mostly david ephgrave

I’ve finally done the decent thing and donated my unwanted clothing to the Salvation Army. It's something that I've meant to do for ages. They regularly put a bag through my door. Every time I make a mental note of the collection date, then promptly forget all about it.  This always makes me feel guilty. I imagine them driving past, all hopeful, only to have their optimism quashed by a sea of empty doorsteps. I see myself as the tipping point: the moment the Salvation Army decide to call it a day. If this happened it would be catastrophic; not just for the impact it would have on the homeless, but for the knock-on effect on the brass industry. Today, I finally did my bit. I ruthlessly plundered my wardrobe; by the end of it, my bag was full to bursting. Literally: it ripped as I picked it up. After leaving it on my doorstep, I walked into town. On my way, I spotted that one of my neighbours had also put a bag out. This inspired conflicting emotions: both sol...

The other day when passing through King’s Cross Station, I spotted a man in a hospital gown and full clown make-up who was collecting money for charity. Or so he said. Problem is, that was all he said: “I’m collecting money for charity ”. He didn’t feel it was necessary to tell us which one. Apparently, wearing a zany outfit at odds with his location was the only validation needed. No need for signs or identity badges. No need to even announce which organization he was collecting for . That's not playing fair (other than the obvious fair / clown connection). I’m sure that in their early days, the National Socialist Party were a little strapped for cash. I bet the BNP have been known to organise the odd raffle or two to increase their funds. That doesn’t mean I would want to contribute. Collecting money on the street is sometimes a bit of a grey area. It can be a good way of raising awareness of a cause (and of taking ...