How long until the press turn on charities

Er......he guys you see collecting in supermarkets, and street 'chuggers' are paid, and not badly too !

I know, but still loads of volunteers out there working in the charity shops for free while their managers take home a market rate salary.

The salary range for a manager position at one of the larger and well-known charity organisations is between £14,000 and £18,000. This figure is pro-rata, as the expectation is that much of the shifts are covered by unpaid volunteers, so the take-home pay can often be somewhat less due to a shorter working week. A moderately-sized branch will normally have around 35-40 volunteers in rotation, so regular cover is normally available.

The salary for a deputy manager is around £12,000, but again this is pro-rata and depends on the number of hours the deputy is required to work.

It is worth noting that personal remuneration is not usually the key driver behind a person's decision to pursue this type of career, and it should be taken into consideration alongside a desire to help others.

There are additional benefits offered by many of the organisations, such as the option of a personal pension plan and flexible working patterns.

Charity workers are not forced to work or have their dole withdrawn.

Ironically, just the opposite applies. If you tell the dole office you are going to spend the next week on ferret patrol for the RSPCA, they will stop your benefits because you are not available for work.

I don't believe in all this losing benefit concern. Surely it is worth giving up a few hundred quid for on the job training and a chance at a career.

When I was unemployed I went 6 months without any pay or benefits when I was setting up my company.

How did you eat?

Loans, savings and joining the reduced items scrum in Tesco's