Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has sent his best wishes to Muslims celebrating Eid al-Adha

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said: “I would like to send my best wishes to Muslims across the world who are celebrating Eid al-Adha, marking the end of Hajj, the holy pilgrimage to Mecca.

“We remember all of those killed and injured in the terrible accident at the Grand Mosque and our thoughts are with their families at this time.

“As Muslims gather with their families I wish you a peaceful and joyous Eid al-Adha.

“Eid Mubarak.”

Advice from the Charity Commission on how to give safely during Eid-al-Adha

Eid-al-Adha is a time of very generous charitable giving. People have a right to feel confident that their generosity is not abused and that their donations are being used for legitimate charitable purposes.

https://youtu.be/_apevyHxpP8

As part of its campaign #changethepicture the commission has produced a video for encouraging people to check before they give. It illustrates how people can help make sure their generosity makes a real difference to those in need by giving to legitimate, registered charities.

Top 10 tips from the commission to make sure you give safely:

1. Before giving, check the charity’s name and registration number against the online charity search tool: Find a charity – register of charities
2. Fundraisers require a licence from the local authority (or the police in London) to collect in a public place. Check that they have this. If the collection is in a privately owned place, check that they have the owner’s permission.
3. When approached by collectors, check whether they are wearing a proper ID badge and that any collection tin is sealed.
4. If in doubt, ask the collector for more information – a genuine fundraiser should be happy to answer questions and explain more about the work of the charity.
5. Genuine fundraising materials should feature the charity’s name, registered name and a landline contact number. Be wary of those that list only a mobile number.
6. Make sure when you give to radio and television appeals that the process is secure. Ofcom lists the rules for radio and television charity appeals on its website: Licensing – Ofcom website.
7. Take care when responding to emails or clicking links to a charity’s website to ensure that they are genuine. Instead, search online for your chosen charity to check you have the right web address. For further guidance see: Guidance for donors – Get Safe Online.
8. Carefully review collection bags for clothing and household goods to ascertain whether they are from a genuine charity.
9. After making these checks, if you think that a collection or appeal is not legitimate, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 and inform the Charity Commission: Action Fraud – Police.
10. Don’t be pressurised to give to a collection immediately. If in any doubt, donate directly to charity.

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