A Christian charity’s fundraiser that aimed to raise £150,000 to buy a replacement for its vicarage breached the fundraising code, the Fundraising Regulator has found.

Bristol base St Thomas Mar Thoma Church’s Agape Project campaign aimed to raise the money within 100 days.

This involved sending a donation appeal to church members outlining why its existing vicarage needed to be replaced.

After failing to raise the money in this time it did so soon after and went ahead with the purchase of the building, which was valued at around £500,000.

After receiving a complaint about the fundraiser the regulator found that the charity “failed to follow the code” by not considering or informing donors of what it would do with the funds if it had been unable to buy the building.

It also found “issues” in relation to its complaint handing but was satisfied that the charity had investigated this when asked to.

In addition, a raft of other allegations made were rejected, including a complaint that the charity had untaken pressured fundraising.

The regulator also found that while it had not raised the money within 100 days it had achieved its goal of raising money to purchase the new vicarage.

Another rejected complaint was that the building was not suitable for the charity.

The Fundraising Regulator found that the charity “did not immediately recognise” its fundraiser was “regulated fundraising, as it had primarily directed its fundraising efforts towards its own members”.

“We recommended that, should the charity decide to continue with fundraising activities, it undertakes a thorough review of its policies and procedures and considers the requirements of the Code of Fundraising Practice,” said the regulator.

This review should pay particular attention to handling of complaints around fundraising and ensuring its policy is publicly available “not just to members of the church”.

It added that the charity has accepted its findings and recommendations.

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