, are caused by people fiddling about trying to parallel park.  I won't say it's all women, but...