'Do homeless need Paul McCartney tickets or a roof over their head?': Salvation Army chief's daughter in donation storm

www.telegraph.co.uk
'Do homeless need Paul McCartney tickets or a roof over their head?': Salvation Army chief's daughter in donation storm
 By Jonathan Pearlman, SYDNEY
28 DECEMBER 2017


Fiasco: Tickets for one of Paul McCartney's Australian tour dates, intended for the homeless, went into the hands of the daughter of Salvation Army chief Major Brendan Nottle

The Salvation Army in Australia has admitted “we got it wrong” after it gave away donated tickets to a Paul McCartney concert – which were intended to be given to the homeless - to the daughter of Major Brendan Nottle, the charity’s head.

Chris McDonald, the donor and a former homeless person, said he was a diehard Beatles fan and saved up for a year to buy seven tickets to donate, at a cost of about £1,360.

But he was surprised to see two well-dressed people in the allocated seats and, following a search on Facebook, he learnt that they were Ash Nottle, Major Nottle’s daughter, and her partner.

"I'm not a wealthy man myself," Mr McDonald told The Age. "But I wanted to give people something unusual beyond what they would have disposable income for themselves. To give something to people who need a lift and to remind them they're included in the wonderful things of the world."

The charity later said that two of the homeless people had returned their tickets about five hours before the show and these tickets were given to Ms Nottle.

“It had absolutely nothing to do with me,” Major Nottle told Radio 3AW. “The manager did the ring around of other homeless people and volunteer staff and wasn’t able to move them [the tickets] because it was so late.”

"The golden rule is never to dip your hand into the donations, it calls the integrity of the entire organisation into dispute"
Chris McDonald, donor

Major Nottle said the cost of the tickets would be reimbursed to Mr McDonald. He said his daughter was supposed to “look out” for the homeless attendees at the concert.

“When you’re working with homeless people, to be blunt, do homeless people need tickets to Paul McCartney or do they need a roof over their head?”, he said.

“We are not Ticketmaster, we are not concert promoters, we don’t do that stuff and we get it wrong sometimes, you know.”

Mr McDonald said he supported the charity but the incident was “not the spirit of my donation”.

"They do an awful lot of good for people and for the homeless," he said. "I have been a recipient of their relief so I know how important the work they do is, but the golden rule is never to dip your hand into the donations, it calls the integrity of the entire organisation into dispute."





www.nme.com
Paul McCartney tickets reserved for the homeless given to Salvation Army leader’s daughter
By Sam Moore
Dec 28, 2017


Paul McCartney Credit: Getty

The leader of the Australian branch of the organisation defended their actions, but added that they would “absolutely learn from this”

The leader of the Salvation Army in Australia has defended the organisation after his daughter was given tickets for a Sir Paul McCartney gig which had initially been reserved for homeless people.

Seven tickets for McCartney’s show at AAMI Park in Melbourne on December 5 had been put aside for homeless people thanks to a donation by Chris McDonald, who donated the tickets directly to the Salvation Army.

However, two of the seven ticketholders were unable to attend the show and returned the tickets to the organisation – which were then passed onto Ash Nottle, the daughter of Salvation Army major Brendan Nottle.

“At the last minute, two tickets were returned and [a manager] made the decision to give them to my daughter. It had absolutely had nothing to do with me,” Nottle told 3AW. “The manager did the ring-around of other homeless people and volunteer staff and wasn’t able to move them because it was so late.”



Nottle said that his daughter had accepted the tickets under the premise that she and her partner would “look out for” the five homeless people who actually attended the gig.

The Salvation Army will now reimburse McDonald for all seven tickets, with Nottle adding that gig tickets were not an appropriate donation for the homeless.

“When you’re working with homeless people, to be blunt, do homeless people need tickets to Paul McCartney or do they need a roof over their head?” he said. “Do they need assistance with mental health issues or trauma or do they need food in their belly? I think the answer’s pretty obvious.

“We are not Ticketmaster, we are not concert promoters, we don’t do that stuff and we get it wrong sometimes, you know.”

Nottle said that the organisation would “absolutely learn from this”.

“The tragic thing is the daughter that’s involved is one of the most giving people I know. In this work you don’t do this stuff for the kickbacks.”




McDonald said that he still supported the Salvation Army, revealing that he had once been a recipient of the relief they provide.

“They do an awful lot of good for people and for the homeless. I have been a recipient of their relief so I know how important the work they do is, but the golden rule is never to dip your hand into the donations – it calls the integrity of the entire organisation into dispute.”