Review Time
I was aggressively targeted outside a London Underground station yesterday by a fundraiser for this charity.
He was extremely persistent and despite me saying I needed to be somewhere was very insistent that I sign up.
I was made to feel very vulnerable and uncomfortable and ended up signing up up to get away from him.
I felt it was disgraceful behaviour from a fundraiser, and now I have to find a way to cancel this continuous subscription.
And when I looked at my bank account this evening the payment seems to have gone to a completely different charity.
I do intend to take this further and I would say avoid these fundraisers at all costs, such a shame because I’m sure the charity is genuine, but their pressurising tactics are just unacceptable, especially on a dark night on the street in central London.
Communication is challenging in our family, and dealing with fundraising at our door added to our stress. While the representatives were friendly, their compliments felt insincere, and I found their attempts to connect quite questionable. As a disabled family, we already face financial difficulties, and I don't recall being asked if I wanted to donate before proceeding. The payment method they use, referred to as 'continuous payment authority,' complicates things further; it's tough to cancel, and there's little time to understand what you're signing up for or to research the charity at your own pace. I would have preferred to make a one-time donation, especially since the cause is important to us, but not in this manner, especially not at 4 PM at my doorstep! I initially thought the commitment was just £2.50 a month, but then I received a confirmation call where I felt pressured to agree, despite my reservations. Attempts to unsubscribe from marketing emails led to a 404 error, which raises concerns about GDPR compliance—this could lead to fines for not properly managing marketing communications. After reaching out via email, I received an automated response about canceling the Direct Debit, which is misleading since it's not a Direct Debit at all! It's clear that improvements are needed in their IT systems and fundraising ethics. This one-star experience seems to be a recurring issue for me. I don't wish to follow up; I just want to express my dissatisfaction.
I have hearing challenges, as does my wife, while our young son is also non-verbal. Processing information is tough for us. Fundraisers at our door were friendly but offered insincere compliments and dubious attempts to connect personally, which I found unnecessary. As a disabled family, we already face struggles and aren't well-off. I honestly don’t recall being asked if I wanted to donate; it felt like it just happened. They don’t even use Direct Debits but a 'continuous payment authority' instead, which makes cancellation much harder. It’s difficult to find time to read about the charity at my own pace. I would have gladly made a one-off donation, as this cause is close to our hearts, but not in this manner at our doorstep at 4 PM! I thought the amount was £2.50 a month, but after a confirmation call, I felt pressured to agree even though I didn’t want to. I tried to unsubscribe from marketing emails but got a 404 error, which is a GDPR breach. After sending an email, I received an automated response about cancelling a Direct Debit, which is confusing since it’s not a Direct Debit! You need a sign to rethink your IT systems and fundraising ethics. This one-star rating seems to be a trend. No follow-up needed; I just wanted you to be aware.
The fundraising tactics I experienced were appalling. Earlier, around 4 PM, a door-to-door fundraiser from a charity knocked while my partner explained we were busy with dinner and had early bedtime routines for our young daughters. Later, at 7:30 PM, while we were all in bed, they rang the doorbell. I went down, reiterated our earlier message about being in bed, and mentioned it wasn’t the right time. The fundraiser replied they could continue until 8:30 PM. When my 4-year-old came downstairs, the fundraiser asked if she knew sign language, which was inappropriate. I insisted they leave immediately, and they did so without apology. This behavior is shameful for a charity that supports the cause. Using children to guilt people into donating is unacceptable.
I had a cold caller at my door around 8 PM, despite a visible 'No Cold Callers' sign. Their loud knocking startled my family. While I understand this may be part of a volunteer effort, approaching homes with such signs is unacceptable, especially at night. It disrupts families and elderly residents. Clear policy updates are needed to respect people's homes and signage.
I had a door knock from a young representative asking if I believed all British children should learn sign language. With over 50,000 Deaf children in the UK and 12.7 million children under 16, I questioned the financial implications of such a program. Unfortunately, she couldn't provide an answer. She also couldn't inform me about local facilities, as she was from another region. It was disappointing, and I won’t be contributing.
I relate to the other reviews. I was drawn into the 'not asking for money, just raising awareness' pitch at my door, and then the representative didn't even ask if I wanted to donate; instead, they asked for my bank details directly. I felt extremely pressured, and as a vulnerable person, I find these tactics unacceptable. Thankfully, I stood my ground and will not donate to a charity with such representatives.
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We’re the National Deaf Children’s Society, the charity for deaf children with any level of hearing loss.
We’re here for deaf children and everyone who cares about them. Whatever the question or challenge, we help find a way through.
We empower families to connect and drive change in their communities, and we campaign to make sure deaf children get the support they need. We lead the way, sharing insight and knowledge in the UK and internationally.
We believe nothing should hold deaf children back.See more
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