Our Troops - My Thoughts

[bobAlike]

It was brought to our attention recently that Shell garages have been refusing to allow our poppy collectors to put collection boxes and poppies in their forecourts/shops.

One of the replies we have had:

Thank you for your email regarding whether the Poppy Appeal can continue to have collection boxes positioned in our service stations. As you may or may not be aware the Shell Retail Business operates as part of Shell UK Ltd. (Shell UK). Shell UK believes that investing in the community and other good causes is an integral part of running its business in the UK.

It believes that companies should act as responsible members of society and give something back to the communities in which they operate. Today, rather than simply giving to worthy causes, Shell prefers to donate skills, time and knowledge as well as money. We do this at a national level in an attempt to act in a coordinated manner and thus leverage our resources and maximise our contribution. As an example, Shell Retail supports Macmillan Cancer Relief, RSPCA and Motability through its successful Drivers' Club loyalty scheme.

It is in the context of this strategy that Shell Retail will not be allowing any further charities, including the Poppy Appeal, to use its forecourt network to collect monies. However, as indicated above, Shell UK's corporate social responsibility teams based at our corporate headquarters in London and our individual business location in Aberdeen and Stanlow may be in a position to offer further support. My apologies that in this instance Shell Retail have been unable to help. I trust that you will find other opportunities to raise money for what is undoubtedly an extremely good cause.

Yours sincerely, Shirley Cinco Shell Customer Service Centre Rowlandsway House Wythenshawe M22 5SB Shell U.K. Oil Products Limited is a separate limited company, which acts as agent and manager of the oil products business of Shell U.K. Limited. Shell U.K. Oil Products Limited Registered office: Shell Centre, London SE1 7NA Registered in England: No. 3625633

Whilst I can understand that they do indeed supply much needed assistance to chosen charities throught their own process, surely things like the once a year Poppy appeal or Children in Need deserve consideration in their own right?

It's not as if we are asking Shell themselves to donate.

Thoughts?

Geo

I always try and fill up with Shell fuels but this is quite bad. I'm happy to boycott them because of this.

[Geo the Sarge]

I'm not really suggesting boycotting tbh, just thought that for the once a year collections they could give a little bit of leeway.

Geo

[jizzemm]

I do understand Shell and their stance on people using their premesis to raise money.

From a manager/company point of view we get requests all the time to leave charity boxes, come around the pub with buckets, collect money outside as people leave. The feedback we get from people is that its a pain, and if they want to donate they will do so in their own time.

The problem I see is that everything is only once a year, and all are very worthy causes, but who do you choose and say yes to and who do you say no to. We have decided to do the same kind of thing. We have a national collection box in Air Ambulance and a local one being a sports club as the only ones we will donate to and allow to collect in the pub..


Btw we have allowed the poppy appea, for some reason I think it goes against making the original decision in the first place or should the poppy appeal be allowed over all others?

[Geo the Sarge]

I do understand Shell and their stance on people using their premesis to raise money.

From a manager/company point of view we get requests all the time to leave charity boxes, come around the pub with buckets, collect money outside as people leave. The feedback we get from people is that its a pain, and if they want to donate they will do so in their own time.

The problem I see is that everything is only once a year, and all are very worthy causes, but who do you choose and say yes to and who do you say no to. We have decided to do the same kind of thing. We have a national collection box in Air Ambulance and a local one being a sports club as the only ones we will donate to and allow to collect in the pub..


Btw we have allowed the poppy appea, for some reason I think it goes against making the original decision in the first place or should the poppy appeal be allowed over all others?

I understand totally the annoyance than can be felt with the permanat collections, however I do feel that the larger, once a year appeals such as the poppy appeal and children in need could be given special consideration.

The poppy appeal for example, although they only have one major collection each year still assists families of serving and ex serving service members regardless how long ago they served or what campaign they fought in/lost their life.

Geo

[cia260895]

I'm not really suggesting boycotting tbh, just thought that for the once a year collections they could give a little bit of leeway.

Geo

Geo I can see why you would want this,due to your association with the armed forces,

But surely all the other Charities believe their cause us equally as important so where would this stop?

I do think it's appalling that they don't allow it but  I can see their point of view,

I might be wrong but I'm sure i have brought  a red nose from shell b4

 without sounding callous poppies are available in untold places for people to purchase,so its not like they have to worry about not selling them

[gatso]

I fail to see the problem here. there are many, many worthwhile charities and shell are free to support or not whichever ones they choose

to even suggest they are in the wrong is crazy

[Geo the Sarge]

I'm not really suggesting boycotting tbh, just thought that for the once a year collections they could give a little bit of leeway.

Geo

Geo I can see why you would want this,due to your association with the armed forces,

But surely all the other Charities believe their cause us equally as important so where would this stop?

