Friday, 24 April 2009

A man who has collected thousands of pounds for a children’s charity could now be banned from collecting in a Cornish town due to new licensing rules.
Harold Burt and his donkeys have become an attraction in Looe in the summer months while collecting for Children’s Hospice South West. For more than ten years they have been seen in the town three times a week from June to September, raising thousands.
But now a new policy proposed by the Cornwall Council bans the use of animals in fundraising and limits the number of street collections and amount of time the public can spend collecting in a town for charity.
Mr Burt said: ‘I have been doing it a good many years and now this new council is stopping all animals and birds from going out fundraising, apart from guide dogs.
‘I got the letter a fortnight or so ago and they haven’t been able to give me a reason for stopping it. I have had donkeys in Looe for years. It isn’t just Looe, Polperro and Liskeard, people support us from Australia, New Zealand and all over and they are gutted it is stopping.
‘All I do it for is to help Children’s Hospice South West and I never charge. I take donations and the donkeys don’t leave the gate unless it is for Children’s Hospice South West.’
A spokeswoman for Cornwall Council said: ‘The council appreciates the good work Mr Burt does. However, it has a duty to treat all charities fairly and give them equal opportunity, especially in today’s economic climate where many are struggling to attract donations. The council is aware Harold and his donkey have become somewhat of a tourist attraction and have stressed there will be no regulations to stop them visiting Looe in this capacity.’
Local campaigner Jim Candy said: ‘The drafted policy must be changed to allow Harold and others like him in the county to collect for charity. I urge people to support Mr Burt for such a good cause and write to the licensing department at Luxtowe House in Liskeard before the end of the consultation on Wednesday, April 29.’