The Guide to Major Trusts 2025-26. DSC (Directory of Social Change)

‘Charity positive’ preference service goes live

A service that offers people the opportunity to set up their own preferences for charity communications has gone live this week.
The Charity Preference Service was launched on 3rd May by MyLetterbox founder Nigel Readhead Eyre. Described as ‘charity positive’, it lets people opt in to the charities they want to hear from, as well as opt out from those they don’t.
Individuals can set up their preferences on the Charity Preference Service site, adding any charities or charity sectors they do not want to hear from, and also opting out from particular channels and asks, such as legacy communications and lotteries. They can also opt into those that they do want to hear from or receive, and report vulnerable and deceased people.
In addition, users can log in and report when they receive something from a charity they don’t support, or want to change their preferences, and press the “Find a Charity” Button to let them know.
Charities can register with the service, and will be able to download files of opt in and opt out preferences for their organisation directly by secure connection.  When the service receives individual preferences for a charity that is not yet subscribed, it will contact that charity to let them know.

charity preference service 2

An example of the screen for charities registered with the service


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Charity Preference Service follows on from MyLetterbox, launched in 2006 as an in-house suppression service for direct mail at Readhead Eyre’s consultancy REC Data Direct.
Readhead Eyre said:

“Statistics from MyLetterbox show that only 28% of people elected to stop all charity direct mail, and over 70% just stopped the charity they did not support.  A preference service properly researched and developed should be charity positive as this and MyLetterbox for the past ten years has proven to be. This is a true charity preference service providing both charity and donor protection while improving rather than harming charity income.”

The Fundraising Regulator’s Fundraising Preference Service is due to launch late spring / early summer this year, and is being developed by Syrenis Ltd. It will allow individuals to stop all direct marketing communications from specific charities.

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