Post by Teddy Bear on Nov 23, 2009 21:26:08 GMT
Call me cynical, but I can imagine the BBC purposefully tipping off the TaxPayers Alliance that they were spending £150k of licence fee money to supply free trees knowing they were going to get flak for it. This way they could rise on their lofty moral haunches in response and illustrate how caring they were about the world.
It's kind of like when they took public criticism for not doing the Gaza Appeal at the beginning of the year, so they could announce in the same haughty moral tone 'look at how unbiased we are'.
They are so caring about the environment they are sending 35 staff to Copenhagenfor a piss up to cover the environment talks next month. Like this is really necessary. But they do get to sidle up to the government celebrities that will be attending.
At the end of the day, they have no business spending licence fee money to give away trees - this is not their remit or purpose. It would be better if they stuck to what they are supposed to do - and do it properly.
It's kind of like when they took public criticism for not doing the Gaza Appeal at the beginning of the year, so they could announce in the same haughty moral tone 'look at how unbiased we are'.
They are so caring about the environment they are sending 35 staff to Copenhagen
At the end of the day, they have no business spending licence fee money to give away trees - this is not their remit or purpose. It would be better if they stuck to what they are supposed to do - and do it properly.
BBC under fire for Autumnwatch tree giveaway costing licence fee payers £150,000
By Daily Mail Reporter
The BBC has come under fire for splashing out more than £150,000 of licence-payers' cash giving away trees and vegetable seeds.
The Beeb is handing out 300,000 free trees at a thousand different garden centres, nurseries and DIY stores nationwide.
Each sapling has cost the corporation 32 pence - £96,000 in total - and the Taxpayers' Alliance has accused it of misusing licence fees as if it were a 'charity with a bottomless pit of cash'.
The giveaway was launched on BBC 2 show Autumnwatch and is part of two tree-planting world record bids the broadcaster is mounting next month to mark National Tree Week.
Record attempt: Hainault Forest in Chigwell, Essex where planters hope to beat the current record of 18,124 trees planted in an hour at any one site as part of the BBC's 'Tree O'Clock' initiative
The BBC is aiming to beat the current record of 653,143 trees planted at multiple sites in an hour with its nationwide 'Tree O'Clock' initiative.
And three teams of planters - at Hainault Forest, Chigwell, Essex; Heartwood Forest near St Albans, Hertfordshire and Gransha Park, Londonderry hope to beat the current record of 18,124 trees planted in an hour at any one site.
The BBC says that it is encouraging people to 'do one thing' for the environment by planting a tree and is working with organisations including The Woodland Trust, Forestry Commission and local authorities.
This summer, it spent £57,500 on giving away 250,000 packets of vegetable seeds at 23 pence per pack as part of its 'Dig In' campaign.
Packets of tomato, carrot, beetroot, lettuce and squash seeds were given away to encourage 'grow your own veg' on allotments.
The Taxpayers' Alliance has branded the handouts, which cost £153,500 in total, 'well-intentioned but totally misguided'.
Spokeswoman Susie Squire said: 'These initiatives are doubtless well-intentioned. Of course, we should all care about the environment and most of us do.
'But it is totally misguided for the BBC to blow huge amounts of licence-payers' cash on trees and vegetable seeds when there are numerous worthy bodies working on these causes.
'They have failed to realise that in the wake of many BBC spending scandals they should be tightening their belts and concentrating on delivering public service programming.
'The BBC often tells us they are cash-strapped when it comes to programming and then they go and act as if they were a charity with a bottomless pit of cash.
'It is fine if they want to devote airtime to promoting worthy causes like these.
'But they seem to forget that anyone with a TV set has to pay the licence fee whether they want to or not.
'And a lot of licence fee payers have lost faith with Auntie because they see their money spent in ways like this that are not legitimate expenditure.'
The BBC has been appealing for individuals, schools, workplaces and community groups to plant trees for an hour between 11am and noon on December 5.
The saplings being given away are all UK native species suitable for planting in small gardens and include rowan, silver birch, cherry, hazel, field maple and hawthorn.
Experts will be on hand at garden centres to give planting advice so that the trees have the best possible chance of survival.
Planters are asked to take a digital photo of themselves with their sapling and send it to BBC Breathing Places, which aims to 'inspire and empower individuals to take action that benefits communities'.
Woodland Trust volunteers and 250 scouts and cadets are taking part in the Hainault Forest record bid.
The trust's James Luxton said: 'It is going to be one hell of a challenge physically.
'Our team will have to plant a tree roughly every fifteen seconds for an hour.
'There will be diggers with shovels to make small holes and assistants to put the tree in.
'They have to be planted properly for the tree to count in the overall total, so they can't just be wedged in any old how.
