Are charity ads going too far?

[RollingJ]

If a 'charity' starts bombarding me with begging letters, they get a polite request to cease, and if that fails - they get a lot of 'Return to sender' charges from RM.

[Draggletail]

4 minutes ago, cressida said:

I sent a £10 cheque to the WWF - they got my address from my bank and I was inundated with leaflets left them in the old house,  then I gave £50 to Go Fund Me for Jenny she went to America for treatment but I still get emails.

These follow ups, whether for direct debit donations or one of payments via Go Fund Me, I do find them irritating.

I'm surprised that that your bank gave out your address though. Surely not?

[cressida]

Yes I was really annoyed,  more than one person said it was wrong of them.

[Resident]

48 minutes ago, Draggletail said:

These follow ups, whether for direct debit donations or one of payments via Go Fund Me, I do find them irritating.

I'm surprised that that your bank gave out your address though. Surely not?

 

39 minutes ago, cressida said:

Yes I was really annoyed,  more than one person said it was wrong of them.

Sadly it's the MO of most charities these days. They hook you in with the initial low monthly donations

"just £3 a month..." 

But pretty soon they're cold-calling for you to up it to a fiver or a tenner a month, only for a few months later to get another call to increase it again.

The charities employ cold calling firms to pressure people into raising the amount, usually bombarding elderly and vulnerable donators til they cave in. 

 

[SheffieldForum]

There are good charities and ‘bad’ charities, in terms of how they conduct themselves.

 

Personally, I look for the local good ones — the ones you can actually see stuff happening with and that do things ethically and correct.

 

Also check that they are registered with the Fundraising Regulator and have proper information on their website, etc.

 

There are lots of really good small local charities that get missed a bit due to others getting a lot of the limelight and really need the funding to carry out the amazing work they do.

 

Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust are one of the best in the area — do lots of work across many strands, not only for nature and wildlife but also for people’s wellbeing and helping communities.
 

Starts at just (a ridiculously small) £2.50 per month, they haven’t put up their amounts in about 5 years, nor have they employed call centres to try and hassle you into giving more.

 

Plus their members magazine is incredibly good, you get it three times a year and it is honestly better than most magazines you can buy in the newsagents.

 

[hackey lad]

6 hours ago, cressida said:

I sent a £10 cheque to the WWF - they got my address from my bank and I was inundated with leaflets left them in the old house,  then I gave £50 to Go Fund Me for Jenny she went to America for treatment but I still get emails.

I read that as Jenny went to America to get new nails. 😀

[Tipstaff]

I wonder if the salaries of the boards of directors and CEO's  of some of these charities make astonishing reading?

[gaz 786]

Yes always asking for money. Even when you die they ask for money in your will anyway tax man takes most of it !!!

[spilldig]

In my opinion it's all about lining the CEOs pockets.  I think some of their tactics are despicable.  I always think of that old definition, "Charities, a way of taking money from the poor and giving to the rich."

[SheffieldForum]

7 hours ago, gaz 786 said:

Yes always asking for money. Even when you die they ask for money in your will anyway tax man takes most of it !!!

It can be a really efficient way of releasing money before the estate gets stung with inheritance tax.