​Pro forma letter for the public to tell charities to stop contacting them proves hugely popular

A template charity opt-out letter devised by BBC’s The One Show has been downloaded over 30,000 times since last week.

The letter, available on the programme's website, allows the public to tell charities to stop contacting them.

The recipient charity is given 28 days to comply or else an official complaint will be lodged with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

The letter states: “I am content with my current level of charitable giving and would therefore ask that you remove my details from any marketing lists and request that you stop sending me marketing material or contacting me for marketing purposes by letter, phone or email.

“I also do not want to receive callers from your charity at my door.”

It continues: “Please stop processing my personal data for direct marketing purposes in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.”

Journalists at The One Show drew up the letter in consultation with the Fundraising Standards Board, as well as with Citizens Advice, the Direct Marketing Association and other watchdogs.

The letter was offered online after the BBC One programme discussed the death of poppy seller Olive Cooke who had been hounded by dozens of charities before her death.

According to The One Show, many who have downloaded the form had indicted they already give to charity and did not want their details passed on to others.

A spokesperson for the show said: “Everyone being asked to give is already giving.

“Many are just irritated at the fact that if they’re already giving to one charity, their details seem to be made available to every other charity”.