Sir, – I do realise that this is the season for giving, but I do feel that charities are going a little over the top at present. I have monthly standing orders for three good causes, but at this point I have nine requests in from varying charities looking for money for varying reasons. One of them wanted €150 as a basic donation. In our local church we have a monthly collection for St Vincent de Paul; no problems with that. Last Sunday, we were told that next Sunday we would have the annual Christmas collection; again, no problems. My problem is that the very next day I received a request in the post from St Vincent de Paul looking for more money. I am a pensioner and cannot reply to all of these charitable requests with what they expect from me. I do appreciate that they are all attempting to do great work, but I am terribly sorry that I cannot fulfil all that they expect me to do. It is a terrible thing to say but this time of the year is charity overkill ! – Yours, etc,
BRIAN D BYRNES,
Sutton, Dublin 13.