A number of charities have rejected an offer to advertise for free in the final edition of the News of the World.
News International is shutting the tabloid amid the row over phone-hacking and advertising space for Sunday's paper has been offered to good causes.The Salvation Army and the RSPCA said they had declined the offer.
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which launched a drought appeal for East Africa on Friday, said it had yet to take a decision.
The Institute of Fundraising urged caution among its members when deciding whether to accept the offer of free advertising space from News International.
"The decision as to whether a charity ought to accept a donation or not should be grounded in its mission and policy objectives," it said, in a statement on its website.
"A clear policy on the acceptance or refusal of donations is important for all charitable organisations.
"Such a policy needs to be acceptable to all those associated with the charity and agreed formally by a charities' trustees."
A spokeswoman for regulatory body, the Charity Commission, said: "Ultimately it is the responsibility of a charity's trustees to ensure that any fundraising, including the acceptance of donations, is in the best interests of the charity.
"We encourage trustees to assess the advantages and disadvantages of new opportunities to fundraise, including any potential risks to the charity and its beneficiaries."
In the lead up to the announcement of its closure, a string of businesses suspended or cancelled advertising with the NoW. Among them were Co-operative Group, Lloyds, Halifax, Vauxhall, Virgin Holidays, Sainsbury's, O2, car-maker Ford and the government.
The Royal British Legion also cut its ties with the paper as its campaigning partner and put its advertising with News International under review. Among the other charities to reject the offer were Care International, homelessness charity Thames Reach and Water Aid.
Continued at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14087518
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