Letter: Quit the City for a high-pressure life

Sir: Hamish McRae's contributions to national debates are always worth a read. In today's article ("Tax on the rich that delivers few votes and less revenue", 10 January), however, he perpetuates the false assumption that working for a charity is less high-pressured than a job in the City.

As a former investment banker who moved to the charity sector three years ago, I can assure you that the challenges faced by charity managers - increasing competition for funds, pressures for improved performance from donors and beneficiaries, anticipating the impact of the rapid changes in the sector's environment in the UK and overseas - lead to as many, if not more, sleepless nights as are suffered by those working in financial services.

What is wholly different is the personal satisfaction that comes from seeing our efforts lead to real improvements in the lives of our beneficiaries rather than to increases in profits, market share or our own wage packet.

NIGEL SAXBY-SOFFE

Director of Finance and IT

Actionaid

London N19