Letter: Charity names prostituted

Tuesday 15 April 1997 23:02 BST

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Sir: David Robinson (letter, 9 April) asks why he is being inundated by charities asking for money for a mention in a programme or brochure.

The likely reason that the callers all sound the same is that they are all from the same company. These middlemen, with professional telephone salespeople, produce such programmes with the sole aim of raising funding. Before passing the money on to the charity concerned, they take out their own costs and a profit margin. This often leaves a little as 20p in the pound to go to the charity.

Why do the charities agree to this prostitution of their names? They see only 20p that they wouldn't otherwise get, and are blind to the danger of business fatigue.

GAVIN WALKER

Redmile, Leicestershire

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