In article >,
says...
>
> Janet UK, I just got one of those foot and mouth artist packets for the first time this month. I
> tossed it without opening it.

I just looked them up to see if they are still active here and it turns
out they are not a charity at all :-( and have a sickening reputation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associa..._Painting_Arti
sts_of_the_World

quote

"Controversies

The AMFPA has in later years been the subject of several exposés in
German, French, Swiss, Swedish, Norwegian, Polish, British, Canadian and
Danish media, suggesting unethical behaviour within the organization.
The coverage has spurred criticism from charity, consumer and handicap
organizations. The criticism includes:

That AMFPA effectively poses as a charity organization although it
is purely a commercial venture, in effect conning charitable people out
of money.[2][3][4][5]
That only a fraction of the surplus is paid out to the handicapped
artists, since only 94 (2008) of them are fully employed by the company,
which in turn allegedly turns a world wide profit in the hundreds of
millions US$.[5][6][7] The precise world wide profit is confidential.
That high salaries, favourable loans and property lease contracts
are given to AMFPAs long-time legal adviser Herbert Batliner, his
friends and family and other lawyers employed at the AMFPA.[2][4][5][7]
Recently retired Batliner is himself a controversy, being previously
accused of money laundering for Colombian drug barons and for his
alleged involvement in the 1999 German CDU contribution scandal.[8][9]
That funds are being diverted to unknown parties via a network of
"mailbox" companies.[6][7]
The use of high pressure sales tactics by sending its main sales
item, Christmas card packages to consumers via unsolicited direct mail
with an option to pay afterwards.[4]
The secrecy maintained by the company.

No claims have been made suggesting any illegal activity by AMFPA.
Thecriticism has been centered on what is perceived as bad ethics."
<......>
Litigation
In June 2007 the company sued Danish Broadcasting Corporation and Danish
daily Ekstra Bladet for libel after negative coverage during December
2005. On October 10, 2008 the High Court of Eastern Denmark ruled in
favor of the accused journalists, stating that there was sufficient
factual basis for statements like: "Behind the scenes we found a well-
oiled money making machine with economic puppeteers, who are scraping in
money with arms and legs", "People think they are supporting a charity,
but in reality we are looking at a money making machine" and "...only a
measly 3% is going to the mouth and foot painting artists". AMFPA has
not appealed the decision"
end quote

Janet UK