Liverpool 25 -ish years on (Day 3) and OXFAM

Liverpool has an important Chinese community - one of the oldest it's twinned with Shanghai and has a monster gate (or Paifang ) built in 2000 it has the longest span for a gate outside China.

Liverpool's Chibnese gate - quite a span

It was great to be in the city for the celebrations for the Chinese New Year (this year it's the Year of the Dog).

As well as the usual drumming and crowds there was a fun fair!

Families and Fun celebrate the New Year -Gong Hei Fat Choy!

After lunch we took a trip to the new Liverpool Museum - great guided tour (for free) and learnt plenty of the history of the docks and how people survived in tougher times.


Particularly impressed by the Liverpool Cityscape of Ben Johnson (2008) as well as our friendly guide.

A Museum that reflects the city

'Contrite' Oxfam

Once Proud

Let's face it the biggest (individuals and companies)  and the best can muck up fail - who would have thought that Woolworths could disappear from UK high streets leaving barely an impression or that a throwaway remark from Ratner's CEO would destroy another brand (this used to be the text book example on many MBA classes)?

It's sometime since I was actively supporting OXFAM (I worked as a volunteer assistant in their local Record shop for a few hours a week) , I thought it was a legitimate thing to do the charity had good goals, I suppose I was even proud to be associated with them.

Well now we learn they have had bad employees and hushed up what happened, rather than behave like adults - they've made their troubles worse (as a child might) by

1) Hiding the facts
2) Saying others do the same
3) Saying it's not that serious (impropriety to staff and those they seek to help)
 and
4) Offering a full apology when the game's up

The service that they've done (unwittingly) is exposed the charity sector is not properly monitored (and they have voluntary contributions, tax breaks and UK government money).

I'm not sure that the outfit will fully recover but reform is needed.