Some Farepak Help

Tiff_2

Good Evening Guys
I know those of us who come on this thread are DFW and so I'm probably going to get a DFW smack on the wrist for this, but while out in the supermarket today, I saw that an appeal for donations to help victims of the Farepak Fiasco.
I saw the chairman enjoying his holiday in Argentina last night and I saw an 8 year old boy dissolve into tears this mornning at the thought of no Christmas.
These people tried to spread the cost of Christmas over a year and will probably end up with around 4p for eveery £1 invested. This is a DFW principle and while we are all in need of help, these people tried to help themselves and nearly a million people are estimated to have been affected. I hope that's why I'll be forgiven for posting this suggestion here.
I'm in no way connected with Farepak or a victim - I just think word of mouth can work miracles.
So with your permission, the address for the Farepak Responce Fund is:
www.farepakresponsefund.org.uk.
If you want to help, go to the website, and check out the options. I have next to nothing but it breaks my heart to think of all these families sitting there watching all the TV adverts for "The Best Christmas Ever" when they've even had the food taken from them.
Sorry if someone else has posted this:o Look after each other
Much Love,
Tiff xxx
Link corrected guys

bikerqueen

This does my head in (with respect to the OP)

The kids wont get NO CHRISTMAS, he wont get great presents and may not have a big old turkey but will still have food, shelter warmth, family and friends.

There are people with a lot less, all around the world, and the idea that christmas revolves around eating bucket loads and spending a fortune on gifts irritates me.

It's also typical sloppy journalism, get some kid on to cry and then you dont need to look at the core issues which is why people feel they need to save with an unsafe, unregulated industry because they cant trust themselves with their own money in a savings account.

This will be an unpopular message, but we cant all agree all the time.

shandypants5

bikerqueen wrote:

This does my head in (with respect to the OP)

The kids wont get NO CHRISTMAS, he wont get great presents and may not have a big old turkey but will still have food, shelter warmth, family and friends.

There are people with a lot less, all around the world, and the idea that christmas revolves around eating bucket loads and spending a fortune on gifts irritates me.

It's also typical sloppy journalism, get some kid on to cry and then you dont need to look at the core issues which is why people feel they need to save with an unsafe, unregulated industry because they cant trust themselves with their own money in a savings account.

This will be an unpopular message, but we cant all agree all the time.

Sorry but I have to agree.
If you have shelter and food then you are better off than most of the world.

I think there is a growing unhealthy culture of "I have" amongst todays children that forces parents to spend money they dont realy have.
We all want to give our kids everything, but I hope we can educate them to realise that even Father Xmas has a budget.

That said.... I think I can afford a little to help people who have had their savings "stolen".
They didnt do anything but try to do the right thing after all..
Just like all of us..

Pobby

shandypants5 wrote:

Sorry but I have to agree.
If you have shelter and food then you are better off than most of the world.

I think there is a growing unhealthy culture of "I have" amongst todays children that forces parents to spend money they dont realy have.
[/QUOTE

Agree about the kids.The young ones in my extended family are totally spoilt.The reality is they have lost any relationship to reality.My niece on less than £10k a year has had 3 continental holidays this year.One with us and moaned about the fact we were doing a few BBQs.She moaned that she wanted to go to restuarants every night!When the s-it hits the fan,as it will,a lot of folks going to be gutted.

As far as the people who in faith put their trust into the hamper company I feel very sorry for them,but you know,it`s what this society is about.People working and paying into a pension for years to find that the company is bust and their pensions with it.In my case my private pension is blown away,endowment pants.Welcome to rip off England!!!!!!!!!!!!

Broken_hearted

Whilst I feel sorry for the people who have lost money, I don't understand why there is so much fuss. I have watched several much smaller businesses go under and no-one batted an eyelid. I struggle to pay for christmas, buying things throughout the year and collect boots/tesco vouchers for free.
My sympathy ran out when they had the kids on the telly crying, my children know better than to cry for material things.

earwig

christmas will still happen its about celabrating the day christ was born not about the lattest toy or the roast turkey so christmas shouldnt be ruined you can still celabrate christ birthday with out spending huge amounts of money

LookingAhead

I can appreciate why Tiff posted this and I can also see the points made by people that by third world standards, Farepaks customers are still better off. (And I agree that journalism does make your toes curl sometimes!)

However it's easy for us to say this from a distance.

Clearly we all realise that it is mostly people who earn very little that rely on payments to hampers through the year to get some special food in for Christmas. They can ill afford to lose any money let alone up to £2000. (source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6140660.stm)

I think it's utterly disgusting that people can be let down like this and it is wholly insensitive for "Sir" Clive to be swanning it in hotels that cost more per night than some people earn in a month. Check out the tarriffs for the hotel he is staying in:

http://www.alvearpalace.com/v2/corp_tarifas.php

I feel ashamed of the British system that allows people to get titles like 'Sir' when things like this happen, It's not about being noble in the true sense of the word or doing great things for your country.

It's all about money and the laws in England do not protect those who need it most.

Sure we can keep perspective on this and say these people are lucky that they still have shelter, food & warmth, yes they do. But repeating that mantra to yourself over & over when you're scraping the pennies together to pay the gas bill or get the dinner in that night sometimes doesn't help.

When UK citizens get shafted by industry like this, some poor b*ggers might well end up with no shelter and that shouldn't be happening in one of the richest countries on the globe.

The point is, these people lost their money and wouldn't YOU be p*ssed off getting 4p back in the pound!?

I_was_a_fool

My kids are going to have a rubbish xmas this year, but it is my fault! I SHOULD have done what these people have done, tried not to get in debt, but salt money away for Xmas. The reason they did it this way was that they thought the money was "safe", they could not dip into it for bills etc. They have now had the rug totally pulled away from under them & I empathise. This should not have been allowed to happen.

I have been talking to my kids about our need to economise & reducing their expectations for Xmas, but it is difficult when they are used to a certain amount & they see their friends getting stuff. This is the first year mine do not believe in Santa, so that makes it easier.

When I was a kid we didnt get much, but neither did anyone else & we got pretty much the same amount every year. My mum used to tell me of how she got an apple and orange & a sixpence & I felt so sorry for her.

If I had the money to do it I would contribute to the fund!

From now on any spare cash goes under the mattress!

LookingAhead

Money under mattress - I know what you mean. Just gotta hope you don't get burgled. And if you do and you catch the thief and give them a clip round the ear you may well get sued and *then* where would you be eh? :rolleyes:

I_was_a_fool

Sadly at this stage, I prefer an honest thief than one that pretends to be a respectable finance company!

LookingAhead

haha! Good one! :rotfl: