Gary Nunn’s article raises important points (I worked in charities for years – here’s how I make sure my money is going to a good cause, not Captain Tom’s family, 25 November). Members of my family work for aid organisations and are reasonably paid, as they should be, working in difficult and often dangerous conditions. However, I was put off subscribing to one charity when I learned that its chief executive was paid £170,000 a year. Most charities are supported by an army of unpaid volunteers; yes, they all need staff to do the work that Gary Nunn describes, but their pay should reflect the needs of the organisation, not that of executives in a purely commercial outfit.
Caroline Pickard
Bungay, Suffolk
• Gary Nunn leaves out one important drain on our charitable giving. As the Observer reported last month, a non-trivial amount is trousered by the duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, the property estates of King Charles and Prince William.
Bob Epton
Brigg, Lincolnshire
