WRAP, a charity since late 2014, is now seeking donations from the public and other interested parties to help fund its work as it develops its charitable activities having moved on from being a not-for-profit company.
Visitors to WRAP’s website can now donate directly to the work of the charity via a page on the website Just Giving with a recommended donation of £30. Set up towards the end of 2015 as of 11 January WRAP has yet to attract any donations.
The page can be accessed directly on the Just Giving website, or via a button on the homepage of WRAP’s own website. Separately, donors can also choose to support the Recycle Now communications campaign through a similar campaign on the Recycle Now website and this has already attracted £135 in donations – the largest donation so far, £100, has come from a recruitment agency, Allen Associates, used by WRAP. “Liz” made the first donation of £10 last year, commenting “Great website, so easy to donate to a good cause”.
WRAP had its status as a charity confirmed in December 2014 as a move to diversify its sources of funding in light of reduced financial support from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which had provided the majority of the money for its work (see letsrecycle.com story).
Funding
Funding for WRAP was reduced from £38.9 million in 2013/14 to £35 million in 2014/15, and its overall funding level for 2015/16 is still to be determined.
Other funding now comes to WRAP from the retailer Wilko, which has pledged to pass on part of the income it receives from the 5p carrier bag charge to WRAP.
Commenting on the new funding sources, a spokeswoman for WRAP said: “Individual giving is just one aspect of WRAP’s strategy as part of our move to becoming registered as a charity. We launched the donate buttons last year, although we haven’t actively promoted their existence as yet.
“However, we wanted an option for people who do use our website and resources, to be able to donate individually if they wish to do more to help. So far as a charity, we’ve had success in securing the Wilko carrier bag funding as part of our charity offer. We’re also increasing our international reach, exporting our world leading expertise, and forging new partnerships.”
“Individual giving is just one aspect of WRAP’s strategy as part of our move to becoming registered as a charity. We launched the donate buttons last year, although we haven’t actively promoted their existence as yet.”
Spokeswoman
WRAP
WRAP is registered under the charity number 1159512. The organisation, which was established by the Labour government in 2000, was set up to help businesses and local authorities manage waste and use resources efficiently. It is funded by Defra, the devolved administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland and the EU.
Work
Since its move to become a charity, WRAP continues to work alongside the government and local authorities notably through the running of the national Recycle Now communications campaign, as well as supporting Defra’s drive to improve consistency of recycling systems across councils (see letsrecycle.com story).
Potential donors to WRAP are told on the Just Giving website: “From food waste to fast fashion addiction, from obsolete technology to overflowing landfills, our planet faces huge challenges as a result of waste. Fortunately, you can make a huge difference. You can support the much-needed waste-prevention work of WRAP.” However, the page does not highlight the charity’s own links to the UK government.
Somewhat confusingly, the WRAP appeal for money is illustrated with a photograph which could be construed as a picture of food waste being sent to landfill. WRAP does not explain the picture – it shows waste food being mixed with green waste prior to composting in Iowa in the US, rather than in the UK, in 2011. However, WRAP does acknowledge its international activities, saying that its “ground-breaking initiatives” bring together “international governments [sic]”.
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