Oor Nicola Sturgeon thread.

[welshbairn]

14 minutes ago, NotThePars said:

 

I suppose it would help having a man as well versed in the comms department in a Third Way government as Alistair Campbell. Maybe Sturgeon can have him boost the case for a peacekeeping operation in Kurdistan post-independence.

He's part of the second referendum campaign. Coordination is necessary, as we saw last week. Because the IGs, SNP and Lib Dems went ahead with the vote on their own the Government is able to claim there's no majority in the house for Ref2, when it hasn't been properly tested. That was a major fuckup.

Edited March 24, 2019 by welshbairn

[SandyCromarty]

19 hours ago, MixuFixit said:

Oh no, they invest most of it and only donate dividends to good causes. There was a big scandal a few years ago once the penny dropped they were doing this when it transpired they were investing in tobacco, weapons manufacturers etc. The whole thing is a racket.

Sorry to hear that, but then again there seem's to have been a lot of adverse discussion about charities over the last few years.

I do know that the government drastically reduced their donations to major charities some years back hence why you see so many collectors on the streets and at Supermarket entrances now.

As for Comic Relief surely they should donate all to various good causes yearly and not hoard the money, after all they are guaranteed many millions year on year, it's all right keeping money back for salaries but £117 million is a bit much when we have so many food banks.

[Salvo Montalbano]

I always thought John Torode was taller than that.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Sorry to hear that, but then again there seem's to have been a lot of adverse discussion about charities over the last few years.
I do know that the government drastically reduced their donations to major charities some years back hence why you see so many collectors on the streets and at Supermarket entrances now.
As for Comic Relief surely they should donate all to various good causes yearly and not hoard the money, after all they are guaranteed many millions year on year, it's all right keeping money back for salaries but £117 million is a bit much when we have so many food banks.

Couldnt agree more, if you look at the ‘expenses claims’ for these charity events and the money paid out to board members its a fucking disgrace. The country has people going hungry and they sit on that kind of reserve, disgraceful.

[Detournement]

5 minutes ago, MixuFixit said:

As Darren McGarvey has said, you can have a £5billion charity sector in Scotland or you can spend £5billion to eradicate poverty but you can't have both. "Big brand" charities are just focused on continuing to exist. It's best to give your money to small local ones in my view.

Aye while the third sector obviously does a lot of good it's main function is to provide jobs for middle class people.

[SandyCromarty]

14 hours ago, MixuFixit said:

As Darren McGarvey has said, you can have a £5billion charity sector in Scotland or you can spend £5billion to eradicate poverty but you can't have both. "Big brand" charities are just focused on continuing to exist. It's best to give your money to small local ones in my view.

I believe there ar over 23,000 registered charities in Scotland alone.

[NotThePars]

Not really related but mind Darren McGarvey didn’t know what a VL was?

[Londonwell]

10 minutes ago, MixuFixit said:

I don't know what a VL is

^^^

VL type post.

[KingRocketman II]

7 hours ago, MixuFixit said:

I don't know what a VL is

me neither

[Benjamin_Nevis]

On 3/25/2019 at 19:18, MixuFixit said:

As Darren McGarvey has said, you can have a £5billion charity sector in Scotland or you can spend £5billion to eradicate poverty but you can't have both. "Big brand" charities are just focused on continuing to exist. It's best to give your money to small local ones in my view.

Macmillan are probably the worst I've experienced. 

I used to work in a Council post funded by them and their priorities are seethe-inducing. As an example, Macmillan will give out one-off grants of up to £450 to cancer patients on low incomes to help with things like travel costs for treatment etc, through a referral process from ourselves. They're now cutting back on these, which  is a disgrace when they're spending fucking fortunes on merchandise, promo material etc, and tens of thousands of pounds on conferences at the very best of hotels. 

Arseholes. 

 

[GAD]

21 hours ago, NotThePars said:

Not really related but mind Darren McGarvey didn’t know what a VL was?

I liked it when he went on a da rant on Twitter about how it would be a disgrace if he wasn't allowed to park his car on the pavement anymore.

[Honest Saints Fan]

Macmillan are great with me. I have a nurse who visits or phones regularly, has arranged palliative care, antisickness medication, helping me get full PIP and is at the end of a call if I need her. I think it really depends on where you live and the appointed nurse. 

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Macmillan are great with me. I have a nurse who visits or phones regularly, has arranged palliative care, antisickness medication, helping me get full PIP and is at the end of a call if I need her. I think it really depends on where you live and the appointed nurse. 

The nurses are great up here as well. My main issue is with their admin centre in London. It's a bit galling when you've seen how much they spend on conference venues and you get some arsehole phoning you to quibble over travel costs for someone who's terminal. #seething

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

The nurses are great up here as well. My main issue is with their admin centre in London. It's a bit galling when you've seen how much they spend on conference venues and you get some arsehole phoning you to quibble over travel costs for someone who's terminal. #seething

For me the real outrage is why in an apparently forward thinking compassionate nation do we value paying millions for ferries which dont exist for something no one actually wants and refurbishments of building not fit for purpose costing billions and keeping a woman with a metal hat in several castles whilst the state deems it inappropriate to help people with things like travel for cancer treatment. I agree the charity sector pays inflated wages and operates like an industry rather than a charity but, the real issue is why the f**k do we need them?

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

I usually donate to my local hospice, St Margarets, fantastic charity, no madness wages and a decent local cause. That said Macmillan were amazing for my gran and I really appreciate that and try to support them when I can.

[Gaz FFC]

On 27/03/2019 at 12:27, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

That said Macmillan were amazing for my gran and I really appreciate that and try to support them when I can.

My great uncle too who passed last Autumn.

A fantastic charity.

[welshbairn]

On 27/03/2019 at 12:18, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

 I agree the charity sector pays inflated wages and operates like an industry rather than a charity

Don't see why you shouldn't get decent wages because you happen to be working for a worthwhile cause.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Don't see why you shouldn't get decent wages because you happen to be working for a worthwhile cause.

Not what i’m arguing, there are charity chief execs getting salaries being paid in excess of 10% of the charities income. In excess of 32 charities pay their chief executive over £200,000 a year, that in my opinion is excessive. The Battersea dogs home pays someone almost £200k a year to manage a cat and dog home. Put that into perspective against people who run countries accepting less. The head of the SSPCA earned over £216k, thats madness.

[Savage Henry]

17 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

Don't see why you shouldn't get decent wages because you happen to be working for a worthwhile cause.

Agreed.  The idea seems to stem from various levels of belief that everyone who works for a charity or NGO should be a volunteer.   The truth is that most charities need full time employees in order to exist.  

Folk also seem to forget the level of accountability these organisations are held to.  I work for an American NGO, and our expenditure is recorded down to the brand and place of manufacture of snacks we provide (eg we can't buy anything from Iran).   Salaries are commensurate with work conditions, and with what is legally permissible.   

[Tibbermoresaint]

4 minutes ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

Not what i’m arguing, there are charity chief execs getting salaries being paid in excess of 10% of the charities income. In excess of 32 charities pay their chief executive over £200,000 a year, that in my opinion is excessive. The Battersea dogs home pays someone almost £200k a year to manage a cat and dog home. Put that into perspective against people who run countries accepting less. The head of the SSPCA earned over £216k, thats madness.

£200,000 for the head of a large organisation is reasonable. The rule that if you pay peanuts you get monkeys applies to the charity sector as much as any other.