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As we enter our third century, securing our future is tantamount to securing our independence - the freedom to self-govern and the freedom of speech. Central to our ability to retain our independence is our historic grade II* listed debating chamber and other rooms where debates and interactive speaker meetings take place.
The buildings’ grade II* listed status denotes the premises as having special architectural and / or historic interest considered to be of national importance. Fewer than 6% of all listed buildings in England have grade II* status.
Last year, we launched an Urgent Appeal to raise £5M by year-end 2025 to carry out essential maintenance works to prevent the closure of the buildings, the embodiment of the Society and the inspirational setting for study, social events, and debating.
We are now delighted to recognise and honour those who have supported the Urgent Appeal thus far; donors who have gifted more than £100 have been listed in The Minute Book 2023-24, our inaugural development report which can be viewed on our home page here.
The Minute Book 2023-24 will go to print in early May - should you wish to support, we would be delighted to include your name before our print deadline. We would be delighted to recognise subsequent gifts in next year's printed development report, 'The Minute Book 2024-25', but will continue to update our digital version to recognise and thank our donors.
You can donate by clicking on the link below. You can make a one-off donation or set up regular giving by selecting 'Other Amount' to customise the value and frequency of your gift (due to processing fees, the minimum donation is £5). Read on to discover additional donation methods and tax-efficient giving.
Gift Aid
Donations from UK Taxpayers may benefit from the government’s Gift Aid Scheme. For every £1 donated, OLDUT can claim 25 pence of tax at no additional cost to you - a gift of £100 is worth £125 to OLDUT. Higher rate tax payers can also benefit from tax relief by claiming back the difference between the higher rates of tax at 40 or 50 per cent and the basic rate of tax at 20 per cent on the total value of their gross donation.
Corporate Matching Gift Programmes
Some companies also offer ‘matched giving’, significantly increasing the value of your gift at no extra cost to you. See here for a list of companies that we believe offer matched giving.
As of April 2024, OLDUT is registered on Benevity - simply search for 'OLDUT' in the causes portal.
Tax-efficient Giving From the United States
US taxpayers can make a tax deductible gift via American Friends of the Oxford Union ('OXUF'), a registered 501(c)(3) by clicking here.
UPDATE: We are now able to accept online donations from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Donations may also be given via direct bank transfer. Please email development@oxford-union.org to request further information.
Donations by cheque should be made out to "The Oxford Literary & Debating Union Trust" and posted to The Oxford Union marked for the attention of OLDUT. To request a gift aid form (for UK taxpayers) please email: development@oxford-union.org
As per our fundraising promise, which you can view below, we are committed to compliance with the law as it applies to charities and fundraising. Therefore, in some cases, we may need to contact you to request additional information. You are invited to read our Fundraising Policy which can be viewed here.
Primary Use of Funds
Funds will primarily be directed to pay for repairs to the roof of the grade II* listed debating chamber, main buildings and Old Library, as well as addressing water penetration and damp which have especially impacted the cellars, MacMillan Room, Goodman Library, Snooker Room and President's Office.
Secondary Use of Funds
Funds will also be used to restore now deformed stained-glass windows and repair cracked glass in the debating chamber. Once these priority works have been completed, funds will then be used to restore the decorated ceiling panels of the Gladstone Room (which have also been impacted by water penetration) and to restore the Pre-Raphaelite murals in the Old Library.
Remaining Funds
Any remaining funds will be directed towards the ongoing maintenance and monitoring of the condition of the buildings. If sufficient funds allow, we will explore the possibility of power assisted doors and ramps where currently practical.
Please note: Even if we are unable to reach our fundraising goal in full, we will still direct donations to conduct repairs and maintenance works on specific parts of the buildings; other parts of the buildings may be closed while we seek additional funding.
Once our premises our secured, our priorities for the next decade and beyond will include:
heritage – the preservation of our unique artworks, volumes and archives;
access – the removal of financial and physical barriers to participation; and
free speech – upholding our founding purpose in the face of growing pressure to cancel the discussion of controversial issues.
We are also seeking to establish an endowment fund so that future generations of Union members will not need to launch a further appeal. Thank you for considering supporting The Oxford Union. Your generosity at any level will have an impact.
Please note: Donations will be received by the Oxford Literary and Debating Union Charitable Trust (OLDUT), a registered charity which, since 1975, has owned most of the buildings used by the student-run Oxford Union Society (OUS), including the libraries and debating chamber. OLDUT delegates fulfilment of its charitable educational objectives to the OUS. The receipt and use of donations by OLDUT will enable gift aid to be added to eligible donations. More information on OLDUT and its trustees, none of whom is remunerated, can be found on the Charity Commission website (registered charity no. 270292).
Beware of scams: if you are contacted by a third party purporting to represent either The Oxford Union Society or OLDUT, you are advised to contact Action Fraud.
All those who donate before 17th May 2024 will be included in the digital and print versions of our inaugural development report, The Minute Book 2023-24 which is now displayed on our home page. Subsequent gifts will be recognised in The Minute Book 2024-25 and in each subsequent year going forward. If you wish for donation to be anonymous, please inform development@oxford-union.org
Gifts at The Officers' Circle level and above may be recognised with a plaque on a seat in the chamber for at least 50 years (if the donor wishes), allocated according to tier and then date of pledge. Please refer to the Terms & Conditions.
Further details and additional naming opportunities will be announced in due course.To discuss a bespoke gift and possibilities for recognition, please contact development@oxford-union.org
*Qualifying donation amounts are exclusive of Gift Aid
Supporters
For generous gifts of £100 and above
Benefactors
For generous gifts of £2,000 and above
The Officers' Circle
For generous gifts of £5,000 and above
The President's Circle
For generous gifts of £10,000 and above
The 1823 Chamber of Benefactors
For extraordinary generosity of £50,000 and above
The 2023 Bicentenary Patrons
For extraordinary generosity of £100,000 and above
The 2025 Foundation Fellows
For transformational gifts of £500,000 and above
We will comply with the law as it applies to charities and fundraising.
We will do what we say we are going to do with donations we receive.
We will be clear about who we are and what we do.
We will give a clear explanation of how you can make a gift.
We will not put pressure on you to make a gift. If you do not want to give or wish to cease giving, we will respect your decision.
Where the law requires, we will obtain your consent before we contact you to fundraise.
If you tell us that you don’t want us to contact you in a particular way, we will not do so.
We will respect your rights and privacy.
We will treat donors and the public fairly, showing sensitivity and adapting our approach depending on your needs.
We will take care not to use any images or words that intentionally cause distress or anxiety.
We will take care not to cause nuisance or disruption to the public.
If you are unhappy with anything we’ve done whilst fundraising, you can contact us to make a complaint. We will listen to feedback and respond appropriately to compliments and criticism we receive.
You can also visit our 'Rules and Policies' page to read our Anti Money Laundering Policy, Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy, Fundraising Policy, Data Privacy Policy and Data Protection Policy, and other policies.
We believe that donating should be a positive experience. We work hard to ensure that we live up to our fundraising promise. Despite our best efforts, we recognise that there may be occasions when you wish to register a complaint. We take complaints seriously and seek to address them appropriately.
You can read our fundraising complaints procedure here
