Please support Compassion

I have written before about how the charity donations at Waitrose give an interesting insight into people’s attitudes to different charities and good causes.

I was struck yesterday by the fact that Compassion,  our local area's outstandingly effective organisation that supports victims of domestic violence, is lagging someway behind Macmillan’s Cancer Care and Home Start in the donations race.

I find this sad but not surprising.  Many people do not feel that they have much of a connection with domestic violence…it is something that they think only happens to a small number of people and is irrelevant to them.

In fact nothing could be further from the truth!  45% of women and 26% of men will experience one incident of interpersonal violence in their lifetimes.  32% of these women, and a smaller proportion of men, will experience four or more incidents.  This means that there could well be someone you know who has suffered in this way, but, of course, it is not something that is much discussed.

Unlike the other two charities this month, Compassion is a tiny organisation. Over the years it has given practical support to hundreds of people who find themselves in trouble that they may never have expected and with which they find it hard to cope .  The Charity has no paid staff and is entirely supported by volunteers.  This means that almost all of the limited money it receives goes directly to the support of victims.

If you are in Waitrose in the next few weeks do consider dropping your little green disc into their pot! Every penny will be well spent.