# Anti-bullying publishers closed down for 'misleading' tactics

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2008/03/14/antibullying-publishers-closed-down-039misleading039-tactics/
- Published: 2008-03-14T14:01:58+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Two companies in Manchester have been closed down for using misleading sales practices
to solicit sponsorship from businesses for anti-bullying books.

The companies, Garrett Tate Partnership Ltd and Achieve Media Ltd, stated that the
books were for distribution to schools in the locality of the sponsors. They also
falsely claimed that they were operating for a charitable purpose and that the books
had Local Education Authority support when no such support had either been sought
or obtained.

The misleading sales tactics were followed by persistent debt collection methods
making a number of sponsors feel bullied into making payments for something they
had not agreed to.

## Advertisement

 [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/)

The companies printed and distributed to schools only a small proportion of the 
books for which they had sold sponsorship. The High Court in Manchester found that
each of the companies had been used as a personal ‘piggy bank’ by the director to
such an extent that substantial funds had been removed to buy property in Bulgaria
and by a number of ATM cash withdrawals.

 * **[Why give to charity when you can drink PG tips instead?](https://fundraising.co.uk/2008/03/14/why-give-charity-when-you-can-drink-pg-tips-instead/)**(
   14 March 2008)
 * **[Charity and green brand link ups "are most popular with consumers"](https://fundraising.co.uk/2008/03/25/charity-and-green-brand-link-ups-quotare-most-popular-consumersquot/)**(
   25 March 2008)
 * **[Argos raises £500,000 for Leukaemia Research in seven months](https://fundraising.co.uk/2008/03/28/argos-raises-500000-leukaemia-research-seven-months/)**(
   28 March 2008)