niall mellon charity?whats the big deal

irishvamp90 · 09-12-2008 1:46pm #1

In the last year or two i heard the name alot in the media,now fairplay charity is great cant knock it but whats the big deal with it?..i was sick on the couch yesterday and there was a repeat of that xpose show on tv3 so i watched it.it had that model one glenda in south africa with the charity interviewing a property tycoon and pr guru.its like a fake charity for wannabe sociallites.they said 2000 people have been over to south africa its a pity these people wouldnt help at home here in ireland.i started just helping with old people just a simple thing like time no money,no fancy balls.no media spin.rant over it sickens my ****

Duiske · 09-12-2008 1:57pm

irishvamp90 wrote: »

In the last year or two i heard the name alot in the media,now fairplay charity is great cant knock it but whats the big deal with it?..i was sick on the couch yesterday and there was a repeat of that xpose show on tv3 so i watched it.it had that model one glenda in south africa with the charity interviewing a property tycoon and pr guru.its like a fake charity for wannabe sociallites.they said 2000 people have been over to south africa its a pity these people wouldnt help at home here in ireland.i started just helping with old people just a simple thing like time no money,no fancy balls.no media spin.rant over it sickens my ****

So it sickens your balls that your not getting paid and getting attention ? As far as I know, Niall Mellon is removing his name from that Trust, because he wants the focus on the charity, and not on himself.
And by the way, its ordinary, everyday brickies, carpenters, plumbers and labourers who raise the money themselves to go there every year, and build proper homes for people who are living in, basically, sheds. Pretty laudible if you ask me.

bythewoods · 09-12-2008 2:03pm

You clearly know nothing about this charity apart from what TV3 told you!

A good friend of mine went out to this last year and I can safely say it's a brilliant charity.
Anyone wanting to go has to raise about €5000 themselves and this money goes DIRECTLY to the communities. Houses are built for the neediest people - children and whole families who've been left living in total filth and squalor. Their lives are dramatically improved.

Of course there's going to one or "socialites" going, but for the most part it's regular people willing to donate their time to a good cause.

irishvamp90 · 09-12-2008 2:08pm

ive no doubt its a good charity,regular people go there.but its like a charity for the upper class set if you get me.it gets some amount of media time with the socialite set.why can people raise all this money for trips away but cant invest simple time into something within their local community

bythewoods · 09-12-2008 2:15pm

Out of the thousands of people who go on an annual basis how many of them are actually "upper class" or socialites?
A tiny percentage.
Don't let your tenuous animosity towards these people cloud the excellent work done by this charity.

Does it not deserve a lot of media coverage? Niall Mellon's an amazing guy as far as I can see- a modern day philanthrophist.
Some of the world's neediest people are benefiting from this.

Do these builders and laborers need to build houses in their community? For a minute there I almost thought there was an abundance of empty houses in Ireland these days...

irishvamp90 · 09-12-2008 2:23pm

yes mr.mellon seems a great guy,good work by the charity.all im saying its see as the "cool" and "hip".people in college were collecting money,fundrising for this this year but when it came to helping with the chaplin in the local area there was zero interest

Nehaxak · 09-12-2008 2:31pm

This is one charity where I would ask the question as to how much their CEO is paid. I've heard very very high figures but I cannot substaniate them, nor is the information made available through their public accounts pdf document on their website, which I find dubious.

irishvamp90 · 09-12-2008 2:37pm

thanks nehaxak!!they seem to be too slick for a charity,too much on media spin.

mountainyman · 09-12-2008 2:54pm

It is the stupides thing I have ever heard of. A load of tradesmen from a country where tradesmen aren't that good go and build houses in a country with a surplus of labour and a shortage of money.

It's bullsh1t. If they trained people in Africa up that'd be one thing but the whole thing is moronic. Its main advantage is that the participants really feel good about themselves because they give their time rather than money. That is an advantage for the participants not the recipients.

It is illogical.

irishvamp90 · 09-12-2008 2:55pm

good point mountainyman

tricky D · 09-12-2008 3:08pm

What a load of begrudgers.

He doesn't take a salary, if you could read the accounts you'd see that he's actually loaned euro 724K to the charity.

