Donor-information website Intelligent Giving has recommended four virtual gift services.
Adam Rothwell, the site's researcher, said only the Good Gifts Catalogue, World Vision, Save the Children and Help the Aged guaranteed to buy what donors pay for. The advice comes with Intelligent Giving's recommended list of 'original' gifts, which includes parasitic worms from World Vision and prize bull semen from Good Gifts.
But charities with virtual gift catalogues do not expect a fall in sales because of concerns about transparency or the environmental impact of 'give-a-goat' gifts (Third Sector, 29 November). A spokeswoman for Christian Aid said: "Last year the same thing happened and we were still pleased with the total we raised."
- See Letters, page 15, and Feature, page 16.