Donate to the Red Cross

QVC have put the Red Cross up on their website for making donations to the Japanese Tsunami appeal.

Why don't they donate all the P&P costs they charge every customer for a few days ? That would make a sizeable donation.

The situation in Japan is without doubt horrific and it's very distressing to watch the coverage, but Japan is the richest country in the world. Do they actually need our financial help?

I'm afraid I've got my cynic hat on here - 'we've put a link to the Red Cross on our website, before you click on it and donate, have a look at what we're selling and treat yourself first...' is what runs through my mind. If I'm going to donate - I'll go to the Red Cross webpage through Google or some such else, not by plumping up QVCs web traffic and boosting their revenue :wink: .

Bensmum said:

The situation in Japan is without doubt horrific and it's very distressing to watch the coverage, but Japan is the richest country in the world. Do they actually need our financial help?

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Yes of course they need our help.

apple said:

Yes of course they need our help.

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I know they need any practical help the rest of the world can offer, i.e. the expertise of medical staff etc etc, but what I'm saying is Japan as a country can surely make funds available for the relief organisations to do their invaluable work.

Totally agree. One of the richest countries in the world, they can look after their own people. yes they do no doubt need help with the right people experts in search and research etc.

Did America ask for help with New Orleans? Of course not.

I actually had a Red Cross chugger at the door on Monday wanting me to sign up. They had been round a month before. She started giving me Japan etc. Told her no. I have charities I give you every month because I chose to.

Perhaps it's not that they need our help but rather simply we are caring enough to offer it in their time of crisis?..........

The problem I have is that the big wigs at these organisations earn three figure sums. Where does that money come from ? It must be from our donations. I don't donate to pay the CE's etc.

I also have a problem with charity shops. I recently donated a massive amount of stuff to my local Salvation Army because I was moving my Dad from a large house into a sheltered flat. My Mum was a horder & I had to dump loads of stuff, boxes & boxes of it. It took two runs to the Sally Army shop.

When we went back the second time I was appalled. The women were like vultures, taking stuff out for themselves, literally arguing over my parents belongings. They didn't know I was back in the shop watching them the second time & then one of them spotted me & was nudging another woman. I just walked out in total disgust & burst into tears at my husband. He wanted to go & get it all back but I just could not face it.

JacquelineMammaof4 said:

Perhaps it's not that they need our help but rather simply we are caring enough to offer it in their time of crisis?..........

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We ARE caring. We've sent numerous rescue teams out there, working under terrible conditions but doing it because they care.

I was listening to a radio phone-in whilst driving this morning and a war veteran was saying that "all the atrocities the Japs carried out during world war 2, they didn't care much for our lads" (his opinion not mine).

Bensmum said:

We ARE caring. We've sent numerous rescue teams out there, working under terrible conditions but doing it because they care.

I was listening to a radio phone-in whilst driving this morning and a war veteran was saying that "all the atrocities the Japs carried out during world war 2, they didn't care much for our lads" (his opinion not mine).

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That kind of attitude just sickens me from people like that. Holding onto so much hatred etc. It was a long time ago & the people who did all that are likely long gone.

Show me a country that doesn't have seriously bad stuff in its past.

I care very much about people's suffering but what puts me off donating (although I have made a small donation already) is Japan's record on animal cruelty. I find it so difficult to get past that. I probably don't know enough about it and should really find out more before I put my judge's hat on. I avoid reading anything about animal cruelty so I'm more ignorant than I should be.

I was listening to a radio phone-in whilst driving this morning and a war veteran was saying that "all the atrocities the Japs carried out during world war 2, they didn't care much for our lads" (his opinion not mine).[/QUOTE]

Perhaps this veteran should also have mentioned the atrocities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki...

I think the important thing to remember is it is not the countries, Japan in this instance, who are asking for money, it is the charities, they are collecting so that they can send aid.

Does it really matter what happened in the past in World Wars? We remember the fallen all the time and how hard they fought for us.

