Frequently asked questions

How do I contact Present Aid?

If you have any queries you can contact us using this email form.

Or you can call +44 (0)20 7523 2225 (Monday – Friday, 9am - 5pm).

Please note: email is the least expensive method of handling enquiries. If you use email, you save Christian Aid money.

How can I find out more about Christian Aid?

Present Aid is owned by the international development charity Christian Aid (company registration number 5171525, charity number 1105851, Republic of Ireland charity number CHY 6998) and VAT registration number 858 5800 87. Christian Aid’s registered office is at: 35 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RL.

You can find out more on the Christian Aid website.

How does Present Aid work?

Find out more on the how Present Aid works page.

How does Christian Aid spend the money that is donated?

The money from each Present Aid product goes to one of five Christian Aid funds as explained on our how Present Aid works page.

Broadly, 80 pence of each £1 spent is used to deliver Christian Aid’s stated objectives. Of the remaining 19 pence, 1 penny is spent on running the charity and the balance is spent on fundraising. (For each £1 spent on fundraising, a further £4 is raised)

Read more on the main Christian Aid website income and expenditure pages.

Ordering and delivery

What should I do if I am having trouble placing an order?

Please contact us. You can use the contact form or phone +44 (0)845 3300 500 (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm) and we will do our best to help.

What credit or debit cards can I use on this site?

We accept the following cards for payment: American Express, Mastercard, Switch, Solo and Visa.

The total amount you pay is unaffected, regardless of the payment method used.

We will contact your payment card company for authorisation when you place your order. Your payment card will then be debited immediately upon authorisation of your card payment.

You are responsible for payment of all orders placed using your user name and password.

How do I know if my order has been successful?

When you have completed your order you will be sent an e-mail confirming your order. It will state what the gifts are, the cost (including VAT) and delivery and invoice details. If your order has been unsuccessful you will be made aware of the reason why and possible explanations.

What should I do if my order hasn’t arrived?

Every effort is made to ensure all orders are delivered within the time specified above. If you haven’t received your order within the specified time, please contact us on +44 (0)845 3300 500 (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm) and we will track your order for you.

Does Present Aid charge postage and packing?

All prices are inclusive of postage and packing. This also applies to international orders. However, we welcome an online donation to reflect the delivery charge.

When will my gift be delivered?

UK delivery information

You can usually expect to receive the card 4-5 working days after the date of your order.

Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Channel Island deliveries

You can usually expect to receive the card 9-10 working days after the date of your order.

International deliveries

You can usually expect to receive the card within 10-11 working days of the date of your order.

Present Aid partners with The Royal Mail for deliveries.

Can I pay by CAF on the website?

The website is not set up to receive CAF or other charity account payments.

To pay by CAF simply place your order by calling +44 (0)845 3300 500 (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm).

Can I order items over Christmas?

Yes, Present Aid runs all year and can be used to purchase gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and other special occasions.

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Products

Can I name my gift?

As the gifts are virtual your contribution may not specifically provide the item you buy. Therefore we cannot allocate or dedicate items. You can find more information about this on our how it works page.

Can I have a photograph and update of my purchase?

At the time of purchase we cannot be certain as to what project your contribution will benefit. This means that we are unable to provide updates or photographs. For a more general update on how Christian Aid will spend your donation please visit the 'what we do' section of the Christian Aid website.

Do the goats damage the environment?

Christian Aid believes that local people know best the solutions to the issues they face. As with all the projects we support, those that include the provision of goats have followed requests from our overseas partners. In each case, the goats are kept in enclosed areas or are tethered, but with room to move around. Care is taken to ensure that they are not able to damage crops or the environment. For this reason the projects we support that provide these animals remain very successful, localised, and small-scale but non-intensive husbandry initiatives.

Is providing livestock the best way to help people?

Many of the people we help have a history of keeping livestock and it is part of their culture. The projects we support are run by local partner organisations that assess the most suitable ways to help. Christian Aid is guided by their expertise as well as local cultural concerns.

How are the animals cared for?

Owning livestock is a means of providing a living for many people in the developing world. Consequently, making sure the animal is well cared for is a priority for people who own them. The recipients of livestock receive training in animal husbandry and local veterinary care is usually available. It is quite common for the animal to enjoy a better quality of life than its owner.

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Gift lists

How can I set up a gift list?

The gift list function is currently not available. You may like to consider asking your friends and family to purchase items from our website. Groups of friends could get together to buy one of our Group gifts for details.

Will the gift lists be available in future?

We are aiming to have a new gift list function available by mid 2010.

Where can I get further help?

Our Supporter Enquiries team will be pleased to help you with any further questions about gift lists. They can be contacted on +44 (0)20 7523 2225 (Monday – Friday, 9am - 5pm).

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Technical

What do I do if I am experiencing technical difficulties on the website?

Please telephone us on +44 (0)20 7523 2225 (Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm) and our Supporter Enquiries team will assist you.

Why do I need a password?

When you create a password it allows you to access your account information.

Once entered, your contact, delivery and payment details will be stored and you won't have to re-enter them the next time you make an order. You can also track your order status and order history.

Your password is unique to your email address and ensures that your account details remain secure. You can access you account information at any time to edit any of your account details.

Each time you return to the Present Aid website, remember to sign in using your email and password.

How do I re-set my password?

To reset your password simply go to the ‘my account’ area on the website, where there is an option to have a new password emailed to you.

Why do I need to sign in?

When you sign in and register with the Present Aid site for the first time, you create account information. This includes your contact, delivery and payment information.

Once entered, your details will be stored in your account and you will not have to re enter them again when you make your next order.

When you log in to the Present Aid site you will be able to track your order status and order history.

Why do you need to store my data?

In order to process your order, and for our financial processes, we have to store information about you, but we do so in accordance with UK data protection standards.

For more information about how we process your data and what data we keep please see our privacy policy.

Are my details secure?

Yes, all areas of the site that deal with customer details are encrypted including the customer database.

For more information please read our security policy.

Why isn’t all of the ‘my account’ area secure?

Some areas of the account section, after taking details over an encrypted channel, forward you to an unencrypted thank you page. However any pages with forms that ask you to enter details, or areas that process details are encrypted.

What is Christian Aid’s privacy policy?

Christian Aid is committed to the protection of your privacy. All personal information given to us through this website will only be held and used with care and in accordance with this policy and the Data Protection Act 1998. Your use of this website constitutes your agreement to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

Please click here to read our privacy policy in full.

What are the terms and conditions of this site?

Click here to view the terms and conditions governing the use of the Present Aid website.

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Miscellaneous

Why do you want my email address?

We ask for email addresses so that we can follow up any problems that may arise from your order and to be able to update you on Present Aid news and other gifts as they become available.

What will I get if I agree to receive further information?

If you opt-in to receive further communications during the sign up process we will keep you up to date with news of Christian Aid’s work and our current appeals and campaigns.

We will never share your information and we will fully comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.

At any time you can log into the ‘my account’ area and change this option to ‘no’ if you decide you don’t want to receive any more communications. For more information please see our privacy policy.

Can I request a certificate instead of a card?

If you have purchased a group gift we will send you a certificate. After you have placed you order, you will be contacted by Christian Aid to confirm the exact wording of the certificate. You will receive your certificate, which will be sent separately from your gift card, up to ten days after receiving your gift.

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