Elspa quids in from annual fundraising

The European Leisure Software Publishers' Association (Elspa) has come under fire after revelations that the games industry's fundraising efforts resulted in it receiving more than Great Ormond Street hospital and cancer charities.

The annual fundraising attempt brought in more than #1 million through software publishers donating royalties from certain games to the fund.

Elspa, which largely deals with combating software piracy, received #100,000, the same figure as Alder Hey Hospital and #35,000 more than Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children.

The association received significantly more than both Macmillan Cancer Relief and the Children's Cancer Fund. The majority of charities received between #5,000 and #20,000.

One of the leading figures in the fundraising, Rod Cousens, president and chief operating officer at Acclaim Entertainment, said the money was for worthwhile causes and not just charities. But the perceived disparity in the worthiness of causes has resulted in claims of greed against the industry.

Roger Bennett, director general of Elspa, said it was funded by the games industry and was pleased to have received the funds. He claimed the decision to donate the money had been made by an industry committee.

'A huge amount of charities have benefited from the fund. It is small-minded of people to think the industry shouldn't reinvest - Elspa is trying to stop criminals who are damaging the industry,' he added.