A few more so called charities, that could have their government funding culled

British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV)

Relatively benign self-proclaimed 'eco-activists' with the usual climate change agenda.

More extraordinary is their jaw-dropping claim to be reliant on charitable donations:

As a charity, BTCV is almost entirely reliant on voluntary donations.

Its 2008 accounts show a total income of £28,616,000

• Central government: £3,157,000
• European monies: £1,077,000
• Jobcentre Plus: £10,307,000
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• Total £14,541,000 (50.8% of all income)

The charity receives a further £1,208,000 from the lottery. It received just £910,000 (3.1%) in donations.

Forum for the Future

Founded by fanatical environmentalist Jonathan Porritt, the Forum for the Future provides a livelihood for unelectable Green Party candidates and retired lefties. Porritt earns £63,671 as its Programme Director and climate change alarmism features prominently with the inevitable demands for greater government interference:

Its 2006/07 accounts show a total income of £4,670,107, of which:

• Central Government: £868,578
• Local and regional government: £775,062
• DEFRA: £109,976
• The Climate Change Project (DEFRA): £241,878
• Tower Hamlets: £42,683
• EU: £23,904
• --
• Total £2,062,081 (44.2% of all income)

It received just £1,300 in donations from the public.

Global Action Plan UK

Although it claims not to be a lobbying group, Global Action Plan UK have campaigned for causes as diverse as a £1 billion "green stimulus package" and an opt-in system for phone book delivery.

The charity's 2008/09 accounts show a total income of £2,952,806, of which:

• London Councils £43,623
• Devon County Council: £85,869
• London Borough of Haringey: £5,000
• British Council, Beijing: £38,715
• DEFRA: £76,838
• Nottinghamshire Local Authorities: £30,328
• City of London: £5,625
• Housing Associations: £67,840
• South West Regional Development Agency: £338,759
• Exmoor National Parks Authority: £3,875
• South West Tourism: £9,700
• London Development Agency: £252,204
• National Council for Voluntary Organisations: £22,250
• London Borough of Harrow: £15,000
• Local and National Government: £6,433

Total: £1,002,059 (33.9% of total income)

The Climate Group

The Climate Group says of itself:

"We act independently, with no political agenda or vested interests."

However, the charity's latest annual accounts show that it received £203,615 from "government" (10.2% of total income) plus £459,450 from HSBC.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

The RSPB is one of Britain's oldest and most respected charities. It used to exist on voluntary donations. Not any more.

The RSPB formed Stop Climate Chaos in September 2006 and were amongst the first environmental groups to call for a 80% reduction in UK carbon emissions by 2050.

In 2008, it received a staggering £19,731,000 in public money, including:

• Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs: £2,618,000
• Landfill Communities Fund: £1,560,000
• Scottish Natural Heritage: £1,091,000
• Natural England: £931,000
• Scottish Executive: £664,000
• National Assembly for Wales: £552,000
• Countryside Council for Wales: £337,000
• Environment Agency: £333,000
• Department for International Development: £255,000
• Department of Environment, Northern Ireland (NI): £249,000
• East of England Development Agency: £219,000
• Forestry Commission: £177,000
• Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, NI: £38,000
• European Union: £3,169,000
• National Lottery: Heritage Lottery Fund: £2,247,000
• Local councils & other: £5,291,000

The charity's total income was £103,904,000 and other major items include:

• Membership subscriptions: £26,304,000
• Legacies: £26,948,000
• Appeals: £3,943,000
• Investment income and interest: £1,531,000
• Land and farming: £1,608,000
• Events and media sales: £676,000

In addition, the RSPB acknowledges the support of 164 local groups (which are, presumably, mostly based on voluntary contributions). These raised a grand total of £319,000.

As such, the RSPB does raise a substantial percentage of its money from voluntary contributions; however, 19% of its income comes from the pockets of the taxpayer in involuntary contributions.

The Women's Environmental Network

Generic wimmin's group with added green credentials. It claims that "women are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change". It conducts environmental and what it calls "environmenstrual" campaigns. Members of Stop Climate Chaos.

Its 2007/08 accounts show a total income of £170,976

• The Department for Communities and Local Government: £19,419

• London Borough of Tower Hamlets: £5,500

• The National Lottery's Awards For All: £10,000

• The Community Recycling and Economic Development Programme: £1,322

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• Total £36,241 (22% of all income)

It received a further £10,000 from Awards for All (the National Lottery).

(It fared even better in 2007, when it received £60,000 from the Department of the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, as well as £87,786 from the London Boroughs and £17,544 from the Department for Communities and Local Government.)

The Woodland Trust

"We used to be members of this until we found out. The organisation regularly sends out to members vast volumes of expensively-printed puff which resembles the self-congratulatory output of a government department."

The Woodland Trust is a member of Stop Climate Chaos.

In 2007, it received £2,882,000 in public money, including:

• Forestry Commission: £884,000
• Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs: £51,000
• Local authorities: £192,000
• Environment and Heritage Service, NI: £114,000
• Natural England: £67,000
• Scottish Executive: £3,000
• European Structural Funds: £63,000
• Department for Communities & Local Government: £107,000
• Countryside Council for Wales: £41,000
• Rural Payments Agency: £29,000
• EC Life Nature: £5,000

This represents 12.3% of its total income for 2007.

It received a further £1,383,000 (5.9%) from The Big Lottery Fund

The charity's total income was £23,380,000 and other major items include:

• Membership subscriptions: £4,733,000
• Legacies: £6,876,000
• Fundraising & appeals: £4,936,000
• Sponsorship income: £2,242,000
• Company donations, Charitable Trusts and Landfill Tax: £2,521,000

As such, the Woodland Trust does raise a substantial percentage of its money from voluntary contributions; however, 18.2% of its income comes from tax and lottery money.

This really has to stop. If they want money to continue then they should go out and walk the streets rattling a tin. Don't expect me to pay though my tax for their profligate spending. When did you see tin rattlers for the RSPB in your high street?