How can I cash this cheque?

[Blueearedstarling]

I have been kindly donated a bit of money for a good cause I organise, but the cheque is from an American bank. My bank (cooperative) doesn't accept foreign cheques.
The person who sent the cheque won't consider any other way of sending the money eg bank transfer or anything, they say they just want to use cheque.
Any pointers how I can get this cheque paid in or cashed? It's for around a hundred pounds

you need an account with a bank that will accept them (has the international gravitas that the bank in the US will "honor the check". I recently cashed two in at HSBC. there is a special exchange rate for checks and also a fee to pay for cashing it. Honestly for 100 dollars it may cost you nearly that to cash

This. It's either a scam or as PPs have said someone who wants the glory and blame for not cashing to lie at your door.

I could possibly understand if they were elderly as my grandma struggled to comprehend that giving me a cheque was really inconvenient before the banking apps accepted them and my working hours were longer than the banks.

Dc had same issue with Canadian dollar cheque and has given up as around £20 value.

I don't see how it is a scam. It's an older gent who is a friend of a friend. He does not trust internet banking I think and is just a bit old fashioned with things. As someone said up thread (I think) checques are used more in America compared to here. He just sent it assuming I would be able to pay it in. I hear he's had some health problems since then so may not want to be bothered with thinking about it any further, or so I assume. I think he meant well.

How can it possibly be fraud or a scam? What would they get out of it?

Great, I'll do this, thanks

any american express office near you?
I used to have to treck to one to cash us cheques.

How so? America has a totally different way of banking to the UK, why would that mean someone is doing a fraud and what would it even be?

Given the relatively small amount ,OP, id be tempted just to accept that it's too much hassle and leave it be

Definitely this.

It doesn't sound anything like a scam, just a stubborn person who assumes it would be easy enough for you to deal with the cheque. To be fair to them, I could pay the cheque in to two of my current accounts without any issue.

Then he could write new cheque to the friend, cancel this one and friend will transfer.

Cheque scams are commom as in "I accidentally sent cheque with more than I intended so please send me 1k back/all of it back" and people do before cheque clears. Except that it never clears and you will be explaining to your bank where did you get it. It used to be on remote jobs long time ago especially. "Will send you cheque for supplies"
Not saying this is same btw. Just how cheque scams work

I agree with a previous poster, its likely cultural. Americans feel if they give you account details then you will steal them blind and so a check is the "only" safe way to perform transactions - even the IRS only accepts checks! I had similar when trying to pay a large sum to the USA and needed bank details to wire it directly - they absolutely refused and it took a much longer time to complete the transaction.

@Blueearedstarling did you manage to get your cheque cashed in? I have the same dilemma.

Blooming - nope I gave up unfortunately