In the wake of the Jimmy Savile affair more charities are finding that being linked to celebrities who fall from grace is definitely injurious to donation levels.

Latest victim is cancer charity Livestrong, fronted by sports personality Lance Armstrong, who has admitted beating his rivals by taking performance-enhancing drugs, despite years of denying that he had done so, and is now complaining that his lying and cheating has led to a lifetime ban on him competing.

During an interview screened on American car-crash television Armstrong claimed that his “most humbling moment” was being asked to stand down from Livestrong, a charity some now suspect was used by him as an image-cleaner, like Savile used Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Breast cancer charity Crazy Hats had its fundraiser “An Evening With Paul Gascoigne” cut short on Thursday 31st January 2013 at the Park Inn Hotel, Northampton when the footballer was clearly unwell.

For the 12 minutes he was on stage Gascoigne shook uncontrollably, swore and broke down three times before his agent, who was running a Q&A session for the 500 fans who paid £100 each to see their hero, stopped the performance.

The founder of a charity ostensibly set up to help wounded members of the armed forces has been told by a judge he faces jail after he used £75,000 of his charity’s income to fund a lavish lifestyle for himself.

Christopher O’Neill reportedly spent the money from the Forces for Good trust on a boat, gambling, drinking, hotels and entertaining a string of women. He was caught after being asked by two of his co-directors to show them the books, and was suspended by them when he refused. He was down for trial last October but failed to turn up to court, going on the run. He later surrendered and has now pleaded guilty to two fraud charges at Caernarfon Crown Court.

He will be sentenced on 20 February 2013.

Michael Webb, the organiser of the upcoming CHASE charities and associations exhibition has warned all speakers featured in the free educational seminar sessions not to spoil them with a sales pitch from the stage.

This follows complaints from delegates that some of last year’s speakers were more interested in selling as opposed to telling. To stop delegates being misled this year Webb has emailed his speakers, stating: “May I also remind all speakers (especially those representing commercial interests) that all presentations should be objective. Delegates will respond negatively to anything approaching a sales pitch.” Continue reading →

12/13 February 2013 CHASE exhibition and seminar sessions for charities and associations, Business Design Centre, London. www.conferencehouse.co.uk/chase

22 April 2013 CHARITY TRUSTEE EXCHANGE conference, Radisson Blu Portman hotel, London. www.civilsociety.co.uk/exchange

Have you ever been to a seminar or session at an exhibition or conference that was promoted as an educational opportunity but turned out to be an obvious sales pitch, with the seller enjoying a captive market from the stage?

If you have you will not be surprised to hear that some speakers (sellers) pay for their slots at some events, and at others are persuaded by the exhibition or conference organiser to speak for free and the chance to sell to the audience, hence the number of sales pitches that have to be endured. Continue reading →