RE Hiroshima etc, it is worth noting that these bombs, although disgusting, effectively ended WW2.

I am more concerned that a company as big as QVC are effectively asking you to donate, via their shopping of course.
I did a thread in The Drop on TKMaxx asking me at the checkout if I would like to donate £1 to Red Nose Day, I said no then and I would say no now!

There is something wrong with retail companies asking or whatever, customers to donate to charities via there site/shop.

A money box is one thing, asking or displaying in such a way like this is not very nice for the customer.

This is a sort of bug bear with me. A local newspaper here the News Letter has this habit of selling their paper and donating 10p from the 45p sale to cancer, red nose. They have people standing in Sainsbury,Tesco etc asking as you walk in, Do you want to help Red Nose? But if they give 10p from each sale then they are still making profits for themselves. The paper sales increase as people don't really think walking into the store and being asked to give to the charity. I just say no. If I want to give to Red Nose or Cancer charities I will give them the full amount I want and not boost the sales of a newspaper.:down:

Sazza said:

I think the important thing to remember is it is not the countries, Japan in this instance, who are asking for money, it is the charities, they are collecting so that they can send aid.

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Sazza has a very valid point. These charities are asking for your money and not Japan or the Japanese people. The Japanese are a very proud people and a lot of the reports coming out are talking about the people just getting on with it. Unlike other dreadful disasters there aren't bodies visible on the streets. It is unthinkable for the Japanese people to allow that to happen.

I don't think anyone should feel obliged to give if they don't want to or can't afford to but the ultimate death toll is going to be 1000s and then there are those who have lost everything. It's horrific and heart breaking.

It doesn't bother me in the least that QVC have put up a link. If it makes it easier for people to give, if they wish, then why not?

Tinkerbelle said:

Sazza has a very valid point. These charities are asking for your money and not Japan or the Japanese people. The Japanese are a very proud people and a lot of the reports coming out are talking about the people just getting on with it. Unlike other dreadful disasters there aren't bodies visible on the streets. It is unthinkable for the Japanese people to allow that to happen.

I don't think anyone should feel obliged to give if they don't want to or can't afford to but the ultimate death toll is going to be 1000s and then there are those who have lost everything. It's horrific and heart breaking.

It doesn't bother me in the least that QVC have put up a link. If it makes it easier for people to give, if they wish, then why not?

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Excellent point!

I think it is very nice that QVC has put a banner up on QVC UK's homepage. It's simple and you can click on it or not. It takes you to the Red Cross website where you can donate or not. Many websites have put such links up on other occasions. If a website gets a lot of traffic, even if it's a shopping site, maybe a few customers will make a donation. It helps out, maybe just a little.

QVC Japan (which according to some sources is not currently broadcasting ... a decent thing to do). I am sure that buying baubles on a shopping channel is the last thing people in Japan are worried about doing. They are worried about getting to work, having electricity, getting clean water and food, having heat, finding their family. It would be in bad taste for a shopping channel to continue as if nothing has changed. At least there is some corporate sensitivity.

I don't know just how well off Japan is anymore. They are not immune to the world's economic woes. Sure, compared to most countries they are doing relatively well. Unfortunately the country has spent a decade in recession-what the Japanese themselves call "the Lost Decade". That sounds ominous. So much has been wiped out as a result of the earthquake and tsunami. Many have lost so much but they keep on going with great dignity and resolve. Maybe the finances are there to help them through the dark days ahead but the charities that come to the rescue such as the Red Cross are constantly under financial strain (as are many other ones). Today it's Japan, tomorrow it will be someone else in dire need of a helping hand.

very good point sazza xxxxxxx

More than anything in this whole disaster, I have been moved and impressed by the way the Japanese people have kept a quiet dignity about themselves. No pushing or shoving for food and water, but queuing in an orderly and respectful manner for hours at a time. The rescue teams have diligently removed bodies without fuss or fanfare very quickly, and compared to the weeping, wailing and blaming the Government, as seen in countless other countries when tragedy has hit - including our own, the Japanese could teach us a whole lot.