'We are extending the existing ten hectares of woodland and this is a continuation of planting projects that have involved local schools.
'It will be hard work but we are confident of breaking the record.'
A BBC spokeswoman said: 'The BBC is one of many organisations providing communities around the UK with free trees.
'For 80 years, the promotion of education and learning has been a core part of the BBC's public purpose.
'We have always offered a range of resources and activities for children, teachers, parents and adult learners and Breathing Places is a popular and highly successful example of this activity.
'We are keeping our fingers crossed that we set a new world record but whatever the outcome this event will leave a lasting legacy for local communities across the UK as well as furthering people's understanding of wildlife and trees.'
By Daily Mail Reporter
The BBC has come under fire for splashing out more than £150,000 of licence-payers' cash giving away trees and vegetable seeds.
The Beeb is handing out 300,000 free trees at a thousand different garden centres, nurseries and DIY stores nationwide.
Each sapling has cost the corporation 32 pence - £96,000 in total - and the Taxpayers' Alliance has accused it of misusing licence fees as if it were a 'charity with a bottomless pit of cash'.
The giveaway was launched on BBC 2 show Autumnwatch and is part of two tree-planting world record bids the broadcaster is mounting next month to mark National Tree Week.
Record attempt: Hainault Forest in Chigwell, Essex where planters hope to beat the current record of 18,124 trees planted in an hour at any one site as part of the BBC's 'Tree O'Clock' initiative
The BBC is aiming to beat the current record of 653,143 trees planted at multiple sites in an hour with its nationwide 'Tree O'Clock' initiative.
And three teams of planters - at Hainault Forest, Chigwell, Essex; Heartwood Forest near St Albans, Hertfordshire and Gransha Park, Londonderry hope to beat the current record of 18,124 trees planted in an hour at any one site.
The BBC says that it is encouraging people to 'do one thing' for the environment by planting a tree and is working with organisations including The Woodland Trust, Forestry Commission and local authorities.
This summer, it spent £57,500 on giving away 250,000 packets of vegetable seeds at 23 pence per pack as part of its 'Dig In' campaign.
Packets of tomato, carrot, beetroot, lettuce and squash seeds were given away to encourage 'grow your own veg' on allotments.
The Taxpayers' Alliance has branded the handouts, which cost £153,500 in total, 'well-intentioned but totally misguided'.
Spokeswoman Susie Squire said: 'These initiatives are doubtless well-intentioned. Of course, we should all care about the environment and most of us do.
'But it is totally misguided for the BBC to blow huge amounts of licence-payers' cash on trees and vegetable seeds when there are numerous worthy bodies working on these causes.
'They have failed to realise that in the wake of many BBC spending scandals they should be tightening their belts and concentrating on delivering public service programming.
'The BBC often tells us they are cash-strapped when it comes to programming and then they go and act as if they were a charity with a bottomless pit of cash.
'It is fine if they want to devote airtime to promoting worthy causes like these.
'But they seem to forget that anyone with a TV set has to pay the licence fee whether they want to or not.
'And a lot of licence fee payers have lost faith with Auntie because they see their money spent in ways like this that are not legitimate expenditure.'
The BBC has been appealing for individuals, schools, workplaces and community groups to plant trees for an hour between 11am and noon on December 5.
The saplings being given away are all UK native species suitable for planting in small gardens and include rowan, silver birch, cherry, hazel, field maple and hawthorn.
Experts will be on hand at garden centres to give planting advice so that the trees have the best possible chance of survival.
Planters are asked to take a digital photo of themselves with their sapling and send it to BBC Breathing Places, which aims to 'inspire and empower individuals to take action that benefits communities'.
Woodland Trust volunteers and 250 scouts and cadets are taking part in the Hainault Forest record bid.
The trust's James Luxton said: 'It is going to be one hell of a challenge physically.
'Our team will have to plant a tree roughly every fifteen seconds for an hour.
'There will be diggers with shovels to make small holes and assistants to put the tree in.
'They have to be planted properly for the tree to count in the overall total, so they can't just be wedged in any old how.
'We are extending the existing ten hectares of woodland and this is a continuation of planting projects that have involved local schools.
'It will be hard work but we are confident of breaking the record.'
A BBC spokeswoman said: 'The BBC is one of many organisations providing communities around the UK with free trees.
'For 80 years, the promotion of education and learning has been a core part of the BBC's public purpose.
'We have always offered a range of resources and activities for children, teachers, parents and adult learners and Breathing Places is a popular and highly successful example of this activity.
'We are keeping our fingers crossed that we set a new world record but whatever the outcome this event will leave a lasting legacy for local communities across the UK as well as furthering people's understanding of wildlife and trees.'