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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jul/04/charity-opt-out-launched-fundraising-preference-service
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| Charity opt-out service launched to crack down on donation requests | Charity opt-out service launched to crack down on donation requests |
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| Charities could be fined tens of thousands of pounds if they fail to comply with rules introduced this week to crack down on nuisance requests for donations. | Charities could be fined tens of thousands of pounds if they fail to comply with rules introduced this week to crack down on nuisance requests for donations. |
| The Fundraising Preference Service (FPS), which launches on Thursday, will allow people to say they want a specified charity or charities to stop contacting them directly by phone, email, text or post. | The Fundraising Preference Service (FPS), which launches on Thursday, will allow people to say they want a specified charity or charities to stop contacting them directly by phone, email, text or post. |
| Should a charity fail to comply, it may be reported by the fundraising regulator to the information commissioner. | Should a charity fail to comply, it may be reported by the fundraising regulator to the information commissioner. |
| The head of the regulator, Michael Grade, said some charities had proven to be “laggards” in reforming their ways despite several high-profile cases exposing “extremely aggressive” practices in recent years. | The head of the regulator, Michael Grade, said some charities had proven to be “laggards” in reforming their ways despite several high-profile cases exposing “extremely aggressive” practices in recent years. |
| Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Lord Grade said: “These stories rightly shocked Britain, and our trust in the charity sector has been sorely tested. It should be no surprise, therefore, that they have led to significant changes to the regulations governing fundraising in this country, designed both to restore that trust and to ensure that such terrible practices are never again tolerated.” | Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Lord Grade said: “These stories rightly shocked Britain, and our trust in the charity sector has been sorely tested. It should be no surprise, therefore, that they have led to significant changes to the regulations governing fundraising in this country, designed both to restore that trust and to ensure that such terrible practices are never again tolerated.” |
| In 2015 there was an outcry over the case of 92-year-old Olive Cooke, one of Britain’s oldest and longest-serving poppy sellers, who killed herself after receiving up to 267 letters a month as well as regular phone calls from fundraisers. | In 2015 there was an outcry over the case of 92-year-old Olive Cooke, one of Britain’s oldest and longest-serving poppy sellers, who killed herself after receiving up to 267 letters a month as well as regular phone calls from fundraisers. |
| Grade said it had been an “annus horribilis” for Britain’s charities, during which some had been exposed for prioritising raising as much money as possible without regard for the donors being targeted. | Grade said it had been an “annus horribilis” for Britain’s charities, during which some had been exposed for prioritising raising as much money as possible without regard for the donors being targeted. |
| The former chairman of BBC and ITV said: “From this Thursday you will have the power to control the flow of communications that you receive from charities thanks to the Fundraising Preference Service. Developed and operated by the Fundraising Regulator, which I chair, it will enable you to block direct marketing communications from particular charities. | The former chairman of BBC and ITV said: “From this Thursday you will have the power to control the flow of communications that you receive from charities thanks to the Fundraising Preference Service. Developed and operated by the Fundraising Regulator, which I chair, it will enable you to block direct marketing communications from particular charities. |
| “In practice, this will mean that you will be able to go online or pick up a phone and name charities from which you no longer want to receive post, phone, text or email marketing communications.” | “In practice, this will mean that you will be able to go online or pick up a phone and name charities from which you no longer want to receive post, phone, text or email marketing communications.” |
| Charities reported to the regulator will be issued with suppression orders giving them 28 days to stop contacting the complainant with unsolicited messages. | Charities reported to the regulator will be issued with suppression orders giving them 28 days to stop contacting the complainant with unsolicited messages. |
| Should they continue, the charities could be reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office, which has the power to prosecute under the Data Protection Act 1998 and issue fines if there has been a breach. |