# FRSB rejects complaint about RSPB Abernethy Forest appeal

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/07/25/frsb-rejects-complaint-rspb-abernethy-forest-appeal/
- Published: 2014-07-25T12:37:14+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

The Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) has overruled a complaint about the RSPB’s
Abernethy Forest appeal. Complainants had alleged that the conservation charity 
had made misleading and exaggerated claims about the condition of the Abernethy 
Forest on its online fundraising page “Keep Abernethy Special.”

The [FRSB](http://www.frsb.org.uk) Board reviewed the complainants’ concerns together
with evidence provided by the charity. The RSPB pointed out that, before launching
its campaign, its plans had been subject to a full Environmental Impact Assessment(
EIA); scrutiny by statutory conservation authorities, Scottish Natural Heritage,
the Cairngorns National Park Authority and the Forestry Commission Scotland; and
it had consulted the public.

[⌊Abernethy Forest - image: RSPB⌉⌊Abernethy Forest - image: RSPB⌉[

Abernethy Forest – image: RSPB

## ‘Fundraising communications ought not to mislead’

In its [latest adjudication](http://www.frsb.org.uk/complaints/latest-adjudications/)
ruling, made on 11 June 2014, the FRSB considered the complaint against the requirements
of the Institute of Fundraising’s [Code of Fundraising Practice](http://www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/guidance/code-of-fundraising-practice/).
In particular, the Board considered whether the charity had breached section 5.2
of the Code, which states that:

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> “Fundraising communications OUGHT NOT to mislead, or be clearly likely to mislead,
> by inaccuracy, ambiguity, exaggeration, omission or otherwise.”

The FRSB Board recognised the technical nature of this complaint but, on the basis
of the evidence put before it, determined that the claims made in the charity’s 
[Abernethy Forest](https://www.rspb.org.uk/supporting/campaigns/abernethy/) appeal
webpage were not misleading and that the complaint would not be upheld.