Big thanks go to Harriet and Hannah from Oxfam Northwest for all their hard work in organising an Oxfam info night at Castle Methodist Church Last night. There were around 20 people there and great feedback on the night. A talk from Tracy Woods on her trip to Cambodia to meet those benefiting from Oxfam's work was really interesting and reminded me why we bother to fund raise or give money to Oxfam. Its not about charity its about equity, making the world fairer, realising the privileged relatively just position we have been born into and sharing some of that good fortune in the best way we can. Rather than seeing charities as a the bane of our life we could readjust our thinking to see them for what they really are, an example of our ability to choose and vehicles to redirect our wealth and help us be better people. Tracy mentioned that the work of Oxfam is about giving people choice. The whole family eating enough to stay alive or you getting medical help for one of your sick children shouldn't really have to be a choice in a world where I am making choices about more shoes and handbags. Tonight I go to a completely different event in a gallery and "shopping destination". The organisers assure us that the hoy poloy will be there, including some footballers wives. I shall try and keep my cynicism under wraps.
