SIR: The RSPCA (Reg. Charity 219099) and the RSPCA Bolton and District Branch (Reg. Charity No. 232243), do not receive 'funding'. The organisations do not receive money from central or local government, nor, so far, the National Lottery. We are totally dependent on members of the public giving donations, leaving legacies, buying flags, RSPCA goods and jumble and attending RSPCA events.

If C Parkinson (BEN April 24) still does not believe me, (and as a trustee of a registered charity with all the legal obligations that entails, I naturally object to her disbelief), I would invite her, or anyone else, to drop into the RSPCA Advice Centre, and examine a copy of the annual accounts.

Confirmation of our struggle to raise funds is borne out by the fact that only 11 people helped the Society, by doing a house to house collection during RSPCA week, (April 27 - May 2) ie 11 streets were covered in the whole town. We are hoping that animal lovers will be less apathetic when we have our Flag Day in the town centre on Saturday, May 16, when we need as many flag sellers as we can get. Please help, if only for an hour.

?P G Evans

Hon Chairman

and Former

Council Member

RSPCA

Advice Centre

Charity Shop

205 St George's Road

Bolton BL1 2PG?

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.