FAQ's
How do I select a gift?
How is this different from a normal Christmas card?
Do I have to send it to a friend?
What is ‘my basket’?
What is included in the price I pay?
How long will it take for my friend to get the card?
What happens to my gift?
How do I claim Gift Aid?
How can I cancel an order?
What is your Returns Policy?
How do I select a gift?
You can select a gift by clicking on the 'Browse our Gifts' star, which appears on our homepage and also on most other pages in the top left-hand corner. This will take you to the first of three gift pages with a selection of 10 good causes to choose from. From here you can either choose to read a little more about this gift and the type of people it will help or you can choose to buy the gift straight away.
How is this different from a normal card?
A card from our Gift Shop is not something that will be quickly forgotten. An image of the gift you choose together with a brief description will be printed on the inside of your card so whoever receives your card will see exactly what has been bought on their behalf and who it is going to help. On top of this you can also have a personal message printed inside.
Do I have to send it to a friend?
Of course not! The Gift Shop is also a quick and easy way to donate to charity online. You can give your support to the best and most deserving causes in County Durham and Darlington and the great thing about it is that you can choose what your donation will be spent on and where.
Whether your gift is for children, the elderly or an environmental project, you can choose something close to your heart instead of making a general donation and never seeing the impact. As if that’s not enough you also get a lovely card as a lasting reminder of the valuable help you have given.
What is ‘my basket’?
At any time during your visit to our Gift Shop you can click on ‘view basket’ in the top right hand corner of the screen. This will take you to your personal shopping basket where you can review what you’ve selected for purchase and remove any gifts if you change your mind.
What is included in the price I pay?
The price of each gift shows the full donation amount. Of this price 90% will go directly to helping good causes of your choice in County Durham and Darlington. We also charge a 10% administration payment on your gift but remember that, as a registered local charity working to help local people, this money is going to a good cause as well. So, unlike other charity Christmas cards, where a fraction of the card price actually ends up with the charity, all of your donation will be helping local people.
How long will it take for my friend to get the card?
We will aim to have fulfilled your order within 7 days of payment. Unless you ask us not to, we will hold all early Christmas gift deliveries to be sent out on the week starting 4th December. The last date for ordering individual gifts to be received before Christmas is Monday 18th December.
What happens to my gift?
Click here to read our ‘How we use your gift’ section.
How do I claim Gift Aid?
If you are a UK taxpayer, claiming Gift Aid couldn’t be easier. Simply tick the Gift Aid box while paying for your gift and we will receive up to an extra 30% on your donation back from the taxman. To read more about Gift Aid click here. If you are a higher rate taxpayer, you can also reclaim a further 18% when you complete your tax return. Or you can choose to donate this amount to County Durham Foundation as well by completing the relevant section on your self assessment tax form, quoting County Durham Foundation and our unique reference number HAC70JG.
How can I cancel an order?
Once confirmation of your order has been received you have 48 hours in which to contact us via email at giftshop@countydurhamfoundation.co.uk or by telephone, 0191 3830055, to cancel the order. If cancellation is within 24 hours a full refund will be made.
What is your Returns Policy?
All goods must be inspected immediately upon receipt. You must notify us by email (giftshop@countydurhamfoundation.co.uk) or telephone (0191 3830055) within 7 working days of delivery if the goods are damaged. If you fail to notify us of any damage within 7 days you will be deemed to have accepted the goods.
For full details of our returns policy see Terms and Conditions part 9.