Charities raise money

I SUSPECT Peter Ponting is creating a straw man: many charities raise money, whether by specific appeal or not, for matters that are their responsibility, writes Mike Todd.

For example, I am a churchwarden and the Parochial Church Council (as a legal charity) has a responsibility to maintain the churches in the parish.

Charitable donations

I suspect no parishes would be able to do that without charitable donations, legacies etc. In many cases, particular projects (such as repairing a rotten roof) are critically linked to specific appeals.

Indeed, if the hypothesis were true, charities would have little scope to do very much since they are generally funded by giving.

If the charity's functions are supported by trading operations they generally have to form a separate company to shelter that activity and then donate the profits to the main body.