Complaints Procedure

We are completely reliant on the generosity of our local community, so our supporters deserve the highest standards from us in everything we do. Supporter care underpins our key values:

  • We are compassionate
  • We are dedicated
  • We are curious
  • We are collaborative

We welcome all comments and feedback about the way we work. We hope you never have a reason to complain, but if you do have a complaint or problem relating to the way we work or our activities, we will aim to resolve it as quickly and efficiently as possible, in a personal, fair, and confidential way.

How to complain:

Step 1 – Tell us why you aren’t happy

If you have a complaint or a concern please contact us as soon as possible, so we can try to make things right. You can:
Phone: 0303 4444 999
Email: info@gwaac.com
Post: GWAAC, 3rd Floor, County Gates, Ashton Road, Bristol, BS3 2JH


Our aim is to ensure every complaint is acknowledged within five working days of receipt.

You need to raise your complaint to us within three months of the incident or communication of which the complaint is made. Complaints received outside of this timeframe will be subject to review by a manager on a case-by-case basis; we generally do not handle complaints that date back further than this, due to the difficulties investigating historic events.

Step 2 – We will respond to your complaint

Your complaint will be fully investigated by an appropriate member of our team.

The outcome of our investigation will be provided within 20 working days, starting from the date we received the complaint. If it is not possible to give a full response within this timescale, we will contact you to provide an explanation and indication of when a full response can be expected.

Step 3 – If you are not happy with our response

If you are not satisfied with our response, please let us know within 15 working days of our response and this will be escalated for further investigation.

An acknowledgement will be sent in writing, within five working days of receiving your response, and an expected timescale for the review to be carried out will be given.

The senior manager responsible for the review will write to you clearly setting out the outcome of their review and the rationale for their decision.

The case will be closed within 10 working days of this response being sent.

Step 4 – Taking your complaint outside of GWAAC

If you remain dissatisfied with our final response and your complaint is unrelated to GWAAC’s fundraising, you have reached the end of the complaint procedure and we are unable to take the matter further.

However, if your complaint relates to:

  • GWAAC’s lottery, either you or GWAAC can refer the matter to the Independent Betting and Adjudication Service for arbitration, as our preferred entity for Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • GWAAC’s fundraising, you are entitled to take your complaint to the Fundraising Regulator, the body which enforces the Fundraising Code of Practice across the UK.

We will abide by any decision the Independent Betting and Adjudication Service or the Fundraising Regulator reach on complaints which are escalated to them.