Our weekly round-up of outlandish and interesting information collected from the corners of the charity sector.
Well it does a bit
Diary’s eyes were drawn, as if magnetically, to a fine piece of journalism on the BBC headlined: “Tourism map ‘looks like a penis’”.
It appears the Canal and River Trust has produced a map of Berkhampstead, showing the Grand Union Canal, among other things. And, well, it does bear a passing resemblance to a gentleman sausage.
The Canal and River Trust put out this statement: "This is one of about 100 maps we've been promoting. It does look, as the poster on Facebook says, like a willy. We didn't notice it. Somebody should have seen it, I agree.
"You could accuse us of being a bit naive, but canals are long, straight things, and when you draw a map it tends to be that sort of shape."
I don't think you're going to get his cash
While Civil Society News obviously understands the plight of telephone fundraisers, you do have to understand why some people get a little irate with them. Take this comment on one of our stories about last week’s Dispatches programme:
"I remember when I'd just found out my wife was cheating on me. It was hell - we were having this huge row, screaming divorce at each other, and who was going to get the kids, pay the mortgage and all that nonsense, and then one of these fundraisers rang up out of the blue asking me if I wanted to double my donations.
"When I told him my life was going down the toilet and I was on the verge of losing my wife, my kids and my home he just said he was sorry to hear that, would try again later and wished me a good evening.
"I felt like shooting myself there and then. I tell you, these guys that read off a script should be taught to think for themselves."
Diary suspects the charity didn’t get more cash. But now we’re on tenterhooks, though. How did it end? Have you got your life back on track, Eric? Please tell all.
Breaking news: Nick Hurd is not resigning
Fear not! Nick Hurd is not resigning as an MP.
What’s that? You had no idea that the former charities minister had any plans to do so? Nor, it appears, did Hurd himself, until it was revealed to him by the Daily Mail, which told him a couple of weeks ago that he planned to stand aside to allow Boris Johnson to have his seat.
Hurd tweeted last week: “#borisfever gripping tabloid press; just to be clear, I have no intention of standing down at the next election!”
Of course, can he be trusted? After all, an MP has previously been defined as one who stands so he may sit so that he may lie. For now, Diary is inclined to take Hurd’s word on this one.
