The NSPCC, in conjunction with the Royal College of GPs (RCGPs) has issued guidelines to doctors to help them spot signs of cyber-bullying, as well as trafficking and female genital mutilation (FGM).

The move comes as a doubling in the number of children experiencing cyber-bullying, up to 35% from 16% last year, is suggested by a poll of 2,000 11-17 year olds and 2,000 adults by internet security company McAfee. Just as worrying is that 67% of children went online unsupervised and that only 27% of parents said they were worried about their children becoming victims. Continue reading →

World Animal Protection have launched a campaign to end bear baiting in Pakistan.

This illegal entertainment involves tethering a bear that has had its teeth and claws removed to render it helpless, and having it attacked by trained fighting dogs. Like illegal dog fighting and illegal fox and stag hunting in the UK, and legal bull fighting in Spain the point of it is for those who optimistically classify themselves as human beings to take pleasure from something being hurt and/or killed. Continue reading →

The Aid Convoy charity, based in London’s East End, has boasted of raising more than £1 million of aid amidst fears that it, and others, is a cover for foreign fighters to enter Syria and for financial support to jihadists.

It is one of four charities being investigated by the Charity Commission, and the police, for terrorist connections. Another is Al Fatiha Global, the charity with which Alan Henning travelled to Syria before being taken hostage and murdered by Isis.

Greenpeace has won two major lobbying campaigns.

o They persuaded LEGO not to renew its contract with Arctic oil driller Shell whereby LEGO toys were given away at Shell petrol stations in more than 30 countries, and LEGO sold toy brick sets in the shape of petrol stations and drilling rigs with Shell logos on.

The tie-up was seen as a way for Shell to whitewash its image, both with parents and children and has been running for 50 years.

 

o The chief scientific adviser to the European Commission, Professor Anne Glover has been dropped after Greenpeace and other groups objected to her support for the growing of GM crops.

According to Glover, who held a position of considerable influence, opposing GM crops was “a form of madness”

The Howard League for Penal Reform has warned that prisons in England and Wales are in crisis after losing 9,830 (41%) of their officers due to cuts in the last four years, coinciding with prison overcrowding and a worrying increase in the number of prisoner suicides.

The figure includes the loss of 1,375 officers (5.7%) when 15 jails were closed. However the Ministry of Justice contests the figures, saying that the actual reduction in officers in the four year period is only 6,480 (27%).

More pensioners are risking their health by drinking too much, usually in their homes.

According to Alcohol Concern a worrying and increasing number regularly exceed the government guidelines of around two pints of beer a day for men and a medium sized glass of wine a day for women, with two or three non-alcohol days a week.

Pensioners commonly “under-report” their alcohol consumption to researchers (lie about it). However some recent surveys have compared claimed consumption levels with study of the number of empty bottles and cans in recycling bins.

A new app that recognises charity logos and makes it easy for donors to donate to their chosen cause without fee has been launched.

SnapDonate works on Android or Apple phones, allowing monies to be downloaded to JustGiving. No advertising is carried yet and charities hope that the device will fill some of the estimated £1.6 billion shortfall in charity giving caused by less cash being carried.

Six one-day courses in charity governance are now offered by the Civil Society, covering the understanding of governance, finance for trustees, board leadership and chairs of committees.

Most are being held in London, with the most popular title, Understanding Governance and aimed at trustees, being also staged in Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh.

civilsociety.co.uk/training

Visitor registration has just opened for the 2015 charities and association event CHASE, being held February 17 and 18 at the Business Design Centre, Islington, London.

A range of free seminars is also offered, covering such subjects as governance, events, membership, technology, finance and fundraising.

conferencehouse.co.uk/chase-2015