Omg I donated to her baby bank last year as I thought she was genuine. What a mug I am
Definitely not a mug, just a person with a good heart thinking of others.
I think many of us donated and I also had some interaction with her relating to AberNecessities . She told me she wanted to send one of her chocolate hampers up to them and had been in contact.
In good faith I donated to her baby bank fund asking whether she would prefer a raffle prize or a donation, she preferred donation. Rather than post up chocolate to AberNecessities I suggested that as they were appealing for selection boxes for the hundreds of Christmas Eve boxes being made up for children in the city and shire, I would purchase the value of the chocolate hamper (plus extra) in selection boxes and hand them in , donated in her name with a message from her, the next time I was in volunteering at Abernecessities. This was quickly rebuffed as it had to come from her and she would be posting up a hamper.
Having been involved in charity sector for a long time as a trustee, fundraiser, and volunteer, this seemed short sighted as the money she was spending on getting the chocolate delivered could have been put to better use for her baby bank appeal. However I also recognise that for ever 100 people who donate quietly and without condition that there are a few for who personal recognition of their gesture is more important than the donation and I go on the basis “all donations gratefully received”
AberNeccesities this year has provided emergency supplies, essentials and some comforts to many mothers who have had the courage to flee physically abusive and threatening relationships taking their children to safety with only the clothes they stand in. Covid lockdown exacerbated the abusive situations they found themselves in with potentially no escape. How would these women feel knowing that someone had created an abusive threatening message suggesting that she ‘needs her throat slit’ and sent this to themselves for the purpose of publicity and appear to laugh it off. For these women, physical abuse, threats both verbally and sent via digital devices to terrify and control them are no laughing matter and not a publicity stunt.
I quickly confirmed last night with a social media ‘guru’ - a global company that aids small companies and local charities set up and manage their media accounts to best effect that these screenshot of messages came from someone who had access to both accounts and he was not surprised.
Michelle and Danielle who founded and run AberNecessities will be horrified by this when they find out, this year they were invited to meet the Duchess of Cambridge to become one of partners in the initiative to get British Brands to support baby banks and it is a huge initiative. They both work tirelessly for the charity they set up and have a huge support network locally.
PB - if you are reading here, you may have thought it a good idea to try and show how someone threatening you on social media made you laugh and criticise their spelling, taking it to the next level by trolling back with a picture of their jumper. However in my opinion you have potentially fabricated a situation and trivialised it. Think about how some of those families you aim to help would feel about this when they have themselves been subjected to physical and psychological torment and abuse that may have driven them to the edge.