Cheque-ing out

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Cheque-ing out3

Fundraising | Suzie Who | 9 Feb 2010

I am in two minds about whether or not it is such an issue that cheques are being withdrawn. Being an old-fashioned kind of girl I still like to write the odd cheque so will be sad to see them go, but even I am prepared to pay with plastic or online nowadays.

During their recent appeal for Haiti the DEC had raised several million pounds online before they even launched their campaign and other development charities are reporting unprecendented levels of online giving, even compared to the Tsunami five years ago.

The reality is that the world has changed and is continuing to change at an incredible pace. And this is a good thing for charities if we chose to keep up. People responding to a disaster appeal online must be good news - charities, and therefore beneficiaries, get the funds faster and can plan and implement their response while donations made by cheque are still being processed.

I know some people don't yet understand how text donations work or use internet banking, but no one is talking about getting rid of cheques tomorrow. By the time they are phased out (2018) I think most of our dorothy donors will either be dead or have started texting - if not quite twittering. A lot can happen in 8 years...

Directory: Disasters Emergency Committee

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David Sturt
Finance Director
BBF
10 Feb 2010

My main concern about the withdrawal of cheques is how it will affect some elderly/disabled people and others who do not use, or do not want to use, online banking to make simple transfer to relatives etc. In this category I include my 91-year-old mother.

By 2018 my mother may not be here and other elderly people may have become devotees of online banking, but that remains to be seen.

[Reply]

Dan Fletcher
Head of Partnerships and Fundraising
The King's Fund
9 Feb 2010

Sometimes forgotten in this debate is the role of cheques from institutions, and in particular small grant-making trusts. These small, but nonetheless, valuable trusts write grant cheques from a corporate bank account, signed off by two or more trustees, to dispense of their largesse.

This is efficient as there is no additional administration expense than writing and posting the cheque. What will happen to these important gifts to charity in 2019?

[Reply]

Peter Munro
Treasurer
Borders Family History Society
9 Feb 2010

I don't agree, it will be a disaster for us; most of our members use cheques only. A significant proportion don't have mobile phones, debit cards, credit cards, and don't want to use standing orders or direct debits.

When cheques are withdrawn, I fear that we will lose half our membership income.

I think this will be a pattern experienced by hundreds, possibly thousands, of charities, especially those whose members or target audience are over 60.

[Reply]

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