MPs back demand for Olive’s Law to prevent charities hounding elderly
MPs have called for ‘Olive’s Law’ to be included in the Government’s new Charities Bill to stop elderly people being bombarded with begging letters.
Poppy seller Olive Cooke, 92, took her own life after she was inundated with letters from charities she felt were ‘taking advantage’ of her kindness.
And one of Britain’s longestserving poppy sellers, 84-yearold Barbara Dunn, claims she has been hounded with more than 15,000 begging letters from charities, just like Mrs Cooke.
So far Mrs Dunn says she has donated around £7,800, but feels the organisations have been ‘preying on her good nature’.
Last night MPs called for the Government to introduce legislation to stop charities repeatedly targeting elderly people.
Labour MP John Spellar, who raised the case of Mrs Cooke in Parliament, warned that vulnerable pensioners were being ‘regularly and relentlessly’ contacted by charities. He said the Government should consider introducing new measures as part of its Charities Bill to regulate how organisations contact people with ‘begging letters’.
Tory MP Andrew Percy also said the Government should introduce legal restrictions on ‘nuisance’ letters from charities.
Olive Cooke, who is believed to have sold about 30,000 poppies, told newspapers late last year that she was being inundated with letters from charities.
Some close to her suggested the charities’ behaviour may have contributed to her taking her own life, although her family have denied this. However a spokesman from the Fundraising Standards Board said: ‘Even though the family said the letters had nothing to do with [Mrs Cooke’s death], there may be lessons we can learn.’
Last night Mr Percy told the Mail: ‘This needs to be looked at in legislation. It’s a nuisance, and in the same way we’re taking action against nuisance callers we should be addressing this.’
He added: ‘Younger people are used to throwing away junk mail but for older people it’s more personal to receive something by post. Charities need to be more sensitive about targeting elderly people. Maybe an industry proposal to prevent repeating letters would work.’