Fundraising Preference Service went live yesterday
A hotline for the public to report cold calling by charities received a complaint every minute in its first day of operation.
The Fundraising Preference Service (FPS) went live yesterday (6 July) and by the the end of play had taken over 1,300 calls for “suppression notices”.
The service went live at 5am and enables members of the public to block phone, email, text and direct mail communications from named charities.
Stephen Dunmore, the regulator’s chief executive, said: “The launch of the FPS is a big moment for the Fundraising Regulator and a crucial step in ensuring that the trusting relationship between the sector and the public is rebuilt.
“The high sign up numbers indicate a clear desire from members of the public to have greater control over which charities contact them and how they do it.
“The figures also indicate that many charities have some way to go in how they communicate with individuals.
“That said, we are very encouraged by the progress that is being made by the charity sector in ensuring that fundraising is ethical and respects the wishes of the donor.”
However Sir Stephen Bubb, the former chief executive of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, defended charities’ fund-raising activities.
He said: “It is not wrong for charities to ask people for money indeed it is essential otherwise charities cannot do their job.
“Frankly these are not large numbers of complaints – the vast majority of charities do their fund-raising very responsibly.”
The service is available online or by phone. Family members are also able to use it on behalf of a friend or relative.
