Our fundraising principles
Donation FAQs
Close
It's not about us
Our supporters make our work possible. They give money, time and energy because they are motivated to help young people face cancer. Our approach to inspiring people to support holds this at its heart. We know that the most powerful messages aren't what we say as an organisation but the things the young people, their family and friends say about how our work makes a difference.
Supporters not donors
Donations are essential but we never call our supporters 'donors'. Our supporters give the time, energy, voice, networks, recommendations and money that we would not have without them. If we define our supporters purely as 'donors' we are saying that money is all we value. It is not.
Trust is a gift
People give because of people. All aspects of succesful fundraising rely on relationships and we must never lose sight of this. Our supporters trust us to spend their donations in the best interests of young people with cancer. We set our fundraising targets based on what the charity needs to deliver services - not so we can grow the organisation - and we always put donations to work as quickly as possible.
Fearless fundraising
We are never afraid to ask for help in support of our work. Young people with cancer need us to be confident at inspiring support we always take no - or 'not now' - for an answer. We believe that informing people about the treatment, care and support we provide and our reliance on fundraising is fundamental to our ability to continue to help young people.
We never expect anyone we have helped to fundraise for us but we don't shy away from making sure our needs are communicated on the front-line of service delivery - as well as more broadly - so that people have a choice and a chance to support us.
Real, not scripted
The job of fundraising messaging and images is to communicate the difference that support makes and to motiviate people to support young people with cancer. We don't duck the harsh realities of cancer but always remember "young person first, cancer patient second" and never position young people as 'victims'.
The stories young people share are real, unscripted and never told by models or actors. They are personal stories, never case studies.
It's good to talk
We must keep supporters up to date on how their support is changing the lives of young people with cancer across the UK. We say thank you quickly and well and do everything we can to communicate in ways that work for our supporters. We always act if supporters need us to change the way we are communicating with them.
We share news and updates more often that we ask for support and we only get in touch with people when we know they are happy to hear from us. We keep personal data and information safe, secure and confidential within Teenage Cancer Trust.
Are my donations secure?
Yes. When you donate to Teenage Cancer Trust, you'll see 'https' in the address bar. This means the pages are hosted securely using SHA256 encryption.
We adhere to strict data protection protocols when handling your data. We place great importance on the security of your personal information and data and we will always take appropriate precautions to protect it. We ensure that appropriate technical controls are in place to protect your personal details. We use SHA256 encryption technology on our donation platform and our suppliers carry out regular security reviews.
For full details, see our Privacy Policy.
How do I complete my address on the donation form?
Our address finder recognises addresses in all major countries, so instead of typing your postcode please start typing the first line of your address. As you continue to type the options will narrow down and your address will appear.
How do I make changes to my Direct Debit?
If you would like make a change to your current Direct Debit, including increasing or decreasing your monthly amount or if you need to to change the bank details that we currently hold for you, please call our Supporter Care team on 020 7612 0370. They're available weekdays 9am to 5.30pm.
If you are changing banks, you may be able to use the bank Direct Debit switching service - check with your bank to see if they do offer this service and, if not, get in touch with us. Do not send us your new bank details by email.
How else can I donate?
This online form is the easiest way to donate to Teenage Cancer Trust, but if you would prefer to use a different method, you can donate via cheque, charity voucher or by bank transfer.
To make a bank transfer, please call our Supporter Care team on 020 7612 0370.
When sending a cheque or a charity voucher, please use our Money Return Form. Please do not send cash in the post.
If I donate, will I hear from you?
We'll send you a thank you email when your donation has been processed. If you have opted into hear from us by email, we will keep you informed about our work and other ways you can support young people with cancer such as fundraising, events, volunteering, donating and campaigning. From time to time, we might also contact you by post to share updates. If you would prefer not to hear from us by email, check or change the way we keep in touch, just let us know by phone, email or through our online contact form on our website. We'd love to hear from you!
For more information on how we use your data, please see our Privacy Policy.
Will you claim Gift Aid on my donation?
We will only claim Gift Aid if you are a UK taxpayer and have confirmed it is ok for us to claim the tax that you have paid on your donation.
View our full list of Gift Aid frequently asked questions on our main website.