Dick,

Get a sense of proportion will you?

Coalition - hospitals, jobs, defence, security, etc. ie. the things import to the survival of every person in the realm and supported by the compulsory taxation of every person in the realm.

EFDSS has a library and venue and 4,000 or so members who expect their subs to be spent in a sensible way which meets their collective aims.

In what way is it disrespecting professional musicians? It owes no debt to anyone who chooses to earn their living as a professional performer, including me when I was full time. It is a charity trying to further cultural aims for its members in whatever ways it can afford to do it. As a member I ask it to conserve, publish, educate, promote and disseminate folk culture without going bankrupt. Not a difficult concept surely?