What have you done? (apart from watching TV3... what a quality channel.... lol)

Nehaxak · 09-12-2008 3:09pm

^^ Niall Mellon is not the CEO.

steve927 · 09-12-2008 3:13pm

bythewoods wrote: »

Niall Mellon's an amazing guy as far as I can see-

This made me lol hard. None of you know what you're talking about. All is not what it appears;) "Prepares for the imminent burn"

bythewoods · 09-12-2008 3:17pm

steve927 wrote: »

This made me lol hard. None of you know what you're talking about. All is not what it appears;) "Prepares for the imminent burn"

You're right, the charitable man is actually a prick.
Sure, only complete cnuts spread their wealth around to help those in need. :rolleyes:

steve927 · 09-12-2008 3:20pm

bythewoods wrote: »

You're right, the charitable man is actually a prick.
Sure, only complete cnuts spread their wealth around to help those in need. :rolleyes:

Dont believe the hype:D

irishvamp90 · 09-12-2008 3:20pm

not saying niall mellon is bad just the vibe about the charity.its like a charity for the cool set

Dinter · 09-12-2008 3:21pm

irishvamp90 wrote: »

good point mountainyman

Yeah that's a good point, if by good point you mean nonsense.

Fair enough Africa might have a surplus of unskilled labour but if they were capable of getting enough resources together than obviously nobody over there would live in corrugated iron shanties.

I don't think that's quite what it's like though.

niceirishfella · 09-12-2008 3:24pm

Nehaxak wrote: »

This is one charity where I would ask the question as to how much their CEO is paid. I've heard very very high figures but I cannot substaniate them, nor is the information made available through their public accounts pdf document on their website, which I find dubious.

+1

And its not just this Charity.
Charity is big business nowadays with CEO's pulling big Salaries. I'd like to see Primetime doing a big Expose on them and not work for the gov instead.

bythewoods · 09-12-2008 3:25pm

steve927 wrote: »

Dont believe the hype:D

What exactly are you suggesting?

woodseb · 09-12-2008 3:28pm

fair play to them but i can't see the justification in building houses for people in what is the probably the richest country in Africa. the money spent would go a helluva lot further in other places in africa actually saving lives...

irishvamp90 · 09-12-2008 3:28pm

why do people jump onto this charity so fast and they wouldnt do anything at home in ireland

mountainyman · 09-12-2008 3:29pm

Dinter wrote: »

Yeah that's a good point, if by good point you mean nonsense.

Fair enough Africa might have a surplus of unskilled labour but if they were capable of getting enough resources together than obviously nobody over there would live in corrugated iron shanties.

I don't think that's quite what it's like though.

They could train people up. The guys going over are mostly semi skilled they happen to live in a rich country (which these pr1cks have ruined). How useful was Sean Dunne- he was there to get photographed.

Do you really believ there is no one in South Africa who could run these projects with foreign money?

Even if Niall Mellon is a prick and he is I accept that his intentions are good. I just think the whole thing is stupid.

bythewoods · 09-12-2008 3:32pm

woodseb wrote: »

fair play to them but i can't see the justification in building houses for people in what is the probably the richest country in Africa. the money spent would go a helluva lot further in other places in africa actually saving lives...

South Africa's a wealthy country, but one in which wealth is unequally distributed.
There may be a fair amount of rich people, but there are actually an awful lot more people living in utter poverty, who are getting absolutely no help from their Government.

mountainyman · 09-12-2008 3:33pm

That isn't true the ANC has limited resources but they don't do nothing for people.

The charity works in SA because it is easy to get to and it has good infrastructure and good tourism resources.

I accept that intentions are good but the whole thing is moronic.

Dinter · 09-12-2008 3:34pm

woodseb wrote: »

fair play to them but i can't see the justification in building houses for people in what is the probably the richest country in Africa. the money spent would go a helluva lot further in other places in africa actually saving lives...

Tbh the people that receive one of those houses are as poor as anyone on the continent.

Now while you can justifiably howl with indignation at their government's ability to govern and improve people's lot at the end of the day you still have people who subsist entirely on what they can scavenge. For them being chosen to receive a house must be akin to you or I winning the lotto. An incredible gift from an incredible charity.

Whether or not the donors are entirely selfless in their charitable endeaveurs is entirely by the way. People seem to expect that charity is it's own reward and to be somehow gratified after being thanked is somehow crude. It's not and tbh there would be a whole lot less charity done if we all had to pretend it was.

Honey-ec · 09-12-2008 3:37pm

irishvamp90 wrote: »

not saying niall mellon is bad just the vibe about the charity.its like a charity for the cool set

Oh go and volunteer for Pavee Point then and stop subjecting us to your reverse snobbery.

starn · 09-12-2008 3:40pm

mountainyman wrote: »

It is the stupides thing I have ever heard of. A load of tradesmen from a country where tradesmen aren't that good go and build houses in a country with a surplus of labour and a shortage of money.

