Ah yes, Mr Plow. I'm sure everyone has their favourites. I knew I'd have missed some good ones

Once upon a time I'd just finished school and lived with my parents. Not long after that I actually went to Peru for some charity work. I paid for the trip by working in a minimum wage job until I had enough. I did raise some money through sponsorship and events, but I paid my air fare and accomodation cost, so every penny of that went to charity.

Nobody except me paid to do up my house either. When I was his age I didn't have a house to do up.

Quite how asking the world to give you hand outs is the route to more independence is a bit lost on me.

you work and save so in damo's world that makes you a scrounger

so someone does charity work and wants to become a charity in return. Thought the whole point of charity work was a selfless act with no financial reward? Not knocking the lad for the work he's done but if ppl start funding trips for everybody who does charity work it'll be ridiculous in the end.

I have raised a considerable sum for XIII heroes (a Rugby League charity for players who have been seriously injured while playing this great sport) with events organised through LS16 Rhinos.

I would like a new spray job for my bike - PM me for donation details.

Please point out where I’ve called anyone a scrounger for working and saving?

Unfortunately not everyone can get a job and some people just don’t understand this concept whatsoever. For example an old mate of my mine struggled to find a job (an entry level one so he could try and make his own way in the world) until his dad took him on at his firm (he’s now earning loads – lives in an apartment with a Jacuzzi). Not everyone is as ‘lucky’ as my old mate so they have to find another way of getting by in the world. Some people even have to turn to crime because no one else will help them thrive in the legitimate world. Other people have rot on the dole and take off of jobworths once a fortnight.

Now Ben wants to go to Brazil and work and he needs a bit of help to achieve that goal. He’s not got a job but he volunteers and has helped a lot over the years. Now he needs a bit of help people around here are going to help him – it’s called helping each other. I judge people by their actions. I’ve given Ben a tenner so he can achieve his goal dream and advertised the cause on here and on twitter. Some people on the other hand have just tried to belittle what he’s doing and stigmatise it which is fine because it’s a forum. But I think you’ll find I’m morally right here.

Finally the word that has been popping up a lot on this thread is ‘everyone’. I think some people need to stop abusing that word because the world will never become a utopia of tads. It’ll never become a utopia of people rotting away on the dole either. Life is full of ups and downs. Unfortunately some people seem to have more back luck than others.

There are jobs out. It's all about what you're prepared to do to earn a living. Far too many lazy ds who would rather do feck all than work for minimum wage.

Want to back up that point?

Or do you just write these things to suit your own narrow view of unemployed people in this country?

No one HAS TO turn to crime Damo!

@ Damo - no-one has to turn to crime. There are reasons why people do, due to upbringing/culture etc but simple lack of a job is not an adequate reason as evidenced by the vast majority who do not turn to crime. Also just because this lad volunteers a bit doesn't mean that people are morally wrong to oppose handing over their earned cash to him simply because he fancies volunteering in a hotter country. As mentioned already on this thread by other people, plenty of people volunteer. I volunteer roughly 10 hours per week and I'm sure other people on this board do. Volunteering doesn't necessarily mark out this lad as a special case who deserves charity. I'd far rather money I donated go toward helping with real issues in this country (or abroad) like those struggling with poverty or drug addiction. I don't think that classes me or anyone else who doesn't want to give to or like the idea of this lad receiving charity as morally wrong or put you necessarily in the right.

@ Sherbert Dip - According to the ONS there are 2.67 million people unemployed plus a further 1.38 million under-employed. There are 473,000 vacancies. To say there are jobs out there it's just a matter of applying yourself is simplistic and a bit silly. It's akin to saying drug addicts just need a bit of willpower to kick their habit.

I agree with you that a vast majority don’t turn to crime in the example you've cited. Still some people need to turn to crime and a lot do.



I never said it was morally wrong for people to oppose handing over their hard earned cash. What I said was morally wrong is the way them two and others on this thread have gone about not donating. I was not tarring everyone with the same brush and if it looked like that then I apologise.

I agree that volunteering doesn’t make him a special case. However he is suffering from some forms of poverty if he has to raise funds like this to get to Brazil. It might not be the worst kind of poverty but poverty isn’t simplistic.

Anyhow if people don’t want to donate then I’m fine with that. However if people want to stigmatise and demonise what he does then I think it’s wrong. On the other hand I do think that this has opened up a good debate. I’m not going to badger people to donate and hence why I haven’t asked for donations since the opening post. But I will defend what he’s doing.

If some people want to have a go at Ben for what he’s doing then have a go at the people who’ve donated to his cause too. Demonise them for wanting the best for him. Don’t be cowards and pick what you see as the easiest target.

The phase "don't rain on someone's parade" comes to mind here.

I'd bet you any money you like you could be down washing cars at any of the numerous car wash sites around Leeds, within a few days, and earning money.
I know someone who had a little 'cash flow' problem, so spent a week or so washing cars. He said it's one of the hardest things he's done.....but he earned £300!

The issue isn't that there are few jobs about....it's about the jobless being selective.

Damo why do people [ineed[/i to turn to crime?

Its damo's world