Fundraising Complaints Policy

How to make a complaint

Complaints may be submitted to The Outward Bound Trust’s Fundraising Team by email at fundraising@outwardbound.org.uk, by telephone at 020 3301 6481, or by post to The Outward Bound Trust, 4th Floor, 207 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8XD.

When submitting by email, please include the phrase “Fundraising Complaint” in the subject line.

If you are complaining about a particular incident (e.g. having received a piece of direct marketing), it will assist the timely execution of the complaint investigation if you reference it as specifically as possible in your complaint.

Complaints may be submitted by these means up to 12 weeks following the precipitating incident.

It should be noted that this procedure is only for complaints regarding fundraising practice. For complaints about The Trust which are not related to fundraising, please contact The Trust via the usual channels (see our website for further details).

Records of complaints

The Trust will keep a record of all complaints for 24 months, as mandated by the Fundraising Regulator. This information will not be used for any other purpose. In accordance with data protection law, you may request to view the information being held regarding your complaint, and may request that it be put beyond use (although if you do this before the complaint investigation has been resolved, this may render the original complaint void).

This record will be available to the Fundraising Regulator, upon request, along with a record of all communication.

Complaint investigation

The Trust commits to investigate any complaint about its fundraising practices within 28 days of acknowledgement of receipt of the complaint, of which the complainant will be advised in writing during the same timeframe.

The Fundraising Regulator

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the complaint investigation, you may refer your complaint to the Fundraising Regulator. It is advisable to do so not later than two months following receipt of the complaint investigation outcome, in order to receive the attention of the Fundraising Regulator.

In the event that a complaint is made or referred to the Fundraising Regulator regarding The Trust, The Trust will comply fully with the Fundraising Regulator and any proposed remedy.