Blind Trust NOT collecting for the Foundation

Blind Trust NOT collecting for the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind

The Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind is concerned that confusion is being created by the activities of the Blind Trust.

“People appear to believe that they are donating to the Foundation when they give to the Trust and this is not so,” says Jane Holden, Chief Executive for the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind.

The Trust is currently telemarketing in the Gisborne and Bay of Plenty areas but has also held street collections and telemarketing campaigns in other parts of the country over recent years.

“We are deeply troubled that this Trust is collecting money from people who assume the Trust is part of the Foundation,” says Jane Holden, “This has never been so. The funds they raise do not come to the Foundation.”

The Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind is proud of the systems it has in place that enable it to report back to its supporters how their donations have been used. “We are audited annually by an external auditor and report in our Annual Report on how we have spent supporters donations. We also provide receipts when requested. If people want to support blind people, donating to the Foundation is a reliable way of ensuring that their donation is used wisely and for the purpose of providing services to blind and sight-impaired people.

“The activities of the Blind Trust have the potential to confuse donors who think they are donating to the Foundation relying on the excellent reputation it has established over a century. We value this reputation and are anxious that people are aware that we are NOT in any way associated with the Blind Trust. We therefore, want everyone who receives a call from the Blind Trust, by telephone or in person, to understand that if they choose to make a donation to that Trust that the money is not going to the Foundation or to any of its programmes,” says Jane Holden.

ENDS

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