Introduction

Vineyard Churches UK and Ireland is registered with the Fundraising Regulator. We are committed to ensuring that our fundraising remains legal, open, honest and respectful and will abide by the Fundraising Code of Conduct. 

The Fundraising Promise

We will commit to high standards

• We will adhere to the Fundraising Code of Practice.
• We will monitor fundraisers, volunteers and third parties working with us to raise funds, to ensure that they comply with the Code of Fundraising Practice and with this Promise.
• We will comply with the law as it applies to charities and fundraising.
• We will display the Fundraising Regulator badge on our fundraising material to show we are committed to good practice.

We will be clear, honest and open

• We will tell the truth and we will not exaggerate.
• We will do what we say we are going to do with donations we receive.
• We will be clear about who we are and what we do.
• We will give a clear explanation of how you can make a gift and change a regular donation.
• Where we ask a third party to fundraise on our behalf, we will make this relationship and the financial arrangement transparent.
• We will be able to explain our fundraising costs and show how they are in the best interests of our cause if challenged.
• We will ensure our complaints process is clear and easily accessible.
• We will provide clear and evidence-based reasons for our decisions on complaints.

We will be respectful

• We will respect your rights and privacy.
• We will not put undue pressure on you to make a gift. If you do not want to give or wish to cease giving, we will respect your decision.
• We will have a procedure for dealing with people in vulnerable circumstances and it will be available on request.
• Where the law requires, we will get your consent before we contact you to fundraise.
• If you tell us that you don’t want us to contact you in a particular way we will not do so. We will work with the Telephone, Mail and Fundraising Preference Services to ensure that those who choose not to receive specific types of communication don’t have to.

We will be fair and reasonable

• We will treat donors and the public fairly, showing sensitivity and adapting our approach depending on your needs.
• We will take care not to use any images or words that intentionally cause distress or anxiety.
• We will take care not to cause nuisance or disruption to the public.

We will be accountable and responsible

• We will manage our resources responsibly and consider the impact of our fundraising on our donors, supporters and the wider public.
• If you are unhappy with anything we’ve done whilst fundraising, you can contact us to make a complaint. We will listen to feedback and respond appropriately to compliments and criticism we receive.
• We will have a complaints procedure, a copy of which will be available on our website or available on request.
• Our complaints procedure will let you know how to contact the Fundraising Regulator in the event that you feel our response is unsatisfactory.
• We will monitor and record the number of complaints we receive each year and share this data with the Fundraising Regulator on request.

Complaints Procedure

We want to ensure that we maintain the highest possible standards when fundraising for the charity. If at any point, you feel that we have fallen short of these high standards then you can make a complaint to us. The following sections of this policy explain how you can make a complaint to us and what you can expect to happen once your complaint is received. 

Contact us

To make a complaint please get in touch with us by:

Post

Vineyard Churches UK & Ireland
Fundraising Complaints Manager
Unit 8
K3 Business Park
200 Clough Road
Hull
HU5 1SW

or;

Email

FAO: Fundraising Complaints Manager
[email protected]

How your complaint will be handled

Upon receiving your complaint, we will:

(1)  confirm receipt of your complaint as soon as possible;
(2)  endeavour to investigate it within a reasonable timescale;
(3)  advise you on the outcome of the investigation no later than 28 days after receiving your complaint; and
(4)  advise you on how to refer the complaint to the Fundraising Regulator if for any reason you are not satisfied with the outcome of our investigation.

Records of complaints

Please be aware that, we have an obligation to maintain records of any complaints that we receive for a minimum of 24 months from the date of receipt of your complaint. All records will be held securely in line with UK data protection legislation and the Vineyard Churches UK & Ireland Data Protection Policy. 

Further Information 

If you would like any further information about our fundraising practices or would like to make a donation to Vineyard Churches UK & Ireland you can contact the Finance and Legal Office at [email protected] or call us on 01482 462 690.