Charity threatens to contest will

jazabelle

meritaten wrote: »

I want any money I leave a charity to go to the rank and file, and the people/animals for which its going to benefit. so, I will probably leave any money (wont be much, but even a couple of hundred makes a difference to SOME charities), to a local 'charity' which doesnt have charitable status!

Yeah, that's true. To be a charity you need to 'earn' two thousand a year. I am the chair of a small group that tries to get shop/services/transport etc to be accessible to disabled people. We are desperate for volunteers and small amounts of money for stationary, room bookings, etc, but no one thinks of us - they go straight for the big charities.

meritaten

jazz - the charity I used to work for started out small - They did the Sweety jar by local shops tills! That can be very effective! You would be surprised how much money can be collected by just a few shops! They also asked local businesses to support them - The large chain supermarkets/stores always have a small fund available for local 'good causes'. just get your presentation pitch to them right - and you could be clutching a cheque and smiling for the local press - which gives you fabulous free advertising!!!!
just a couple of tips hun - you prob know these things anyway! but for those lurking - they may not know it!

jazabelle

meritaten wrote: »

jazz - the charity I used to work for started out small - They did the Sweety jar by local shops tills! That can be very effective! You would be surprised how much money can be collected by just a few shops! They also asked local businesses to support them - The large chain supermarkets/stores always have a small fund available for local 'good causes'. just get your presentation pitch to them right - and you could be clutching a cheque and smiling for the local press - which gives you fabulous free advertising!!!!
just a couple of tips hun - you prob know these things anyway! but for those lurking - they may not know it!

We asked a couple about donating through a jar, but they wanted it to be a registered charity. People need to understand there is such a thing as voluntary groups. Thanks very much for the tips though! I have applied for a few funds with no luck, but haven't tried the supermarkets yet.

Savvy_Sue

meritaten wrote: »

I am going to name the charity, but, the solicitor told me that almost ALL the large charities are the same about these matters.

thorsoak wrote: »

I'm glad that it is all sorted out now - and it's such a shame that it has caused so much heartbreak to your mum and her sisters. The solicitor was quite correct - when I worked for a solicitor in probate execution, without exception all charities are extremely hard-nosed when it comes to demanding their share of the dosh!

And I did explain why, to a certain extent, they HAVE to be hard-nosed about these things: I'm not defending the practice, I have no connection to any national charity, but I am conscious that if the charity I work becomes aware that we have been left a legacy, we may have to 'chase' it.

I hope though that we'd do it in a pragmatic and sensitive way rather than in a heavy handed and insensitive way.

thorsoak wrote: »

For this reason, I would never leave money to a charity without specifying exactly how much they were to receive - and possibly a proviso that if they startedto quibble about the length of time that probate was taking, that the money would go to another charity.

A good plan, IMO.

As it happens, the only legacy I've been aware of at work was one which we received about 5 years after the person's death. We didn't know it was coming, although I wasn't surprised to learn that we'd been included in their will. I don't know why it took so long, and I'm really glad we didn't know to chase for it!

jaza, you may find some helpful pointers in the stickies on the Small Biz and Charity Organisers board, and you may find your local volunteer organisation helpful: google volunteer plus your area / town / county.

meritaten

jazabelle wrote: »

We asked a couple about donating through a jar, but they wanted it to be a registered charity. People need to understand there is such a thing as voluntary groups. Thanks very much for the tips though! I have applied for a few funds with no luck, but haven't tried the supermarkets yet.

No luck with shops? try Pubs!
My local shop tends to favour voluntary groups - the owner wont have 'proper' charity jars! he has about three sweety jars by each of his tills! all with 'local' non-charity issues. one is for a sick child who wants a holiday in disneyland others are to raise money for 'essential' equipment which has been denied by LHA. try other shops and pubs and even chippys! You DO have to be pushy and think outside the box - personally I would ask a local gym and guilt trip all those 'healthy' people!

jazabelle

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

jaza, you may find some helpful pointers in the stickies on the Small Biz and Charity Organisers board, and you may find your local volunteer organisation helpful: google volunteer plus your area / town / county.

Thank you. They haven't been helpful, actually. We're registered with the local volunteer shop, along with the local CVS. We try and point out it's a lot less hours than other volunteers jobs - like if you help a shop you are likely to be committing x hours. With us it's one meeting a month, and a few bits from home (as much or as little as you like.)

We've saved up enough to put an advert in the local paper which we will do in the new year and we're now able to buy some business cards and posters.

meritaten - Thank you for the ideas. The problem is we are down to two people that actually do anything (out of 60 members, including lots of councillors who love to be there for the kudos!), I have very limited energy/walking ability, and the other lady is totally blind so obviously can't drive to places. That's why we are desperate for some able-bodied people to volunteer to help with that kind of thing. We also promote access for everyone - such as parents with pushchairs, anyone unsteady on their feet, tourists who will come to a town who has thought about things, etc, so it's not all disability focused.

Savvy_Sue

We're obviously beginning to go way off topic, so I'll just say that rather than paying for an advert, can you get a 'news' story into the local paper? or onto local radio? The Media Trust (sorry, not on a good connection here so suggest you google it) might have some useful fact sheets on their website (they always used to), you do have to work out an 'angle', but maybe the need for active helpers or you can't offer the service any more would be one way to go.

Bufger

meritaten wrote: »

Thanks DVardy - I dont see how the charity can be aware of the thread - but there is the possibility that they are. However, The FD has asked to meet with the beneficiaries before - when they er 'demanded' that the sisters make up the difference out of their share of the house!
I really dont care if they are aware or not - mum has kept all correspondence and the charity cannot deny what they have done! I have not at any point named or identified them on here! I have also stated that they are a worthwhile charity and understand they have to maximise their income - I just havent liked the way they have gone about it and started the thread to INFORM MSEers of the way SOME charities operate. Others have said its happened to them and mums solicitors have also said this can happen when specific amounts are not mentioned in the will.
I really hope the estate gets wound up soon - they (the charity) have delayed and prevaricated and although the solicitors have been good about keeping costs down, it still mounts up! I was actually surprised at the amount of the interim payment, I thought the overall amount would actuallly be less than that considering the timescale and the amount of correspondence about this!
I appreciate the advice though!

I once purchased an item from a small company online and when they breached their end of the contract i questioned it in here. Within 24 hours they created an account and replied! Lots of companies have their feelers out there, this is a website dedicated to consumers so its in their best interest not to be featured here :cool: