Survey proves island generosity

Monday 09 April 2018

An independent survey has proven what many charities in Guernsey already know: island residents are very generous.

The survey which included people living in Jersey and the Isle of Man found that overall, 97% of those who responded had made a charitable donation in 2017.

The Charitable Giving Survey was carried out by Island Global Research which spoke to hundreds of people in each of the three islands to gauge their views. The results show around £13million was given to charities by Guernsey residents in 2017 with charities supporting health and medical services among the most popular beneficiaries. Those working on community services or helping children are also more likely to receive money donated by individuals in Guernsey. 

The survey was carried out in December 2017 and January 2018 with the survey findings described as "helpful for charities" when they consider how to improve their support base and fundraising efforts. Releasing the results, Island Global Research said: "We hope that islanders find the results interesting and that they are especially useful for islanders who support and work with charitable organisations. 

"The results are very positive for charities based in the Crown Dependencies, in that they demonstrate considerable good will with overwhelming support for local, potentially smaller charities. The survey findings may be helpful for charities considering how to improve their support base with some interesting insights into the role of information, transparency of finances and using direct debit as a tool to encourage regular giving."

Speaking on behalf of the Association of Guernsey Charities, Malcolm Woodhams welcomed the survey results. He said they did not find the results surprising, adding that they already knew how generous many people living in the Bailiwick are: 

"This survey supports our belief that local people are incredibly generous in their support for good causes, with 98% of people from Guernsey who took part in the survey saying they gave to charity during last year – and 76% saying they gave regularly.  The report also indicated that people tend to donate more to medical and health related charities, and we know that many of these organisations struggle to find the funding that they need to continue to operate their services. 

"The survey also showed that 58% of Guernsey people who responded had given some of their time to a charity during 2017.  Charities will find it particularly useful to learn the reasons why people choose to donate money, or volunteer their time, to help a good cause.  Overall, the survey confirms that the Channel Islands are fortunate to have many people who generously support their local community.”

You can read the full survey results here.