World Jewish Relief joins UK self-regulatory body

Members must sign up to an independent, robust and transparent complaints process.

By JONNY PAUL, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT
world jewish relief logo (photo credit: )
world jewish relief logo
(photo credit: )
World Jewish Relief, the overseas aid arm of the UK's Jewish community, is to be the first Jewish charity to join a new self-regulatory body for fundraising in the UK. Last week, the Fundraising Standards Board was launched with hundreds of members, all of whom have committed to a strict set of codes and a fundraising promise pledging to treat the public with respect, fairness, honesty and clarity in all their money raising activities. Nearly 250 charities, including many of the UK's biggest, already joined the scheme ahead of the launch. In addition to the codes and fundraising promise, members must also sign up to an independent, robust and transparent complaints process. Membership will be visible to the public through the addition of the Fundraising Standards Board's logo on fundraising materials. "I have been on both sides - supporting a charity as a member of the public and now chairing WJR," said Nigel Layton. "I think it is really important that a charity is completely honest and transparent about its fundraising standards and it is excellent that an organization like the Fundraising Standards Board has finally been set up to encourage high standards in fundraising. We hope that other Jewish charities will follow." Jon Scourse, chief executive of the Fundraising Standards Board, said he was happy to welcome World Jewish Relief to the scheme. "By signing up to the scheme," he said, "WJR has promised the public to act in a way that is honest, respectful and open." World Jewish Relief was established in 1933 and is currently working on projects in the Ukraine, the former Yugoslavia, Belarus, Argentina and Bulgaria providing life-saving humanitarian aid, community-building projects, care for deprived children and other vital human services. The Fundraising Standards Board scheme was set up after wide consultation with many charitable bodies and the government.