Earlier this year, the Diocesan Gift Aid Office, with the assistance of Parish Gift Aid Organisers, made a concerted effort to promote the benefits and flexibility of the Gift Aid Scheme. The promotion took place over three separate weekends during the months of February, March and April.

The outcome of the promotion has been extremely encouraging in that it has generated a steady stream of new Gift Aid Declaration forms. Since February this year, a total of 238 Gift Aid Declaration forms have been received and processed on the GiftWise system. An additional 114 forms have also been received but not yet processed, making a total of more than 350 newly completed Declaration forms.

A lot of time and effort was expended by the Gift Aid Office in this promotion and many comments, the majority of which were extremely favourable and complimentary, were received from Parish Gift Aid Organisers and parishioners alike.

The promotion has highlighted numerous anomalies – some of which were predictable, others not so. The principal reason for undertaking the promotion was to raise the awareness of the simplicity and flexibility of Gift Aid from the perspective of the individual donor. It also demonstrated an opportunity for parishes and funds within the Diocese to raise additional amounts of income by legitimate means.

Those of you who have been good enough to complete a Gift Aid Declaration during or after the promotion will see an increase in the value of your donations to your parish, at no extra cost to yourselves, equivalent to 25p in the pound.

If you are able to complete a Gift Aid Declaration form, and have not already done so, please contact your parish priest who will put you in touch with the Gift Aid Organiser for your parish.

Thank you very much for continuing to support your parish during these difficult economic times.