Help with charity competition?

[muskateers]

I entered a competition a few months ago, it cost money to enter but prizes were unique and it was for charity so I did it. I won, received a call to let me know and was told I had won 2 specific prizes (the format was you paid per entry per item) they said they would throw in an extra gift too.

2 weeks later I received one of the items I was told i had won, and the extra thing in 2 separate parcels but on the same day.

I waited a week before texting the number of the person who had called me to ask about it, I was ignored for a week then got an apology saying it would be sent out by the end of that week.

6 weeks have now passed and I have text twice asking for updates (read and ignored) and I have filled in their web form asking someone contacts me about the competition, adding no further detail.

So I have any sort of complaint, and how would I go about it? I'm so annoyed, if the item has gone missing they should just own up and refund my money I think, but of course I actually want the item i won far more than I want my money to be returned.

Any suggestions?

Complain direct to the charity. They should have something on their website that gives you an email to contact for complaints.

If there isn't, look them up on charity commission for contact details and trustee details.

Ultimately you could contact the fundraising regulator as they are not fulfilling their responsibilities - and may not have the appropriate licences if they haven't managed it properly!

Thank you. The only contact thing on their website is the form you fill in and I have used it but not had any reply.

I will look at the charity commission first, then see what to do next

I have had a look at the fundraising regulator but I'm not sure it fits as it was a competition they ran, not the usual fundraising that is the issue.

It's still a way of generating income for the charity so it classed as fundraising activity.

Ah thank you, I'm definitely looking into taking this further, somehow it's really frustrating that they think ignoring me is acceptable. I suspect they don't have the item for whatever reason (mix up?) and instead of just telling me that they have decided to ignore all efforts at communication from me. The worst thing is if they have said 'sorry there has been a mix up, I would have been more ok with that.