I always thought it would make more sence to just hire the tradesmen in SA. E 5000 is a awful lot of Rand. Does anyone knoe if the materials sourced locally in SA or bought here.

irishvamp90 · 09-12-2008 3:42pm

im not a traveller why would i work for pavee point.the thread is about the falseness of the naill mellon people not the man himself

woodseb · 09-12-2008 3:44pm

Dinter wrote: »

Tbh the people that receive one of those houses are as poor as anyone on the continent.
.

really, are the townships in south africa comparable to conditions in darfur or zimbabwe for example?

i think the people going over there have the best of intentions but there are more worthy causes that need such a mobilisation of funds and people

starn · 09-12-2008 3:45pm

Nehaxak wrote: »

This is one charity where I would ask the question as to how much their CEO is paid. I've heard very very high figures but I cannot substaniate them, nor is the information made available through their public accounts pdf document on their website, which I find dubious.

I dont know about the Mellon Township. But I do have some friends who been working in PR and Marketing for a few different charities are making a awful lot of money.

Does anyone know what the minium percentage of a charitys turnover has to go to charitable causes, for it to qualify as a chariety

steve927 · 09-12-2008 3:49pm

niceirishfella wrote: »

+1

And its not just this Charity.
Charity is big business nowadays with CEO's pulling big Salaries. I'd like to see Primetime doing a big Expose on them and not work for the gov instead.

^^^^This would be an interesting watch!

FlutterinBantam · 09-12-2008 3:53pm

irishvamp90 wrote: »

In the last year or two i heard the name alot in the media,now fairplay charity is great cant knock it but whats the big deal with it?..i was sick on the couch yesterday and there was a repeat of that xpose show on tv3 so i watched it.it had that model one glenda in south africa with the charity interviewing a property tycoon and pr guru.its like a fake charity for wannabe sociallites.they said 2000 people have been over to south africa its a pity these people wouldnt help at home here in ireland.i started just helping with old people just a simple thing like time no money,no fancy balls.no media spin.rant over it sickens my ****

I agree with you 100%.

There is a growth industry now of so called "personalities"touring the world on granted,charitable causes.
If there was a cause in east Galway or south Leitrim,how many of them would you find there.

yes ... very few indeed,if any at all.

Practically all RTE punters have, at one time or another, gone on these trips,and I know they gave time,but this model and socialite stuff and the rest, is nothing only self publicity and is of no practical use .

Time people woke up and told these overpaid personalities and models to pay for their own holidays/publicity and quit riding on the back of deserving charities.
Niall Mellon seems to have a direct line into RTE 7/24/365.

I wonder why that is??.

Dinter · 09-12-2008 4:02pm

woodseb wrote: »

really, are the townships in south africa comparable to conditions in darfur or zimbabwe for example?

i think the people going over there have the best of intentions but there are more worthy causes that need such a mobilisation of funds and people

Well it depends where you are in Darfur or in Zimbabwe. There are some areas there that aren't as bad as SA townships. I know it's cool these days to have your little "Save Darfur" button on your schoolbag but there is an exceptionally high proportion of disease and death in the worst parts of SA. As bad as anywhere else.

Also it would be a tad pointless to build houses in a country that cannot guarantee ownership of them don't you think?

FlutterinBantam · 09-12-2008 4:06pm

Stick to the topic, time these personality freeloaders both in the model and broadcasting industries stopped touring the world on other peoples money and did something real

woodseb · 09-12-2008 4:20pm

Dinter wrote: »

Also it would be a tad pointless to build houses in a country that cannot guarantee ownership of them don't you think?

...and i think it's a tad pointless spending vast amounts of time and money building houses when people are dying from disease and famine elsewhere...

i'd rather upgrade somebody's standard of living from dying to alive rather than from shack to house - it's about priorities

as i've said before at least these people are doing something but i prefer to donate elsewhere

cmcsoft · 09-12-2008 4:24pm

I don't know the finance background etc for this charity and I don't have any affiliation with this charity but I do know this:

Last week a friend of mine went out to SA with the trust. He riased some money but paid a large proportion himself. He's not upper class bla bla he works in concrete here in Ireland (mostly foundation work etc). He doesn't drink and certainly wasn't going out there for partying.

He cam home Sun night / Mon morning and I spose to him yest evening about the experience. he told me how they worked with construction workers from SA on the houses and not only were they building houses but some of the workers out there were training local workers for the week.

