http://charitybloggers.com/freedomfighter Just another Charitybloggers.com weblog Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:06:24 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I bang on quite a bit about the need for charities to make sure that their address lists are up to date. Some, patently, are at least seven or eight years out of date - simply because letters are sent to me at an address I left many years ago. Is ... http://charitybloggers.com/freedomfighter/2012/02/09/addressing-you-and-me/ I have a high regard for the work of The Anthony Nolan Trust. Having sent them a regular donation, it was encouraging to receive, very promptly, a full-page 'thank-you' letter. But, sadly, something had gone wrong with the technology (or was it human error?). In the middle of the letter ... http://charitybloggers.com/freedomfighter/2012/01/17/check-the-technology/ Children with Cancer UK may be blaming a lot of recipients of a recent mailing for not responding - when the blame lies firmly at its own door. So far as I can remember I had never received anything from them - until they sent me a fundraising  letter to an ... http://charitybloggers.com/freedomfighter/2011/12/06/get-up-to-date-2/           A distinguished contributor has written an important article for The Times, calling for full relief of tax to be allowed on charitable donations. It is a widespread misconception that, somehow, HMRC pockets part of the donor's contributions. Let's suppose I am a top-rate tax payer and want a charity to receive ... http://charitybloggers.com/freedomfighter/2011/11/28/no-smoke-or-mirrors/ Myasthenia Gravis Association is not exactly a snappy name for a charity seeking funds - although, of course, that describes it accurately. For a start, I would try to pick something easier for everyday use, while keeping the official title. This, sadly, is one of the many diseases for which, still, there ... http://charitybloggers.com/freedomfighter/2011/11/01/no-cure-explanation/ No doubt it can be shown that, the more urgent is the need for funds, the better is the response from donors. So, what am I to make of a request to meet emergency funding for scientists, including one request for £31,010 to provide emergency support grant funding to continue ... http://charitybloggers.com/freedomfighter/2011/10/15/crying-wolf/ A stiff white invitation card arrives. It is for a Black Tie evening of entertainment, drinks and dinner at a well-known privately owned stately home. Royalty will be there. The evening will be in aid of The Rifles Regimental Trust, to provide care for casualties.  The response slip is well designed. With ... http://charitybloggers.com/freedomfighter/2011/10/03/splitting-the-cost/ In these tough times, HMRC has to make sure that the public purse does not lose out. And so a few changes have had to be made at Kew Gardens. Previously, a category of 'Friend' of the Gardens was provided with complimentary Day Passes to give to others for entry ... http://charitybloggers.com/freedomfighter/2011/09/13/blooming-gift-aid/ Not very bright of Camp Gan Israel to send a letter (asking for money) to me at an organisation to an address from which the organisation moved more than seven years ago. Reference books and plenty of entries on the internet have given the current address over all those years. ... http://charitybloggers.com/freedomfighter/2011/09/03/keep-up-to-date/ Large companies want to be seen to be more charity-friendly - by helping in practical ways, with a drop-off in straight donations. My son's large Ciy-based employer is offering grants to charities where its employees have volunteered for 15 hours, or longer, within the most recent 12-month period. Any active employee ... http://charitybloggers.com/freedomfighter/2011/08/02/encouraging-employees/