The Charity Commission is considering an application to register a charity called "The W2 Foundation', that is linked to Tony Blair.

Christmas came early for some charity shops with shoppers rushing to snap up bargains in early December. The British Red Cross achieved it best ever charity shop sales in the first week of December, raising £542,000, thanks to increased investment in its 351 charity shops, including improved performance management and the introduction of a shop league table.

Charities are to compete in a timed battle to create a cause-related marketing campaign next month in an effort to win the Marketing for Good Award 2007. At a daylong conference to be held in London on 28 February, six charities including The Princes Trust, RNIB and Help the Aged will work from a brief to pitch their campaign ideas to an audience of delegates from the charity and corporate marketing sector. A panel of industry experts and a vote from the floor will choose the winner.

Charities should spend their online budget on improving their direct debit conversion rates instead of buying banner ads, fundraisers at the latest Analysis in Fundraising Special Interest Group heard.