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| Charities back 'strengthened' fundraising code | Charities back 'strengthened' fundraising code |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Leading charities say they will commit to a "strengthened" fundraising code to stop vulnerable donors being exploited. | Leading charities say they will commit to a "strengthened" fundraising code to stop vulnerable donors being exploited. |
| Writing to the Sunday Times, 17 charity bosses said they would support the creation of a new regulator which could investigate and use "strong penalties" for any charity breaking the rules. | Writing to the Sunday Times, 17 charity bosses said they would support the creation of a new regulator which could investigate and use "strong penalties" for any charity breaking the rules. |
| No-one should be "pressured into giving", the charity leaders wrote. | No-one should be "pressured into giving", the charity leaders wrote. |
| They are also expected to back an "opt-in" system, banning donors' details being passed on without permission. | |
| The 17 chief executives represent charities including Cancer Research UK, Oxfam, the Royal British Legion and Save the Children. | The 17 chief executives represent charities including Cancer Research UK, Oxfam, the Royal British Legion and Save the Children. |
| They said British people were "incredibly generous", adding: "This generosity places a big responsibility on all UK charities to behave well in everything we do - especially in how we ask for support." | They said British people were "incredibly generous", adding: "This generosity places a big responsibility on all UK charities to behave well in everything we do - especially in how we ask for support." |
| The letter continued: "We will commit to a strengthened Code of Fundraising Practice to guide how we contact people and ask for support. | The letter continued: "We will commit to a strengthened Code of Fundraising Practice to guide how we contact people and ask for support. |
| "We will ensure at all times that we protect and safeguard those who might be vulnerable from undue pressure." | "We will ensure at all times that we protect and safeguard those who might be vulnerable from undue pressure." |
| 'Ban' tiny print | |
| The Information Commissioner's Office is currently looking into claims that an 87-year-old man's personal details were sold or passed on by charities up to 200 times. | |
| It is the latest in a series of cases where charities have allegedly contacted vulnerable people. | |
| Richard Taylor, chief executive of the Institute of Fundraising, which organised the letter to the Sunday Times, said: "I don't know any fundraisers who wouldn't be shocked if they thought they've created anxiety and distress to members of the public. | |
| "Where that's happened I want to apologise for that and say sorry, we have fallen below the expectations of the public." | |
| He added: "Data selling shouldn't be buried in the small print and I expect that to be dealt with so you ban the size of text where it's so small it can be lost." | |
| Tim Hunter, director of fundraising for Oxfam - which does not pass on donors' details - said the public outcry over aggressive fundraising practices had forced charities to act. People's generosity "needs to be backed up by trust," he added. |