Tracey has warned residents who give unwanted goods on their doorstep to charitable causes to take care in ensuring that the goods will reach genuine charity beneficiaries.
Many people in Chatham & Aylesford generously donate goods through household collections to raise money for charity. Sadly, some bogus operators are currently posing as charitable collectors in the area and others are stealing bags of goods intended for charity. Tracey is working with the Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) and Institute of Fundraising on their Bogus Bags campaign to encourage everyone who gives to good causes to make a few simple checks to enable you to give with confidence.
Legitimate charitable collection bags will clearly state which charity funds are being raised for, have a registered charity number and a working landline telephone number for you to call. If you are worried, you can check these details with the Charity Commission. As with any fundraising appeal, look out for the FRSB’s give with confidence tick logo, showing that the charity has signed up to fundraising regulation and industry standards.
Please continue to donate – just take that extra care in making sure your goods go to genuine charities who need your support now more than ever.
Supporting the Bogus Bags campaign, Tracey said, “We are aware that some bogus operators are collecting goods in the area and giving the false impression that they are being sold for charitable causes. Having been on the receiving end of a bogus bag myself, I am all too aware of the scale of this problem. Not only is this a crime against local householders, but charities are losing out on millions in lost income each year – money that is desperately needed. I am calling on residents to make a few simple checks so that you can give with confidence to the charities that so desperately need our support”.
Alistair McLean, Chief Executive of the Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB), adds “While charity bag crime is a worry for all, we ask donors to remember that the large majority of collections are legitimate and that charities rely heavily on this income stream. The authorities are cracking down hard on perpetrators and there are some simple steps you can take to ensure you are supporting a genuine charity.”
Check – Legitimate charity collection bags will clearly state what organisation(s) funds are being raised for and feature a registered charity number. You can check these details with the Charity Commission at www.charitycommission.gov.uk.
Look for the tick – As with any fundraising appeal, look for the FRSB tick logo indicating that the charity is signed up to fundraising regulation and industry standards. Find out more at www.givewithconfidence.org.uk.
Call – A charity collector would ensure there is a working landline telephone number for you to contact them on.
After making these checks, if you think that a collection is not legitimate, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or visit www.actionfraud.org.uk.
Charity collections of household goods are an important way of not only reducing waste and preserving the environment, but of generating vital funding for good causes. Charities deliver branded bags to households asking the public to fill them with unwanted clothes and goods before a set collection date. Whether collected goods are passed on for resale at charity shops, sold overseas or recycled, they can generate a solid income stream for good causes.
For more information, visit www.givewithconfidence.org.uk