CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME

 

As we approach Remembrance Day, I thought it appropriate to take a look at UK charities; in particular those who offer help and support to our armed forces.

First off, I’d like to say that in general charities do a great job, but when you look at just how many charities have sprung up over the last few years, it makes you wonder just how much of our money is actually going to those who need it.

The Royal British Legion has been helping ‘service’ people past and present for over 90 years, and although their needs have changed over that time the need for their work is now more vital than ever.

As we all know, the British public is extremely generous even at a time when the whole nation is in the grip of austerity. That fact is borne out by the amount of money that is raised for tsunamis, hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. However, when you add to this the fact that the Government already give millions of taxpayers’ money to supplement hundreds of UK charities, on top of which they spend an awful lot on sending £billions in aid overseas – you’ve got to ask, why do taxpayers need to keep paying yet again?

In my opinion, if the nation cannot afford to care for its service personnel and its veterans, it simply shouldn't send them to war. We, as one of the richest nations on earth, should be looking after all our returning soldiers; our wounded and disabled service personnel, their wives, partners and children out of normal taxation, before we send £billions to overseas countries, some who have their own nuclear weapons and space programmes.

Similarly, if some of these extremely vocal celebrities and choral politicians really think that poverty should be made history, why don't they give a lot more of their money to charity, stop fiddling their expenses and taxes and depositing monies in tax-free havens?

I remember hearing a story a few years ago; during the annual ‘Children in Need’ television extravaganza. While up and across the land, lowly paid Council Workers, School Teachers, Nurses, Bank clerks and Shop Assistants were dressing up and getting soaked, custard pie-faced and generally subjecting themselves to gentle abuse in order to raise a few bob for needy kids; it was revealed that the good old, strangely bewigged Irish chuckler, Sir Terry’ had allegedly charged the BBC sixteen thousand pounds a time for his appearances on the program; no wonder he was so bloody jovial; that being the case, we could all smile and chuckle if we were pocketing thousands whilst demanding money from everyone else in the country. 

Let young Geldof (wealth estimated at $1.2 billion in 2011) and his extremely wealthy mate Bozo Bono (whose tax arrangements were singled out for criticism in a report by the charity Christian Aid in 2008.) try struggling on the minimum wage for a while, trying to buy a 3 bedroom semi with a mortgage.  Maybe then they would understand why some people genuinely believe that 'charity begins at home'!

As Roman comic playwright Terence (approx 190-159 BC) said, “One's own family, or country, comes before any other responsibilities.”