Our supporter promise

Glaucoma UK strives to be at the forefront of best fundraising practice, to be transparent, compliant with regulations and to act ethically and with integrity when seeking financial support from members, donors, organisations and the general public. This promise outlines the commitment made to all our supporters.

We promise to act within the law, be open and honest, and ask for support in a respectful and considerate manner.

Our supporters are at the heart of everything we do. We believe that donating or raising funds for us should be a pleasing and fulfilling experience. We promise to treat our supporters with the highest level of respect, and ensure that their personal wishes are carried out and that any financial request is made in a timely, polite and appropriate manner. If someone is unhappy with an approach we have made we will act immediately to try to rectify the situation and review our systems to make improvements.

We will:

  • Treat supporters (actual and potential) with respect and courtesy.
  • Ask for donations in sensitive ways. We will not bombard supporters or put pressure on them to make a gift. If someone does not want to give or wishes to cease giving, we will respect that decision.
  • Respect supporters’ communication preferences and comply immediately with requests to ‘opt out’ of receiving fundraising communications.
  • Take care not to use any images that may cause distress or anxiety
  • Be aware that some of our supporters may be vulnerable. We will not knowingly solicit donations from vulnerable people, for example those who have a learning disability, dementia, autism, significant mental health problems, or to anyone aged under 18 (where known).
  • Be transparent in reporting how contributions are spent.
  • Never share supporter contact details with any external organisation except those who have a valid need to know, such as banks, HMRC, or printers who distribute membership communications, etc.
  • Ensure that, where our supporters’ preferred format is known, we communicate with them via those means. We can currently offer large print (18 font), Jumbo print (24 font), by email and by post and we aspire to catering for all needs including audio and Braille if appropriate.
  • Ensure that supporter data is held and handled securely, complying with Data Protection regulations as set out by the Information Commissioner and other statutory bodies. Staff will also adhere to Glaucoma UK policies covering data security, confidentiality, etc.
  • Log all complaints and ‘near misses’, and review these regularly to ensure that errors are corrected, processes are improved, and risk is controlled. These will be reported to the Senior Management Team.
  • Comply with all legal requirements, permits and licences.
  • Ensure that when collecting in public areas, staff and volunteers wear clear identification of their role (photo ID for staff, and stickers/photo ID for volunteers), are respectful to potential donors and do not overtly pressure for donations or shake tins or buckets.
  • Be registered with the Fundraising Regulator and comply with the Code of Fundraising Practice as well as other regulatory requirements as required.

The Fundraising Manager is responsible for providing the CEO and SMT with information and training where needed. in order to implement and comply with this Promise. They will also ensure that Glaucoma UK keeps abreast of changes in the law, regulations and best practice guidance and that activity meets professional fundraising standards and codes where appropriate.

All Glaucoma UK staff and trustees are expected to abide by this Promise and failure to adhere to it may result in action being taken, including disciplinary action. The Promise will be reviewed annually by the Fundraising Manger and CEO.

August 2020

Registered with Fundraising Regulator

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