.... I have cancelled a monthly direct debit to a small horse charity I have supported for a while.

Why? Because I have never had so much as a personal email, or thank you... or even a "sorry you are leaving us" when I cancelled my DD a couple of weeks ago.

I have decided to put the money into another charity... probably the ILPH or even Racehorse Rehab, but I am disappointed that they are losing out, whilst still feeling unappreciated for giving it to them!

What do you think?

To be effective, charities have to make more of an effort these days, thanks to the lottery :rolleyes:, if they have treated you so ungratefully they are probably not being well managed and consequently you have to wonder how effective they are in using your donations anyway.  I think you should let them know exactly why you are withdrawing your funds and perhaps they might consider sharpening up their act in consideration of the animals depending on them.  Cruel to be kind sort of thing :)

LOL, I sent a snottogram to Cancer Research yesterday, as despite several requests not to they have sent numerous Christmas catalogues to both my current address and old address. I think I've now had around 10 of the same catalogues between the two addresses, despite them assuring me that I have opted out of receiving physical mail on their list.

Wrote to them yesterday (email of course!) pointing out that I objected strongly to this, it had made me re-think where I ordered Christmas cards from, and was on the point of making me re-consider where my monthly payments went too. Don't suppose they'll reply. :rolleyes:

M.

Such a waste of money. They really should get their houses in order

What really bugs me are the charities that send you packs of cards and expect you to donate.  I will not be bullied into giving. 
On the subject of all that unwanted paper coming through our letter boxes - my OH tried to notify the post office this morning to stop the unwanted advertising that will soon be weighing down our poor postie.  I don't know whether he succeeded or not - they don't make it easy.  I don't know how many phone calls he made being past on.  Someone told him that if the postman doesn't deliver it someone else will.  Luckily we don't get anyone down our lane so they are wrong there.

To be honest, that is the type of charity I like, I would like a thank you Christmas card or even a Birthday card as an acknowledgement though so can understand your upset if you get nothing at all, but a lot of charities that I give to, I get fed up of the constant letters asking if I can give more!! I give £5 to this one and that one and to be honest it does all add up, I'm forever getting letters from certain charities with a leaflet of sob stories and another direct debit slip attached to up my amount, it really winds me up, why keep asking more from the ones that are giving???

I have a couple of adopted animals too, and I think the money spent on the updates and pictures and packs I get sent could also be put to better use towards the animals.  I know it is used to tempt people to have an interest in their adoptee, but I'm one of those people who do not need it, an acknowledgement once a year would suit me just fine.

I have to agree. I was very impressed when, having contacted one of the animal charities that I support to inform them of my change of address, I received a personal e-mail in return thanking me for my continued support and wishing me well in my new home :)

I know how you must feel but alot of the small charities have very few volunteers and so their time is very limited and they are not all Supermen and Women ! Alot struggle to keep their heads above water as running a charity relating to animals is a very expensive and time consuming business.

I would perhaps re think and reinstate the donation and maybe even offer to help them out in a more practical way as often this will be more effective for the charity than a small donation every month :) JMHO :)

Um, actually, I am pretty sure they would far rather have my donation. This is not a local charity and I have no time to help out. They need money - especially coming into winter. It only takes a very small amount of time to send out a thankyou email for what adds up to a few hundred quid a year! :) Its basic PR. I am supporting a charity they choose to run -  the least I can expect is a thank you.

Carla you can give support in many way even if you don't live near ;) Perhaps offer to take on some of the Admin maybe as that seems to be a problem for them :)

Money is not the only thing Charities rely on ;) Volunteers are a major part of running any charity :)

Nope, not possible I'm afraid. I have no time to do anything like that so I help in the only way I can :)

Then why cancel the donation ? I donate to a couple of small charities and don't expect personal thanks, I really do not think it is necessary :) I think they have far more important things to do :)

Then we'll have to agree to disagree then because I do.

Ok :)

I like giving to the dog trust as they send you updates and I like to know how my dog is doing.

I have to agree with Carla, a little time taken to say 'thankyou your donation is appreciated' makes a HYOOGE difference.

I am frequently finding that charities seem to struggle when it comes to saying thankyou, that big ones do so isnt a huge surprise but that little ones do too IS.

It doesnt stop at not saying thankyou for donating money - i have had people fail to say thanks for donations of specifically made goods for their auctions, complete lack of response to offers of any kind of help, and im not the only one either.

I do think, if a charity cannot organise themselves to get teh PR side right, can they organise themselves to do the best for their cause?

Em

You shouldn't donate & expect a thank you, you're donating because you want to help the charity out not to recieve some thank you note to make you feel good....simply by donating should be good enough!  I donate to 3 charities on a weekly, monthly & quarterley basis & when I signed up I specifically asked for no mail etc to be sent, stating I would rather they used their money to help the cause than send me stuff & it seems to have worked...

It costs nothing to send an email to acknowledge a donation. I have donated to other charities on a one off basis before and always had a simple "thank you very much". The reason I donate to smaller charities is because I don't want the junk mail and waste - but a quick note to say "thanks for your support" is not too much to ask. Its nothing to do with making me feel good but for all I know they might not have been receiving the donations through Paypal!

I give to Dogs Trust and they send valentines cards and postcards etc from your sponsor dog but I think you can opt out of that so they can send less and spend less on it I suppose.  They just go in the bin eventually anyway so I personally wouldn't mind if they didn't send cards.  My other charity is an Asian school sponser thing and they email me once a year to let me know what's going on which is quite nice to see how they're progressing.  I think an email is fine.  Lots of paper stuff isn't for me.

CG

I would have just dropped a quick e-mail to them just to put my mind at rest that they were recieving the money if I was at all worried rather than just cancel the payment :)

I must admit I donate to a Charity because I believe in what they are doing rather than becuase I don't want their junk mail :)

It costs time to send an e-mail which alot of small charities often do not have time to spare :)

I do understand in some respects what you are saying but maybe have a thought about if you were in their shoes :)