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 monitor all employees, volunteers, and third-party partners working with us to ensure they comply with the Code and 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 will never exaggerate or present misleading information.
• 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.
• Where the law requires, we will obtain 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.

Protecting donors in vulnerable circumstances

VCUKI welcomes support from across our community, but we recognise our duty of care to protect individuals who may be at risk or in vulnerable circumstances.

• For the purpose of financial giving, an adult is considered vulnerable if they are temporarily or permanently unable to make an informed, independent decision about donating money (e.g., due to illness, disability, mental health condition, bereavement, or sudden strain).
• Our staff and volunteers are trained to recognise signs that an individual may lack capacity or be experiencing vulnerability (such as confusion, uncharacteristic forgetfulness, distress, or an inability to understand the financial implications of giving).
• If a VCUKI representative suspects that an individual lacks capacity or is in vulnerable circumstances, they will immediately and politely end the interaction without requesting or accepting a donation.
• If we receive a donation and subsequently discover that the donor lacked capacity or was in vulnerable circumstances at the time of giving, we will investigate sensitively and return the funds to the donor or their authorised representative

Legacies and gifts in wills

VCUKI gratefully accepts legacies and gifts left in wills, which provide vital support for God’s work through our charity. To safeguard the integrity of our organisation and protect our donors, we enforce strict ethical standards regarding legacy giving:

• Because charitable needs change over time, we encourage donors who wish to leave a gift in their will to designate it for the general charitable purposes of VCUKI rather than a restricted purpose
• VCUKI trustees, employees, and volunteers are strictly prohibited from writing or drafting wills on behalf of donors, acting as witnesses to a donor’s will, or agreeing to serve as executors for any will containing a gift to VCUKI (unless explicitly authorised by the Board of Trustees in exceptional circumstances).
• Anyone wishing to discuss leaving a legacy to VCUKI will be advised to seek independent legal counsel (such as a qualified solicitor, the Law Society, or Citizens Advice) before executing their will.

Financial integrity, gift acceptance, and due diligence

VCUKI maintains robust systems to ensure that all funds raised are legitimate, ethically sourced, and properly managed.

• We reserve the right to refuse or return donations that are incompatible with our charitable objectives, derived from illegal activity, or sourced in a manner that could compromise our legal standing or public reputation. We conduct proportional background and identity checks on major organisational and individual contributions
• VCUKI enforces a zero-tolerance policy towards money laundering, fraud, and financial crime. We comply with UK financial sanctions regulations and verify donor identity where required by law
• Physical cash collections are counted and verified by two unrelated people in a secure setting, stored safely, and deposited into official charity bank accounts without delay. Cash change will never be given in exchange for cheque donations
• We claim Gift Aid only on eligible donations accompanied by a valid HMRC-compliant Gift Aid declaration.

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. 

How to 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]

Phone

(UK) 01482 462 690

 

How your complaint will be handled

Upon receiving your complaint, we will:

1. confirm receipt of your complaint as soon as possible (usually within 7 days);
2. endeavour to investigate it within a reasonable timescale;
3. advise you on the outcome of the investigation usually 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. 

Escalation to the Fundraising Regulator

If you remain unsatisfied with our final response, you can refer your complaint to the Fundraising Regulator within 2 months of receiving our final outcome.  

• Website: www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk
• Telephone: 0300 999 3407

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.