Usage of Patreon Funds - Ukraine/Yemen Emergency Funds

[Tom 14011]

Hi Everyone - 

 

Thank you to all the patrons who keep this place ticking, as a board we've nearly been running for twenty years & the temporary loss of the forum left a lot of us absolutely lost as to where to go to talk about Newcastle United. Twitter is toxic & given how tightly knit our community is other forums aren't really an acceptable replacement. 

 

When our Patreon fund was launched the response was amazing, we had enough funding to pay for the forum & associated costs. However we were left with a surplus. It was decided at the time that the forum would be run not for profit & at cost price. It was agreed among admins/moderators & patrons that the appropriate use of the surplus funds would be an annual donation to a local charity, chosen by the patrons. 

 

However things don't always go to plan & the world is a cruel place. In the past few weeks our gaze has been drawn away from Tyneside.  Everyone is aware of the recent & continuing atrocities committed by the Russian Federation in Ukraine & given the acquisition of Newcastle United by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia the atrocities carried out by our majority owners in Yemen have been cast into the public eye. 

 

I have to admit, hitherto, I had very little to zero knowledge of KSA's military action in Yemen. As Saudi Arabia are allies of Great Britain this war doesn't make our news feed. I won't pretend to understand the geopolitical nuances of the situation, I'm a guitar player who likes to drink cans and watch Newcastle play, even if we're shite. 

 

However, given the desperation of the situation in Ukraine & our association with Saudi Arabia the decision has been taken to withdraw the surplus Patreon Cash & donate it 50/50 to the following organisations : 

 

RED CROSS YEMEN APPEAL

 

RED CROSS UKRAINE APPEAL  

 

There will be a £75 donation to each organisation which will make a huge difference. Given that our patreon has only been running two months or so I'm sure we can all be proud of where the surplus funds will be going. When the world is a little more normal we'd ideally like to see surplus funds go to a local charity such as the West End Food Bank. 

 

In the meantime, thank you for your continued support & I hope you are satisfied with this use of funds. 

 

Regards, 

 

Tom 

(+ fellow admins & mods) 

[Andrew 4748]

Just a little update to confirm that the donations were received. 

 

Yemen

Ukraine

Thanks Everyone.

[OTF 7295]

Thanks for adding the new cert.