The Mountain Rescue England & Wales campaign to get HM Government to waive VAT for MR and ALSAR teams got the backing this week of Private Eye.
As they comment;
Gordon Brown waived VAT at a stroke for the Simon Cowell produced celebrity cover version of Everybody Hurts to raise funds for Haiti. The mountain rescuers don’t begrudge the earthquake victims a penny; but they wonder why the government can’t do the same for them.
Maybe it’s time for us all to start contacting the prospective candidates for our constituencies getting their support for after the election?
As you know we had a couple of MP’s attend one of our training sessions recently. I may have mentioned VAT at least once or twice
We also have the Shadow Defence Secretary coming along to an exercise in March so I’m sure I may mention it again then too.
Nice!
Other voluntary emergency services, eg retained firefighters, special constables etc get all equipt/vehicles, training etc provided PLUS various allowances, I even met 3 guys from St John’s last week who were being paid an hourly wage to cover local ambulance service shortfalls, and we get…? Sweet FA…