ON our way out of the supermarket, last week, we passed a charity stall for a local hospice that cares for children with terminal cancer.

Is there a greater cause in the whole world than helping children dying of this awful disease?

“I’ll make a contribution,” said Janet, searching her bag for her purse.

“Okay,” I replied. “In that case I’ll give a bit to that homeless young woman outside.”

As Janet scanned the table for a collection tub, one of the charity volunteers asked, “Can you donate using your bank card, please?”

“I’d prefer to give you my spare cash,” said Janet. “Here you are – a two-pound coin.”

The hospice representative raised her hand politely. “I’m so sorry, but we’re not allowed to take cash. Only card donations are permitted.”

“Go on. Take it anyway.”

“We can’t accept cash, sorry.”

“Really? Seems a shame, but if you’re absolutely sure you don’t want it, I’ll have to give it to those who sleep rough on the street.”

And that was that.

It seemed a strange carry-on. A vital charity turning away cash donations? That can’t be right. I considered how much money they were forsaking by having such a policy? I almost turned into John McEnroe and told them they cannot be serious, but I didn’t want to upset those who were merely observing company protocol.

Later in the day, we talked it over with friends and family, and they offered three possible excuses for bank-card only donations.

1. Perhaps the collectors can’t be trusted not to steal from the collection bucket?

We all laughed. No one would spend the day collecting in order to cream off a pittance. Besides, such a suggestion is wildly offensive.

2. The collectors are vulnerable to muggers?

What? In the middle of a busy supermarket with trained security guards present?

3. Maybe, it’s a ruse to harvest more substantial offerings, or regular donations, or even a gift in your will?

Hmmm, perhaps. But surely a reputable charity wouldn’t be so sneaky, would it?

So, I decided to contact the hospice in question and ask them directly.

Sadly, their written reply seemed evasive and when I persisted they stopped answering my queries altogether. I sensed I had become a nuisance.

It’s true that generally speaking, I do have mixed feelings about charities, anyway. Certain friends of mine (you know who you are) have worked their fingers to the bone over the years, raising (between them) going on £200,000 for Barnsley Hospice and McMillan Nurses. These wonderful people deserve to be showered with gratitude.

But at the other extreme, we have the likes of David Miliband who is paid almost a million pounds a year to act as figure-head for the charity, the International Rescue Committee. Mr Miliband is the former Labour government’s Foreign Secretary – 2007 to 2010.

Also, there’s the unscrupulous Captain Tom family, who personally benefitted to the tune of well over a million pounds from their Covid charity scam.

In other words, charities can be both a wonderful advert for the beautiful side of human nature, or simply a trick whereby the rich rinse the public for millions.

And what about the crazy fact that the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the Royal National Lifeboat Institute and the Air Ambulance Service, all have to beg for donations, cap in hand, to survive?

My view: In any civilised society, ALL essential services, like children’s hospice care, should be fully funded from income tax contributions – the wealthier you are, the more you pay because you can easily afford it.

Perhaps charities should swap places with private firms that collect generous government subsidies then pass it on to their shareholders. You know the firms I mean: the water and energy companies, the private transport firms, the tax-dodging landowners, the royal family (worth £69 billion at the last count), etc.

Let these private firms beg for funds in supermarkets. I can just imagine it: “Spare a copper for a poor king and his struggling family, who’re down to their last 20 palaces.”

Of course, there’d be hysterical resistance to these changes from millionaires and billionaires.

There’d even be a few gullible workers, conditioned from birth, who’d feel provoked enough to express their displeasure. But tough! It’s time the super-rich were forced to pay their fair share - they’ve been getting away with murder for far too long.