Users will be able to track how much they have donated and learn more about the work of the charity
Oxfam has launched a new smartphone app it says will make it easier for supporters to donate and help them understand better where their money goes.
The charity will provide live updates on emergencies, video messages from Oxfam staff on the ground and real-life stories directly to its supporters via the app.
Tracking shows how much an individual has donated over a year to the charity and even alerts users as to when an item they have donated to one of the charity’s shops has been sold.
Paul Vanags, Oxfam's head of public fundraising, said: "Charities are striving to meet the public's demand for a closer, more modern and responsive relationship with the charities they support. Oxfam's personalised app is another step towards that.
"My Oxfam provides a window onto the lives changed by our supporters' generosity and allows users to control their giving from the palm of their hand.
“The app gives them complete control of their support anytime anywhere and allows them to experience the impact of their generosity.
"Our supporters are the lifeblood of our organisation and their donations make a massive difference to millions of people around the world. We want to make giving easy and rewarding."
Last year a survey conducted for the Charity Commission found that in England and Wales negative media headlines surrounding charities – particularly over fundraising tactics – resulted in the number of people trusting charities declining from 67% in 2014 to 57%.
The decline in Scotland was not quite so severe with the equivalent body, the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator finding that 63% of Scots said they trust charities compared to 68% two years ago.
The My Oxfam app is available for iOS and Android via the Apple Store or Google Play Store and aims to give a new level of intimacy and transparency to everyday philanthropy - via its videos, quick-view galleries and bite-size news.
When there is a humanitarian emergency, supporters will be able to follow the situation in real time starting with an alert and moving through to video diaries from Oxfam staff and updates long after the initial response has finished.
By using the 'Support Now' dial, supporters can control the amount of their monthly gift, or choose to make a one-off donation to Oxfam's work or to a particular humanitarian appeal via card, PayPal, SMS or direct debit.
The app keeps a running tab of how much a supporter has given and by what method, including any sponsorships or fundraising and any online shop purchases. It even shows when a shop has sold an item that the individual had donated.
Vanags added: "We've strived to make everything easy, transparent and interesting for supporters. We want to say thank you and show people the impact of their ongoing support.
"Never before has Oxfam offered so much control and convenience; from the changeable monthly gift, to the contact preference toggles, to the gift history of when someone supported and how their donation has made a difference. We hope this engages people and brings them closer to the work they make possible."