I do think it's appalling that they don't allow it but  I can see their point of view,

I might be wrong but I'm sure i have brought  a red nose from shell b4

 without sounding callous poppies are available in untold places for people to purchase,so its not like they have to worry about not selling them

I agree totally with the needs of other charities being just as important mate, I donate about £25 each month to 4 charities, 2 non military, point is that most charities collect all year round and have permanent collections. The poppy appeal, on the whole, is a once a year thing.

The poppy appeal for example, help employ thousands of ex-servicemen too badly injured or traumatised to work in a normal civilian workplace. They house ex servicemen injured/traumatised through all operations, they assist families who have lost, who, in effect was the breadwinner of the family when they fall on hard times.

Without the Poppy appeal they would have to go to the Government for this assistance and where would this money come from?

Cutting other valuable services and raising taxes, as opposed to asking for voluntary contributions.

Geo

[bobAlike]

The problem I have with this is similar to Geos, although I've never been in the Armed Forces I have worked with them on and off for the last 4 years.
The Poppy appeal is only once a year and the people it's supporting once fought for our nation.

It's alright and commendable that Shell support various charities throughout the year but this is out of the publics hands.
By allowing collection buckets at petrol stations it would allow peoples donations to go where they want it to go. The argument that you can donate to the Poppy Appeal at many other places misses out on the here and now donations which people make when receiving change.

I for one will always try and put some change into the buckets of charities on shop counters if I agree with the cause. I also donate on a regular basis.

I personally think there is more to the reason behind Shells refusal to allow Poppy Appeal collections at petrol stations but that's not for this thread.

Just my thought,

Bob

[smileriraq]

one that got me was a bodycare staff member was asked to remove her poppy because the company would not allow her to support any charities during worktime

[G1BTW]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8349757.stm

Petty imo. He took the time to write a letter, and made a small mistake. So she goes to the tabloids 

[Acidmouse]

Yeah i was not happy this was all over the news. Its a nice touch he writes to them personally, to nitpick his spelling and grammer is missing the point

[AndrewT]

I thought it was absolutely pathetic, not so much for her (she may well be blinded by grief for losing her son) but for the fact that no one at The Sun has seemed to quietly point out that it's the poor handwriting of a guy with only one half-good eye that makes 'Janes' look like 'James' and 'comfort' look like 'cumfort'.

They're exploiting her just to get at Brown and it's truly despicable.

To be fair to the public, when this story was featured on BBC Breakfast this morning, the presenters did read out a lot of emails from viewers who all did say this, with not one having a go at Brown, and given how much the BBC tries to bend over backwards to be balanced with things, that says something.

[Geo the Sarge]

I thought it was absolutely pathetic, not so much for her (she may well be blinded by grief for losing her son) but for the fact that no one at The Sun has seemed to quietly point out that it's the poor handwriting of a guy with only one half-good eye that makes 'Janes' look like 'James' and 'comfort' look like 'cumfort'.

They're exploiting her just to get at Brown and it's truly despicable.

To be fair to the public, when this story was featured on BBC Breakfast this morning, the presenters did read out a lot of emails from viewers who all did say this, with not one having a go at Brown, and given how much the BBC tries to bend over backwards to be balanced with things, that says something.

Think you are spot on Andrew.

Not sure when the practise of writing hand-written notes was introduced, I'd never heard of it before, as far as I'm aware my family did not receive any message from John Major.

My wife and I wrote a number of letters to Tony Blair in regards to the 2nd Gulf War and Afghanistan and each time, even as a former SNCO and mother of a serving soldier, the typed standard format letter was produced and signed by an assistant.

I don't like Brown, but kudos to him if he does this off his own back.

I can also understand this lady's frustration, however agree the papers reaction is very OTT

Geo

[celtic]

I thought it was absolutely pathetic, not so much for her (she may well be blinded by grief for losing her son) but for the fact that no one at The Sun has seemed to quietly point out that it's the poor handwriting of a guy with only one half-good eye that makes 'Janes' look like 'James' and 'comfort' look like 'cumfort'.

They're exploiting her just to get at Brown and it's truly despicable.

To be fair to the public, when this story was featured on BBC Breakfast this morning, the presenters did read out a lot of emails from viewers who all did say this, with not one having a go at Brown, and given how much the BBC tries to bend over backwards to be balanced with things, that says something.

Couldn't agree more

[G1BTW]

I thought it was absolutely pathetic, not so much for her (she may well be blinded by grief for losing her son) but for the fact that no one at The Sun has seemed to quietly point out that it's the poor handwriting of a guy with only one half-good eye that makes 'Janes' look like 'James' and 'comfort' look like 'cumfort'.

They're exploiting her just to get at Brown and it's truly despicable.

To be fair to the public, when this story was featured on BBC Breakfast this morning, the presenters did read out a lot of emails from viewers who all did say this, with not one having a go at Brown, and given how much the BBC tries to bend over backwards to be balanced with things, that says something.

Couldn't agree more