The UK Giving 2009 Survey, published jointly by the Charities Aid Foundation and the NCVO, has revealed that charity donations have dropped by 11% over the last 12 months, to just under £10bn.

The Charities Advisory Trust is advising people to give money to Her Majesty’s Treasury. Director Dame Hilary Blume said that she might be “the maddest person in Britain”, but that her crazy idea might just work.

It is, perhaps, the only time that the editorial staff here at Give Charity Donation will back anyone from X Factor, and even John and Edward, otherwise known as Jedward, as they gun for the Xmas no. 1 with a cover of Michael Jackson’s gruesome “You are not alone”.

The Royal British Legion has announced that 2009 was a record year for Poppy sales. An amazing 42 million poppies were sold this year, partly thanks to the British public’s sympathy for the boys fighting in Afghanistan.

Pet charity PSDA has announced that it is £1m better off thanks to the tax-back scheme, which allows charities to reclaim 28p tax per £1 donated. The tax-back scheme is only activated if the donor has signed up to the scheme.

The Charities Advisory Trust is warning shoppers of the hidden costs behind Charity Christmas Cards, saying that not all of the money you pay will go to charity.

Ryanair prides itself on being the no-frills airline – and its new 2010 calendar shows that its cabin crew are short on frillies. However, before we get any cheap Ryanair digs in, it must be underlined that this calendar is for charity – notably the very worthy charity KIDS.

It was an extraordinary situation. Christine Gill, 59, was set to inherit the farm that belonged to her parents – the farm that she had worked on all her life. When her parents died, and the will was read, she discovered that the entire inheritence – farm, cash and all, would be bequeathed to the Royal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).

One of the UK’s leading charities has called for action against the website Justgiving.com due to the charity’s 5% cut on all donations.

A charity has come under fire for its links to the Conversvative Party. The Charity Commission has said that it will launch an investigation into the political neutrality of the Atlantic Bridge Education and Research Scheme.