Charity collection will go ahead with no £20 charge

CHARITY row . . . Ron Williams at Tommyfield Market Hall

COUNCIL chiefs have backed down from charging veterans for holding a collection in aid of ex-servicemen after the Chronicle intervened.

Stunned veterans from the Oldham Royal Air Force Association (RAFA) say they were told by market bosses they’d have to fork out £20 a day to hold their annual charity collection.

The bombshell was dropped as the country marks the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

Volunteers from RAFA were due to collect money in Tommyfield Market Hall tomorrow, Friday and Saturday for the RAF’s Wings Appeal.

Market bosses had refused to back down but after the Chronicle became involved Oldham Council apologised for the “confusion” and said the veterans would not be charged.

The three-day collection is part of the 70th anniversary Battle of Britain Week which culminates with a parade in Oldham on Sunday.

It’s part of an annual fundraising drive for the appeal, which supports nursing homes and welfare programmes for former RAF personnel. ATC cadets will also be collecting money in the town centre on Saturday.

Last year Oldham RAFA raised more than £10,000 at local supermarkets and shopping centres. It has collected there for at least seven years.

Before the U-turn, chairman Ron Williams said: “I think it is disgusting. They tell me that every charity that collects in the market hall, with the exception of the Poppy Appeal, has to pay a charge.

“It is the principal that’s getting me. The public in Oldham are paying. Every time there is a charity collection in the market hall, some of it is going to the market. They are not providing anything, all they do is allow us to be there.

“A directive has just come from central government to local councils asking them to get voluntary agencies to do more.”

He said he was only told of the charge when he went to confirm the booking. He has never been charged elsewhere.

Tomorrow’s collection has now been scrapped, but the others will go ahead.

Councillor Jackie Stanton, deputy leader of Oldham Ccouncil said: “The new management team — which has successfully introduced the popular new temporary market to Oldham town centre — is currently reviewing all of the policies and procedures around the operation of the borough’s markets.

“I am happy to confirm that the RAFA will not be charged for their Wings Appeal and would like to apologise for the confusion. Going forward a clear policy of the various market charges is being worked on.

“Oldham Council has clearly shown its support for our Armed Forces on many occasions in the past and I am happy to support the RAFA in this, the 70th anniversary year of the Battle of Britain.”