Foundation Takes Action on Missing Donations

Child Cancer Foundation Takes Action on Missing Donations

The Child Cancer Foundation has gone to the Police after donors notified them that receipts for donations made during March and April had not been received or cheques cashed.

Chief Executive Jim Barclay said it formally reported the matter to Police today, after internal investigations by its separate mail and courier delivery service providers showed that not all mail was getting through during the period.

"We became aware that something had gone wrong when regular monthly accounts failed to arrive as expected, and donors contacted us because they had not received receipts for donations or their cheques had not been cashed.

"We then alerted our courier and mail delivery service providers. Their investigations showed that some of the mail went missing after it was transferred from New Zealand Post to the independent courier company. An employee of the courier company has since had his employment terminated. We have now referred the matter to the Police.

"It is difficult to pinpoint exactly the amount of mail that did not reach us. We have had about 40 donors call us, and based on average volumes during previous appeal months we estimate there might be up to 2000 letters that have gone missing.

"This is obviously a distressing issue for us. When our supporters post donations, they quite rightly expect that their contributions will get through.

"In addition to the internal investigations conducted by our mail and courier service delivery providers, we have worked with them on a top-to-bottom audit of processes. As a result, changes are now being made that will mean the security surrounding our mail deliveries from our courier provider is tightened, and information about mail volumes is more closely and regularly tracked."

Mr Barclay said anyone who made a donation during the Foundation's recent public fundraising appeals who has not yet received a receipt, or has not had a cheque drawn or credit card debited, is asked to contact the Foundation's National office on (09) 373 3670.

© Scoop Media