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Assume nothing - the death of cheques does not mean the end of cheque donors

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 26 Nov 2009

The long history of the cheque could soon be coming to an end.

The mysterious forces behind the Payments Council shall be meeting next month to decide whether signing a rectangular piece of paper will still entitle the bearer ‘to the sum of’ in the post-2018 future.

For some charities, this is going to require a massive shift in the way they process and solicit their donations. Donkey Sanctuary gets in a whopping 70 per cent of its income in ye olde cheque form. Will that 70 per cent suddenly start coming in via online marathon sponsorship pages? Perhaps not (particularly when the SPANA donkeys put in such a good show in London’s long distance running events).

But perhaps it is time to assume nothing. My argument is backed by a discreet sample of the donating public: me. 

I wrote my first ever ‘for real’ cheque last week.

Not only that, but I entered my first ever raffle as a consenting adult (as opposed to peer pressured primary school student). And not only that, but I sent the cheque for the raffle in the post. The paper post. I bought a stamp and everything.

This is highly unusual behaviour for me. My typical way of donating to charity is via direct debit donation, online sponsorship of friends on (increasingly less impressive) events and the occasional foray into a charity shop. The last time I bought a stamp was in 2006 for a postcard to my mum.

Prior to being asked by a friend to enter this raffle, I was not even sure I owned a chequebook. It took me and my partner an embarrassing length of time to locate and fill in the cheque, not sure of the peculiar traditions of the payment form.

But I still donated. I donated because I was asked and because I believe in the charity (the original request for raffle tickets came via a solitary and probably ignore-able Facebook status update).

Habits are breakable, if they deserve to be broken.

I am aware that some charities will have to mollycoddle their older donors through first-time credit card payments. I know that the ceremonial giant cheque will lose much of its appeal if even its miniature equivalent is no longer legal tender.

Older donors may be stuck in their ways, but surely they are not stupid.

If I can write a cheque, Dorothy can phone a call centre, and the Big Money people can get their people to organise a bank transfer.

But those giant cheques will be sorely missed.

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