# DEC how you can help page omits to mention giving by telephone

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2005/01/04/dec-how-you-can-help-page-omits-mention-giving-telephone/
- Published: 2005-01-04T00:00:00+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

The Disasters Emergency Committee’s Web page that details how to help still doesn’t
mention giving by telephone.
The “making a donation” section of the DEC’s Web site
mentions giving online, sending cash/cheque/postal orders or charity vouchers through
the post, and completing a

a DEC Bank Giro Credit Slip/ Transcash voucher at any high street bank or Post Office.

One week after the Tsunami Earthquake appeal was launched, there is, however, no
mention on that page of giving by telephone, one of the two most important methods
of making a rapid donation.

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Nor is there any mention of the facility to make a donation by SMS, although that
was only introduced in the past 24 hours.

Given the massive response to the current emergency appeal, the lack of information
about giving by telephone doesn’t seem to have adversely affected the appeal’s success.
Of course, the telephone hotline is prominently featured on the site’s front page.

Yet the absence of information about making a telephone donation on the “how you
can help” page demonstrates that even the largest fundraising appeals can overlook
basic errors in advising donors how to give.

On the subject of omissions on that page, the section about giving to the appeal
via ShareGift continues even today to include a non-implemented Web link to “print
out a ShareGift coupon”. The text remains just that – you can’t click on it. Again,
one week after the appeal was launched, it is regrettable that this facility has
not been addressed.

 * **[National Criminal Intelligence Service warns of fake tsunami appeals](https://fundraising.co.uk/2005/01/12/national-criminal-intelligence-service-warns-fake-tsunami-appeals/)**(
   12 January 2005)
 * **[UK commercial radio stations launch UK Radio Aid for DEC tsunami appeal](https://fundraising.co.uk/2005/01/14/uk-commercial-radio-stations-launch-uk-radio-aid-dec-tsunami-appeal/)**(
   14 January 2005)
 * **[Bango offers users SMS donation facility for DEC's tsunami appeal](https://fundraising.co.uk/2005/01/17/bango-offers-users-sms-donation-facility-dec039s-tsunami-appeal/)**(
   17 January 2005)