Now as I say I can't say anything about the charity background but I will say it seems like a worthwhile charity, at least the money he raised can definitely be seen to do something where it's actually needed

Dinter · 09-12-2008 4:27pm

woodseb wrote: »

...and i think it's a tad pointless spending vast amounts of time and money building houses when people are dying from disease and famine elsewhere...

i'd rather upgrade somebody's standard of living from dying to alive rather than from shack to house - it's about priorities

as i've said before at least these people are doing something but i prefer to donate elsewhere

Build them a house and that family benefits immediately and on an ongoing basis from then.

Send tonnes of food, medicine etc to Zimbabwe or Darfur and the only benefits accruing are to corrupt minister's Swiss bank accounts who promptly sell your gifts on the black market or use your donations to fund another poxy, filthy war.

It is a question of priorities and my priority is to ensure something beneficial happens with my donations.

ronbyrne2005 · 09-12-2008 4:29pm

Why is'nt Mellon in other desperately poor African countries? Instead he is in South Africa which is a relatively wealthy country with lots of tourism and lots of potential for developers like Mellon. He owns development land there I beleive. Even if his intentions are all good theres a lot more efficient and effective uses of resources in Africa. Those who go on the trips are mostly well meaning but a lot are in it for the craic and the Kudos, I remember some woman journalist on a radio station who went on it saying how crap she was at building/manual work but it was great craic! People had given her thousands of euros to pay for her flights etc to south africa and she had probably done the same amoutn of work a local unemployed tradesman could have done for a few hundred euro. The money people give to those who go over could do so much more if used to train teachers, doctors, nurses, engineers etc and train African people to become instructors themselves so they can spread their knowledge among the poorest. I also heard people who had got the free houses were renting them out to people and staying in their old shacks and whats the use in having a new home if you have no work and prospects?

woodseb · 09-12-2008 4:30pm

Dinter wrote: »

Send tonnes of food, medicine etc to Zimbabwe or Darfur and the only benefits accruing are to corrupt minister's Swiss bank accounts who promptly sell your gifts on the black market or use your donations to fund another poxy, filthy war.
.

the only benefits?...well there's no point in arguing with that logic is there....and for that reason, i'm out

Dinter · 09-12-2008 4:38pm

woodseb wrote: »

the only benefits?...well there's no point in arguing with that logic is there....and for that reason, i'm out

Just because something is highlighted doesn't make it untrue.

Nehaxak · 09-12-2008 4:49pm

Dinter wrote: »

Just because something is highlighted doesn't make it untrue.

FYP.

irishvamp90 · 09-12-2008 8:44pm

i dont doubt they good work building houses point is does any agree with me on the falseness and cool tag that seems to go with this charity?
thanks flutteringbantam:)

mac123 · 09-12-2008 9:44pm

mountainyman wrote: »

It is the stupides thing I have ever heard of. A load of tradesmen from a country where tradesmen aren't that good go and build houses in a country with a surplus of labour and a shortage of money.

It's bullsh1t. If they trained people in Africa up that'd be one thing but the whole thing is moronic. Its main advantage is that the participants really feel good about themselves because they give their time rather than money. That is an advantage for the participants not the recipients.

It is illogical.

100% true. Theres no need for them to go over there to work/holiday, the money would be put to much better use if they employed local labour.
I mean there are plenty of women that go ever every year...bet there real productive...but sure at least they get a tan and see a bit of africa;)

irish_bob · 09-12-2008 10:05pm

mountainyman wrote: »

It is the stupides thing I have ever heard of. A load of tradesmen from a country where tradesmen aren't that good go and build houses in a country with a surplus of labour and a shortage of money.

It's bullsh1t. If they trained people in Africa up that'd be one thing but the whole thing is moronic. Its main advantage is that the participants really feel good about themselves because they give their time rather than money. That is an advantage for the participants not the recipients.

It is illogical.

+1

i know people who go on the niall mellon thingy and they havent a clue how to build houses , its nothing but a free trip to the other side of the world for them , i also find it quite patronising that the africans are seen as not being able to buld thier own houses

Dave! · 09-12-2008 10:13pm

mountainyman wrote: »

They could train people up. The guys going over are mostly semi skilled they happen to live in a rich country (which these pr1cks have ruined). How useful was Sean Dunne- he was there to get photographed.

Do you really believ there is no one in South Africa who could run these projects with foreign money?

Even if Niall Mellon is a prick and he is I accept that his intentions are good. I just think the whole thing is stupid.

From the website
http://www.irishtownship.com/htm/about.htm

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Because of the enormous support and interest our volunteers have generated, we now have a workforce of between 1,700 and 2,000 South Africans building homes all year round.

Last year they built approximately 4800 which, when added to the total built by the 1380 volunteers, brings the annual figure to 5000 houses in total.

