Opportunities for appeals

Press, 3 December 1982, Page 12

Opportunities for appeals

Sir,—While appreciating the need for fund-raising by large charity organisations, I wonder about the fairness of an apparent monopoly on sites that are allocated by the Christchurch City Council. Repeated requests for access to the Square have been declined while one sees on a regular basis the I.H.C. Pot o’ Gold caravan using the very same fundraising methods the other 1 organisations are being refused. Small community groups appear to be out in the cold where the Christchurch City Council is concerned, while a national organisation which holds an annual appeal and receives massive Government funding seems to get preferential treatment. Who has the right to decide which needs are greater, when we are also forced to compete with the I.H.C. at local fairs time and time again for the same public dollars that community groups need to carry out their own valuable work. — Yours, etc., D. J. BROOKES. November 21, 1982.

[Mr J. H. Gray, General Manager and Town Clerk, replies: “I am afraid we cannot agree with the contention that community groups have been left out in the cold. It is the council’s policy to permit up to two licensed raffles organised by Christchurch city domiciled non-profit organisations in Cathedral Square every week day.”]