Fundraising bodies critical of 'major inaccuracies' in newspaper article

Brain Tumour Research

1 min read

08 September 2020

A story in The Times this weekend said charities had been accused of breaching rules following a rise in complaints over face-to-face fundraising.

Street, private site and face-to-face fundraising was halted in March as a result of the coronavirus crisis and only resumed again in July.

The Fundraising Regulator and the Institute of Fundraising (IoF) have defended fundraisers following the article that the IoF said contained “major inaccuracies” and disputed claims that charities had been warned not to chase potential donors down the street as a result of Covid-19.

Michael Thelwall, Head of Giving at Brain Tumour Research, said: “These are uncertain times for charities and for the general public on whose donations charities rely. Anyone who has carried out a street collection knows how important they are, not just to raise funds but to make people aware of the charity’s existence and all fundraisers will have stories of extraordinary coincidences and conversations they will have had.

“That said we are in anxious times, and fundraisers have to respect that or risk reputational damage for our individual charities and sector-wide. We work with our team members and volunteers to make sure they are compliant with all current restrictions and expectations whilst also maintaining the vital visibility of Brain Tumour Research on the high street.”

You can access the full article here.