The charity is heavily involved in training and up-skilling its South African workforce which is a further integral part of the charity’s
ethos. Most of the workforce come from the townships themselves.

Community development is an integral part of the work of the NMTT engaging local communities in the planning and design of the new communities. All of this is done in close cooperation and partnership with the South African government at national and local level.

Shelflife · 09-12-2008 10:39pm

My brother is just back from a trip and said he really had his eyes opened over there, he said that he felt good to have a hands on approach to helping people.

its a simple approach, how do you get people to raise a lot of money? simple offer them an incentive, so the NMT offer the incentive to go to SA for a week and help to build some houses.

If that incentive wasnt there then not as many would bother raising money, it also doubles up as a pr exercise because all these people who go to SA see at first hand what condidtions these people live in and how they can help them.

the celebs that travel give a publicity boost to the NMT as well as getting their hands dirty.

you do a full days work, no messing around and the craic is had when everyone pulls together.

he says hes going back again and if you saw the bunch he went with you would struggle to find "cool" amongst them all

.

is it perfect? prob not , i dont know alot about it but it works and makes people feel empowered and good about themselves.

if you dont like it , dont donate, if you feel that other areas are more deserving then donate to that or set up your own charity to help that.

LaMer · 10-12-2008 12:49am

He also has a government contract to build these houses from what I've heard. Entertained the idea myself, but to be honest I think it would be better to employ unemployed South African's to do the work, there's a 40% unemployment rate, probably more because of illegal immigration, so it would make sense to employ these, instead of bringing over other unskilled workers. There's enough of that there.

Wurly · 10-12-2008 12:55am

mountainyman wrote: »

It is the stupides thing I have ever heard of. A load of tradesmen from a country where tradesmen aren't that good go and build houses in a country with a surplus of labour and a shortage of money.

It's bullsh1t. If they trained people in Africa up that'd be one thing but the whole thing is moronic. Its main advantage is that the participants really feel good about themselves because they give their time rather than money. That is an advantage for the participants not the recipients.

It is illogical.

Well having been just back from Zambia in July building houses, I am outraged by your above comments.

The Zambian men who built houses in their own village trained all of us in and consistently worked on site with us.

Because there are so many vulnerable children orphaned by the huge AIDS epidemic in a country like Zambia, they need proper housing and fast.

That's where volunteers like us come in. Yes I did feel good about myself. And why shouldn't I?

Beats sitting on my arse moaning and bitching like you.

jdivision · 10-12-2008 12:58am

irishvamp90 wrote: »

yes mr.mellon seems a great guy,good work by the charity.all im saying its see as the "cool" and "hip".people in college were collecting money,fundrising for this this year but when it came to helping with the chaplin in the local area there was zero interest

Mate hate to tell you this but the socialites as you call them and the rich are the very guys who supported the charity ball circuit and paid hundreds of thousands at auction for domestic charities

FlutterinBantam · 10-12-2008 2:24am

irishvamp90 wrote: »

i dont doubt they good work building houses point is does any agree with me on the falseness and cool tag that seems to go with this charity?
thanks flutteringbantam:)

Don't worry IV, the punters here are deliberately veering off the point.

They are spouting bulldust about the various situations in Sub Saharan Africa,and ignoring the point you made which is totally correct inmho.

Just so people are not mislead I will spell it out. Everybody knows this by the way!!

There is a growth industry in so called "celebs" going on overseas trips to "support" charities.
The same punters would do fcuk all for deserving causes in Castlebar/Ennis/Limerick. take your pick.
They may be deserving causes, and people may benefit, but people are using their exposure on the "airwaves" to travel the world and of course the charities are aware of the "foot in the door" of RTE if the accommodate a "personality" on one of their trips.

When they look after an old folks home in Kilbeggan on their own time I will show some respect.

wake up people.

ronbyrne2005 · 10-12-2008 11:56am

Tri wrote: »

Well having been just back from Zambia in July building houses, I am outraged by your above comments.

The Zambian men who built houses in their own village trained all of us in and consistently worked on site with us.

Because there are so many vulnerable children orphaned by the huge AIDS epidemic in a country like Zambia, they need proper housing and fast.

That's where volunteers like us come in. Yes I did feel good about myself. And why shouldn't I?

Beats sitting on my arse moaning and bitching like you.

Sorry , but for the cost of sending you to Zambia and the resources to train you to build houses ,dozens of local people could have been trained and employed to build dozens more houses than you built. Don't feel bad, lot's of naive gap year students think they are doing good when they would be doing much more by not going and sending the money instead. You probably got more out of it than the locals.

niall mellon charity?whats the big deal

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