As the saying goes “You live and
learn”, but the trouble is, sometimes you don’t. Like going in the garden and cutting down
bushes or climbing ladders, when you have a bad back. Stupid boy!
But I did learn something this week, that had puzzled me for a long
time, and I now understand.
It concerns some charities, like the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust. When I visit a WWT site (but
not an RSPB site surprisingly) and ask for “one concession please”, I am
always asked if I wish to Gift Aid my payment. After replying in the affirmative,
I am shown a notice which tells me that the charge is 10% HIGHER if I pay with
Gift Aid.
And this is my dilemma – I thought that if the charity is going to
benefit by claiming back the income tax content, why do I have to pay more.
From an exchange of letters in the Daily Telegraph (which I was not a
party to this time) I found that for a charity payment to be treated as a
donation (and thus qualify for Gift Aid), one option is for the charity to
charge an extra 10%, and tax legislation then perceives the whole entry fee to
be treated as a donation, and this fully qualifying for Gift Aid.
I was going to illustrate with some figures but decided that tax advice
was outside the terms of reference for my blog!! All I will say, is that if you are a higher
rate tax payer, and your payment qualifies for Gift Aid, YOU are also entitled
to some tax relief at the higher tax rate.
And not a lot of people know that!
Tuesday March 20th I was scheduled to go birding with Chris,
but due to the absolute mayhem on the west and south of Nottingham first thing
in the morning due to overrun road works, Chris finally threw in the towel
after 2 hours. Can’t blame her, so I went to Cromford and had the
satisfaction of spotting a Dipper a little way up river from the
church. I gather Chris went off south west later in the morning to try and find
the Great Grey Shrike at Owthorpe but to no avail.
Saturday 24th March, I decided to do a
Volunteer duty at Carsington, and manned the wildlife centre for 5 hours. Not exactly a busy day, but over 100 people
dropped in, so I found plenty to chat to, and to chat about.
The handsome male Scaup was still very visible, and the GN Diver was
true to form off Stones Island and seen well from the Janet Ede Hide.
Oh, well I suppose adding one = 126 will have to suffice, until the summer avalanche starts!!
Just enough room to pop in a few dates and commercials, in case you
missed them.
Carsington (All bookable via Reception)
Next Sunday, April 1st Usual monthly BwB walk 10.00am.
Extra walk April 8,
10.00am, another BwB and another chance to see a possible returning Osprey
Tuesday April 27,
6.00pm Bird walk in conjunction with
Carsington Bird Club, looking for Yellow Wagtails.
Markeaton
Sunday April 15 Markeaton Park BwB 10.30am Book via Derby Live, or Friends of
Markeaton web site.
Frampton Marsh
Sunday MAY 27. Advance notice of first ever Carsington BwB
away-day. Meeting at RSPB Frampton Marsh 10.00am (Finish c4pm) More info,
e-mail Davidmjb@outlook.com. Own transport.
Happy Birding
My comment is a little late this week due to things beyond my control, namely Mrs Bridge. I think Spring must be in the air as the afore-mentioned Mrs Bridge has started spring cleaning. This means that if I sit in one place for more than two minutes I am likely to get a rub down with a damp cloth (Editor: no comment required).
ReplyDeleteI hope you are feeling a little less delicate now and you have had a little more sympathy from your Editor. Perhaps it would help if you watched 'Carry on Nurse' together.....
Good to see that you got the Dipper at Cromford. For some reason it often seems to be quite elusive there. On the Lynmouth estuary, on the other hand.....
Increasing bird activity here with defence of territories, pairing up and practice mating between blackbirds. Rather like humans or so I'm told.
Still not seen the Red Kite, still looking. You know what it's like when someone tells you 'you've just missed it'. More people have ended up going down to Lynmouth by the cliff route than for any other reason!
Happy Easter!