http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article622810.ece
SCROOGE MoD chiefs are making a fortune by charging forces’ charities for holding fundraising events on military land.
Warped ministry rules — exposed by The Sun today — mean do-gooders have to pay full commercial rents for their events.
In one of the worst examples, the Army Benevolent Fund was landed with a £7,000 bill for using Sandhurst for a gala — while top actress Dame Judi Dench and singer Myleene Klass gave up their time for free.
Other charities hit include the SSAFA — who help hard-up squaddies and their families — and Children In Need.
Livid soldiers are petitioning PM Gordon Brown against making charities pay the same rent as private firms for events ranging from posh dinners to sponsored bike rides and parachute jumps.
Up to a sixth of cash raised by charity events on military land in the last 18 months has gone to paying the rents — making the Treasury tens of thousands of pounds.
The Sun’s Jeremy Clarkson, patron of our Help For Heroes campaign, said: “Forces charities don’t exist to make money for shareholders — they do it for the MoD’s own people.
“If the Government has any compassion it must scrap these charges immediately.”
The online petition to the PM already has almost 1,000 signatures, including serving officers.
New Lib-Dem leader Nick Clegg last night vowed to champion the issue in Parliament.
He said: “We ask for the ultimate sacrifice from our servicemen and women yet the Government continues to treat them in this shabby and disrespectful way.”
An MoD spokeswoman said: “We charge to recover insurance, maintenance and admin fees — and cannot differentiate charities from other organisations.”
Sign the petition here
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/servicecharities/#detail