[wraymond]

It can be a touchy subject and motives are not always obvious. It depends on the standing of the collecting/donation methods and the costs of associated overheads to a large extent.

There are always critics ready to find fault and officers in positions of responsibility for funds and funding have to be beyond reproach. Legitimate causes are of course usually very well run and operating costs often attract tax exemption.

When I lived in Saltash over 40 years ago I was involved in such things as a member of a world-wide charitable association and became aware of just how transparent we had to be! I can say that everybody I met was outstandingly conscious of the intrinsic need for transparency and audited accounts by recognised agencies were always provided.

I never once met anyone who gave cause for caution but then we had members from local councillors to health staff and banking professionals, church officials and police.

A word of caution. We had a colleague on our strength from the evangelical army (if you get my drift) who could tell the foulest jokes, in private of course, but not always in the very best of taste.

It was the best time of our life (apart of course from the birth of our two girls) and is sorely missed.