I have received the annual Poppy Appeal leaflets today........

[askyourgran]

but this one is for the Christmas Eve Draw. where I can win £50.000 1st prize, or a car worth £12.500 as the second prize. This is such a worthwhile cause for ex-servicemen and women, but for the life of me I can't fathom it. How can they afford to give away such prizes if they are desperate for money? I get these for Animal charities too. Do you ever contribute to postal charity letters.

[ttfn]

Rarely gran - unless it is a charity I support anyway - there are so many these days

[boxtops]

I do sometimes gran, depends on the charity - my understanding is that they fund the prizes from the money we pay for the tickets, and that this is worth it to them for the extra publicity they get from the promotion. Higher profile means more people might remember them in their Wills too - many charities rely on generous bequests, but they are unpredictable as to when they might arrive!

[society]

Also, big companies sometimes donate or sponsor these prizes.

[stokemaveric]

just pop a couple of quid in the collection boxes when you see them and pin your poppy on your lapel ayg...and wear with pride...

[ttfn]

I have a large poppy for the car which is used each year - can't always see them for sale. But I usually buy 3 or 4 poppies each year and donate as generously as I can. After last year's 11/11 I saw wrist bands on sale so have bought 1 - and I even know where it is some 10 months later!

[Barmaid]

As far as these big raffles go, they take out insurance to cover the fact that they may not take enough in subs to fund the prizes. Apart from the Poppy Appeal, I refuse to give to any medium or large size charity since their admin costs are enormous (I know because I have worked for three major charities before my current job).

[askyourgran]

Thanks for your thoughts, I always support the Poppy Appeal, but there are now so many of them nowadays running prizes and raffles for thousands of pounds. One charity was asking for £15 minimum donation which I thought was a bit steep.

[dotty.]

I do think these will be corporate donations gran, don't forget, companies to recieve tax concessions for their charitable contributions and so it makes sense to use them.

[boxtops]

,...also, if you do give, don't forget to Gift Aid your donation, it increases your contribution to the Charity and is allowed for on your tax return (if you tell HMRC).

[saxy_jag]

You sure it's in aid of the right charity? Poppy appeal money goes to the Haig fund, I believe (or possibly the British Legion). There are a lot of freeloaders out there who cash in on the backs of other charities.

A small shop where I used to live once ran a fundraiser around Comic Relief time that involved selling red noses and cream teas - in aid of a local hospice! I'm sure their motives were fine, but it was a bit cheeky.

[squarebear]

...or the winners are made up and so they can offer to "give away" such prizes?

[MarkRae]

> Poppy appeal money goes to the Haig fund, I believe (or possibly the British Legion).

That's right. And let's not forget that General Sir Douglas Haig was responsible for more British deaths than the entire German high command - "lions led by donkeys", indeed...

[Count-A-Strong]

And parodied excellently in Blackadder Mark.

[askyourgran]

Am I being cynical but I had that thought too square.
Markrae I remember the quote of 'lions led by donkeys' and Gen Earl Haig but I;ve forgotton the history of it all, sounds ominous.