Dear LPG,

 I saw an advert on the TV the other day which was an appeal for financial help for a charity.  I suppose that there is nothing so unusual about that, because such adverts are often aired.  However, in my opinion, this particular appeal involved a relatively long period of advertising air-time and it came over as quite an ambitious video appeal.  There was also the realisation that my local church makes a regular donation to the charity concerned.

I mentioned this to some of the congregation,  many of whom, admit to not having the time for watching television that much, and I have to admit that the general response was their disappointment  that Charity has become such ‘Big Business’ over recent years.  Some were put off by the fact that so much money is being spent on wages and finance rather than the work they really aspire to do.

General concern was that the money, extra wages and fees spent on  the making  of such an advert  (not to mention the quite steep costs involved in booking the television air time needed for the promotion), is all detracting from their aims and objectives as a charity.  

So I conclude that the bigger charities will always have to spend their time and money on such advertising campaigns while the small charities will always be the losers because they will not be able to afford the time or money needed to attract the personnel needed for such a sophisticated approach to fundraising. 

I think that the whole situation is disappointing to say the least. 

CDC, Downham.