Home News Columnists Ian Robson

Not a penny more

Jan 6 2008 by Phil Cullen, Sunday Sun

I MUST have a heart of stone, but I am resisting all those ads for charity.

No doubt trying to cash in on the festive spirit, they are attempting to extract hard-earned cash from my wallet.

There are ads for abused children, starving Africans, abandoned cats, badly-treated dogs, Uncle Tom Cobley and all. And not one of them is getting a penny.

That’s mainly because very few charities are content with a single donation. Most want access to bank accounts so they can take something every month.

Their marketing strategies seem to turn their noses up at small donations . . . not a way to get my support.

I have even turned up at a shop with bags of old toys, only to be turned away because it was inconvenient to staff.

I will continue to give to my own favourite charities — I have always found Scope to be grateful for whatever they get — but will harden my heart to mass media solicitations.

Not even evocative black and white images of abused children — or promises from an abandoned dog to write letters of thanks — will make a difference.

Nor will turning on the waterworks in a cynical ploy to play with emotions.

Cry all you like . . . the money stays in my wallet.

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