The winter fuel allowance (£125) will shortly enter my bank account. I am lucky enough not to need this money and would prefer it ended up with someone who can make better use of it. Mrs BB and I support the sort of charities you might expect of Guardian readers – Amnesty International, Médécins sans Frontières, Book Aid as well as Cancer Research UK, St Michael’s Hospice, Hereford Air Ambulance (those last three clearly profiting from our physical decline).
If you have a pet charity other than those above, preferably something unglamorous that isn’t richly endowed (eg, The Rest Home for Retired Industrial Journalists – I jest! I jest!) sell it to me in 25 words and it will get a mention here and a slice of the pie. The more international the better.
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I'd like to suggest the Quaker International Educational Trust (QuIET), which supports education and peace initiatives through education throughout the world. My Meeting sends contributions to the Friends school in Ramallah.
Here is the website: http://www.palfriends.org/donate.php
Regardless of which charity you and Mrs. BB select, thank you for your kindness and generosity. The world needs more folks like the two of you.
I racked my brain to try to think of an animal charity I knew, but then realized Book Aid had nothing to do with rabbits.
Thanks to a Charleston blogger friend, I'm a fan of WaterMissions, which provides mud to water purification systems to countries all over the world. Joan describes what they do better than I ever could. (They might be a bit too big for the brief though). http://charlestondailyphoto.blogspot.com/2010/02/science-fair-project-gone-wild.html
The Crow/Julia: Thanks for both those suggestions. The rules weren't rules as such, more like gentle guidelines. Although I'm not a fan of Christianity I've always had a soft spot for Quakers and I'm impressed that they have a school in Ramallah - not the easiest berth in the world. As to water purification, the end-product is inarguably beneficial and I don't really care how big they are.
I'll hold back a little and see if there are other suggestions to help me slice the cake appropriately. It doesn't come as any surprise that the first two proposals are from Americans.
Julia has the right idea - clean water is of more immediate need than education. Save the body first, then educate the mind. (Most Friends' schools I know of don't push christianity as much as brotherhood. Our school uses Quaker tenets as part of our education philosophy, but we don't push Christ [in any manifestation] onto our students. Ramallah is a tough gig, BB. Our faculty has been threatened and harrassed numerous times.)
Having problems turning physical with a thirteen year old son the NSPCC arrived within twenty minutes. Their practical help led me to donate ever since.
No suggestions, just a, 'Good onya Mate'.
The Crow: I'll stick with what you suggested. I don't think we should rank charities, otherwise some would never get any donations. Especially those who adopt unpopular (but necessary) causes like prison reform, and AIDs sufferings.
Sir Hugh: In fact children are my preferred charity though you'll notice that none of our DDs are so directed. The problem is that the range is so wide that you tend to end up making random choices. Anyway your suggestion will help compensate for my haphazardness.
HHB: Thanks for the plaudits but they weren't what I was after. The solitary label to this post tells the true story.
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