Among the philanthropic organisations which are set to benefit from the L-Istrina fund raising features Malta’s Red Cross. Interestingly the UK Red Cross has recently been in the news in a foreign website (Friday, 17 Dec 2010 – 08.26am ) as for it Christmas has been banned. The UK Red Cross banned Christmas from its 430 fund-raising shops in the United Kingdom, according to a MailOnline report.

Christine Banks, a volunteer at a Red Cross shop in Kent, said: “We put up a nativity scene in the window and were told to take it out. It seems we can’t have anything that means Christmas. We’re allowed to have some tinsel but that’s it. When we send cards they have to say season’s greetings or best wishes. They must not be linked directly to Christmas.”

“When we asked we were told it is because we must not upset Muslims.”

UK Red Cross volunteer Christine Banks added: “We have been instructed that we can’t say anything about Christmas and we certainly can’t have a Christmas tree.”

After staff members were directed to remove any other signs of the Christian holiday, there followed criticism from both Christians and Muslims. Most probably Muslims are being blamed for this ‘censorship’ to foment discord between believers when the real culprits are to be found among the militant atheists of the secular humanism organisations and their allies practising immorality ‘as a human right’

■ G. Bonett

Marsalforn