Paul Divine made a very important point about organisations such as Save the Children and Oxfam (Feb 21).

He said they should put pressure on corrupt foreign governments who let their people starve, while their leaders live lives of luxury paid for by the aid given by people who are emotionally blackmailed by adverts on TV.

Call me a Scrooge if you will, but I will not give a penny of my money to foreign aid because I know the people the money is meant for will never receive it.

It’s time we stopped funding these lives of luxury and exerted pressure to make sure the money charities collect gets to those who most urgently need it.

Valentine Tisi
The Fold
Basildon