Donors urged to take care when giving to Ukraine causes

[AS THE WAR IN UKRAINE prompted a large number of people to donate to relief charities, the Charity Commission and Fundraising Regulator urged the public to ‘give safely’ to registered charities, helping to support and protect people affected by the invasion.

In a statement, the Fundraising Regulator explained: “As the conflict and ensuing humanitarian situation in Ukraine continues to escalate, it is vital that charitable donations of goods and money reach their intended causes. UK charities are pivotal to a collective response to this crisis.”

The Disasters Emergency Committee – a coalition of 15 leading UK charities – launched a collective appeal to provide emergency aid and rapid relief to civilians suffering during the conflict. Many registered charities are also helping to provide vital life-saving services like water, food and healthcare to those caught up in the conflict, including those forced to flee to neighbouring countries.

The regulator continued: “By giving to a registered, regulated charity, the public can have assurance that their funds will be accounted for in line with the charity law framework. Established charities with experience of responding to disasters are usually best placed to reach victims on the ground.”

It had a word of advice to those wellmeaning individuals prompted to take action independently: “Members of the public initiating their own informal fundraising appeals that are not linked to established registered charities should be aware of the on-going responsibilities associated with overseeing and managing funds and ensuring they are applied in line with donors’ wishes.”

It listed a number of simple checks potential donors should make before giving: • Check the charity’s name and registration • number at www.gov.uk/checkcharity. Most • charities with an annual income of £5,000 • or more must be registered, and donors • can use the advanced search function to • identify charities working in specific • regions and countries. • Make sure the charity is genuine before • giving any financial information. • Be careful when responding to emails or • clicking on links within them. • Contact or find out more online about • the charity that you’re seeking to donate • to or work with, to understand how they • are spending their funds. • Look out for the Fundraising Badge on • charity fundraising materials: that is • the logo which shows that a charity has • committed to fundraise in line with the • Code of Fundraising Practice.

Helen Stephenson CBE, chief executive of the Charity Commission, said: “The public, as always in times of crisis, has responded generously to help those in dire need in Ukraine itself or who have escaped to neighbouring countries. It’s important that this money goes to those who need it most, those whose lives have been uprooted by fighting. We encourage everyone to follow our simple steps to check that their money gets to its intended cause. Donating to a registered charity is a good way to feel confident of that.”

The Fundraising Regulator’s Gerald Oppenheim added: “The devastating situation in Ukraine has captured the hearts of people across the UK, leading to an outpouring of public generosity in response to fundraising campaigns. But people should think carefully before donating goods or money, so that their donations reach the people who need it most. Charities are responsible for making sure that their donations are used for the purpose they were fundraised for.

“That is why, if you are thinking about supporting a fundraising campaign, you should make sure that it is for an established, registered charity that is subject to charity law and fundraising regulations.” q

Help for those with failing sight

[FAILING EYESIGHT is nothing short of a personal catastrophe. Do you have a family member, friend or neighbour who is gradually losing their sight?

Reading, recognising friends and living skills are all affected as your sight is going – and it’s much harder if you live alone.

The National Federation of the Blind of the UK (NFBUK) keeps its members in touch with general information, help and updates on what’s going on.

The charity produces bi-monthly news magazines and circulars in audio, braille or electronically, which members can read independently. It also encourages blind and partially sighted people to play a fuller part in society. q • For further information contact NFBUK on 01924 291313, email admin@nfbuk.org or visit www.nfbuk.org.

Sending out an SOS for the owls

[ESTABLISHED IN 2001, the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary – known, appropriately, as S.O.S. – operates a comprehensive facility for the rescue, care and rehabilitation of owls across East Anglia. It also promotes the need for the conservation of endangered owl species throughout the UK with its Saving Britain's Owls initiative.

The S.O.S. owl and raptor hospital at Stonham Aspal is unique in the region. It is specially equipped for the care and treatment of the many injured wild owls and other birds of prey it receives every year as a result of road traffic accidents, mishaps, starvation, trauma, disease, poisoning and sometimes even shooting or trapping.

Many of the birds can be given a recuperative, short-term pick-me-up before being re-released into the wild. Those that are more seriously injured but stand a chance of recovery are given medical aid and/or surgery, as determined by their vet. The birds are then allowed space and time to fully recuperate in one of the secluded recovery aviaries, before being carefully returned to the wild.

S.O.S. is regenerating its wild owl nest box scheme that includes building, locating and curating long-lasting, environmentally-friendly nest boxes in appropriate locations to replace the gradual erosion of natural nesting sites.

S.O.S. is funded purely by donations, and as a small charity the legacies it receives play an important role in enabling it to continue developing its resources in the interests of conserving owl and other bird of prey wildlife in the UK. q

This sanctuary helps donkeys from Britain, Europe and beyond

[ESTABLISHED IN 1990, NEDDI offers care and safety to donkeys – and to a lesser degree, ponies – in Britain and Europe who have suffered neglect, cruelty or maltreatment or who are at risk of such treatment.

In addition to rescuing such animals from undesirable situations, within the financial and practical constraints prevailing at the time, they work to try to change attitudes and to educate donkey owners into better practices. For example, since 2016 they have been assisting associates in Kenya to achieve those aims for the working animals there.

Since its establishment in Cornwall, NEDDI has operated a sanctuary specifically for distressed donkeys. In 2001 the sanctuary moved to just the other side of the channel, where the resident donkeys enjoy more space and pasture than would otherwise have been possible.

Its policy is to try to offer actual, hands-on help to the animals in need, and to restore them to the maximum possible degree of fitness. Once brought back to full health, new homes are sometimes sought for the fit animals.

Where full health cannot be achieved a safe home is offered to the donkey for the duration of its life.

NEDDI is a comparatively small organisation with limited resources, and relies heavily on support from animal-lovers. A bequest will enable more donkeys to be freed from pain and misery. q 18 18