Now we have got the question of ferret racing out of the way as to being a reason why people can not register as a charity. One person here in the UK who runs a so called ferret welfare is now twisting the charity commissions word and saying that because ferret racing is a form of gambling, then any rescue or welfare who use this as part of their fund raising will be stopped from being able to seek charity status. The word from the Charity Commission say that as long as ferret racing, raffles, lotteries and other such activities are not used to raise 20% of the income then they see no problems Another point that this has been raised is that if these people running any sort of shelter and they are not a registered charity and they raise more than 20%, then they should be declaring their income so that it can be taxed as part of their income ..................................................................... Useful Guidelines from the Charity Commission It is unfortunate that the occasional person will try and take advantage of the public's generosity by collecting for themselves Although the Charity Commission will take steps to deal with any dubious fund-raisers who are brought to our attention, the public are in the perfect position to stop the money going astray. By taking a few simple steps you can ensure that your donation is going to the right cause. Always ask if the organisation is a registered charity. Check to see that a registration number is shown on the charity's literature and collecting tins. If the organisation is not registered it may not really be a charity even though it may be supporting a good cause. Or it may be bogus. Look to see if all the collecting box are sealed. It is not legal to collect in ordinary buckets and other open containers. Look to see if the collector has an official badge. Collectors must display identity permits. Don't be shy about inspecting them before parting with your money. Most collectors are honest and genuine and will be pleased to answer your questions. Bogus fund-raisers will be deterred under questioning. If you are suspicious about a collector tell us or your local police as soon as possible. Remember If you are in any doubt about the validity of the collector don't give. The Charity Commission has powers of investigation where misconduct and wrongful use of money being raised for charitable purposes is suspected. The man with a new idea is a crank until other take it up Mark Twain http://www.asacp.org/ The adult site industry making the difference in the battle against child pornography http://www.headway.org.uk/ The brain Injury association http://www.geocities.com/houseferrets13uk/First_Page-Index.html http://www.webspawner.com/users/ferretwelfare/index.html http://theflamingferret.ipbhost.com/index.php? Should you wish to display any of my post on UK boards, please ask first [Posted in FML issue 4860]