...do you mind?






so.... over the christmas period i got myself caught up in thinking that despite me having a great christmas and the tv adverts and tv specials showing that christmas is a great family experience - for many christmas is, quite frankly, a bit shit! those that get themselves into debt, those going through personal problems, those living on their own.

i did a bit of writing while i had a bit of time and came up with, and recorded, 3 songs. i thought they caught what was in my head - words about people needing support, words about having someone to turn to, words about trying to face one day at a time... so i thought - why not turn my immense musical creativity (;-)) into some cash for a charity. the songs i thought had a undercurrent of dealing with your mental well-being so i thought how about raising a little cash for MIND.

now, i like to do things right and wanted to be able to confirm for would-be donators that the whole thing was above board and that MIND would get the money i raised. so i emailed MIND 'mission control' in london. their response, i felt, was gob-smacking. no i couldn't use the logo. they couldn't endorse what i was doing. they couldn't get involved as they had not commissioned me to write for them. they couldn't guarantee the quality of what i had to offer - and didn't want to hear it as they couldn't possibly listen to everything someone wanted to send them in order to raise money for the people they support.

i wasn't impressed so i emailed back suggesting i could maybe get in touch with a local branch and gain there support. they emailed back telling me that each local branch was a charity in it's own right and they may be interested but they may have the same view - well ok i thought. the email then went on to restate that they couldn't be involved and i couldn't use their logo as they had to 'protect their brand'. PROTECT THEIR BRAND! their a charity for goodness sake! a charity! not a brand! not a company! not a capitalist organisation! ah! but that's it isn't it - charities.... big business! i set up a direct debate a while back for oxfam but then cancelled it after the call when the final parting shot in the conversation was for the guy to tell me that he was not from oxfam but from a professional fund raising organisation. but i wasn't to worry as oxfam would get £3 of the £5 i was going to donate!! ridiculous!

anyway - back to MIND - anyone ever been supported by MIND - what do you think of someone approaching them to offer to raise a little money for them and them being more worried about their 'brand' than helping me raise any money!!??

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