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Is Memento-52 a charity?
Categories: Life

The attached leaflet was received to a Birmingham address, and I thought it valuable to post it for the benefit of the search engines. Without doubt, it is the wordiest and most convoluted charitable proposition I’ve ever seen, and I am pretty sure it’s a fraud. It mentions that it is a company as well as a fundraiser, and offers to “customers” a variety of “worthwhile products”, though what they are remains a mystery, as do the “top brand names” from whom discounts can be obtained.

The primary offering appears to be “Memento-52 Premier Pack Collection”, which you can purchase for £9.60, or £3.20 per person, and ought to be mandatory on marketing courses as a fine example of how not to pitch a product. This seems to take the form of postcards, and remarkably is an investment, children’s educational material, money-off vouchers, sponsorship, a cash lottery and a charitable donation all in one! It is said that in purchasing this highly desirable thing, the kind donor will be helping 16 charities, which apparently include groups connected with cerebral palsy, cancer and other serious illnesses; anti-abuse charities; help for “people who have been in an accident”; assistance to the “less fortunate” and, of course, “abandoned animals”.

Sadly there was no room to mention a charity registration number, and a search at the Charity Commission turns up naught. There’s no web address provided, and their location appears to be a rented vanity address on Regent St. The leaflet claims to be sponsored by “T & M Properties”, but without providing further details for that firm, they could be anyone.

Anyone else seen this? Please comment below if you have.

2 Comments to “Is Memento-52 a charity?”

  1. Kelvin Green says:

    This is very interesting.
    They are advertising for fundraisers through Jobsearch, and as a fundraising manager with more than 20 years experience, I thought I would dig a bit deeper. I’m glad I did.
    One of the charities they are supporting is the “Support Project development” which is registered with the CC, but is new and there is little information and no website. In my humble opinion, Memento 52 is a commercial participator, not a charity, but they should give details upfront on who they give to and how. Without that, it’s not possible to check with the “recipient” charities if all is legit.
    I’m in total agreement with you, the leaflet is appallingly written and so vague, I suspect a possible scam. I’m going to follow this up with the Institute of Fundraising, as I think they’re in breach of the Charity Act.

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