Face to face fundraising: Frequently asked questions

Fundraising in the high streets, house to house and in venues like shopping centres is a cost effective way to generate more funds to inspire the public about our work.  This is vital if we're to maintain and grow our conservation programmes.  However, we're always monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of our fundraising and if they're no longer proving cost effective we'll either adapt or discontinue the activity. 

WWF-UK isn't able to employ a team of fundraisers ourselves, so we have contracts in place with professional fundraising agencies who do the work for us. This has proven to be successful and cost-effective. 

WWF-UK pays the fundraising agencies (who appoint the fundraisers) a fixed rate for every person who signs up to become a WWF-UK member or adopts an animal. WWF-UK doesn't pay the agency if people decline to sign up. Different agencies have different wage structures to pay their fundraisers.

Yes, in some cases. WWF-UK holds national exemption certificates which mean we can fundraise without approval from local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is no requirement for a certificate in Scotland. However, we advise agencies to notify all local authorities and police stations in advance of our arrival in an area anyway.  For some forms of fundraising, such as private sites like shopping centres, permission is given by the owners of the venue and fundraisers will have documentation to this effect. 

Outside of London, different arrangements are in place with local authorities to gain permission and arrange mutually convenient access to their sites. We take seriously any feedback from local councils - positive or negative - and require fundraising agencies to forward any complaints they receive directly to us. 

In some instances, fundraisers also provide their names; badge IDs and dates they'll be in the area to local police stations - though this is not a specific requirement. 

Yes, your donations go directly into WWF-UK's account. Your payments are completely secure.  The fundraising organisation that the fundraiser works for is not involved in any financial transactions taken from your account. 

Fundraisers are contracted to work on our behalf from 9am – 9pm (Monday – Saturday) and 10am – 9pm (Sunday). Please let us know if you have fundraisers calling outside these times by calling our Supporter Care Team on 01483 426333 (Monday to Thursday - 8am to 7pm, Fridays - 8am to 5pm and Saturdays - 10am to 4pm).

Fundraisers will be wearing WWF-UK uniforms, which may be in the form of t-shirts, polo shirts, sleeveless tabards or jackets. Fundraisers operate on busy streets, in shopping centres and similar venues and house to house. The uniforms they wear may differ slightly depending on where they're fundraising. 

Fundraisers will also carry an ID card which bears their name, photo and details of the fundraising organisation they work for. If you're unsure about the legitimacy of a fundraiser, ask to call the fundraising organisation they work for or contact WWF-UK's Supporter Care Team on 01483 426333 (Monday to Thursday - 8am to 7pm, Fridays - 8am to 5pm and Saturdays - 10am to 4pm) and press option 4. 

Our fundraisers will not ask for money or be able to take cash donations from you. They'll only ask you to support via reoccurring card payment or direct debit. If a fundraiser asks you for cash, please refuse and report the incident to us by calling 01483 426333 immediately as this will not be a genuine WWF-UK fundraiser. 

No, we don't. No Cold Calling Zones (NCCZs) in the UK are designated zones to prevent people selling goods. They're not designated zones to prevent charities from fundraising. However, we do require our fundraisers to avoid these areas in case residents regard fundraisers as salespeople. 

In those areas where NCCZs have not been formally set up but residents have placed a 'No Cold Calling' sticker on their door, we also require fundraisers to avoid these homes.  Though they're directed not to call on doors displaying such stickers, it is possible a fundraiser may have genuinely not seen the sticker; in which case please point it out to them. 

WWF-UK fundraisers are trained not to ask people to become a member of WWF-UK or to adopt an animal if they appear vulnerable. 

If you or somebody you know has felt uncomfortable with a WWF-UK fundraiser, please let us know by calling our Supporter Care Team on 01483 426333 (Monday to Thursday - 8am to 7pm, Fridays - 8am to 5pm and Saturdays - 10am to 4pm).

Yes, all the personal information you give to our fundraisers is secure and treated confidentially. Fundraisers will collect your information either using digital devices such as iPads or using a paper form, depending on whether they are operating in high streets, shopping centres or house to house. All fundraising agencies (who employ the fundraisers) are bound by data protection legislation and must not share your information with anyone else except WWF-UK. After your information has been securely transferred to WWF-UK the fundraising agencies destroy all your information once they have completed their responsibilities.