Speaker Mike Queen 7th July 2017

Rotary club of Stirling, meeting of 7th July 2017.

President Stewart Wilson welcomed members to our Friday meeting. He reminded us that the district 1010 conference will be held on 27th to 29th October at Coylumbridge.  Our recent sponsored walk along the Fife coastal way raised over £1600 to be divided between Prostate Scotland and William Simpson home. Stewart noted that the walking on the marches will take place as usual in September and suggested this is something we might become involved in.

Our speaker was PP Mike Queen, his subject, giving to charity. Mike has become increasingly aware of unsolicited approaches by charities, large and small, from the "chuggers" who greet us on our way to the Golden Lion each Friday, to the mail and phone calls that come to our home. His feeling was that he was not alone in developing a degree of donation fatigue, noting the increasing lack of enthusiasm to contribute when we hold our charity collection in the Thistle Centre at Xmas.  Some instances of fraud have led to charities being formally registered and their activities monitored, by the Charity commissioners in England, and the Scottish charity regulator North of the border. In Scotland, there are 24,186 charities registered, many of them very small. They have to register with the commissioners, provide regular accounts and details of their activities, which are followed up by the regulator. The establishment of these safeguards seems to have reassured the public, as they continue to give large sums to their favourite charities, the 300 largest receiving a total of 8 billion pounds last year. The Scots remain very generous givers. It is now also possible to go online and discontinue unwanted mail.

By chance the vote of thanks was given by Sandy Farquharson who works in the charity sector. He agreed with what Mike had said but pointed out that charities must be organised and proactive to encourage donations as government contribution are falling even as need increases.

Meeting of 14th July Speaker's host Alan Prentice, Visitors host Colin Bayes.

For more info www.stirling.rotary1010.org

Ian Richardson