Why do they need to know?

If I chose to participate in any interests then why should I be asked such personal questions as shown on Age UK.
I may not have the same gender, colour the same religion as my neighbour but should that stop me pursuing my interests ? The fact I wished to participate is enough.
Who I am should not be questionable.

Neil Perhaps if you had a child in a wheelchair, or born with indeterminate sex, or with one arm you would not treat this as an opportunity to make a joke.

It's not about "aiming" courses at anyone is it? It's about seeing who is signing up for courses, if certain groups are significantly under-represented and, if so, why.

As I understand it, the diversity questionnaire is separate from any other forms and is therefore anonymous. So how can anyone be "frightened". In any case, they can choose not to complete it. And, as has already been pointed out, people who use the internet, have store cards, etc., have probably disclosed far more information already than diversity questionnaires seek.

Telling people with whom you disagree that they are unintelligent, insensitive, arrogant, etc., seems a little over the top to me.

Incidentally, is it predominantly "certain ethnic minority families" who choose to sit near the car park rather than venture out into the countryside?

Always remember reading about Peter Ustinov who when asked his colour on a form chose to put "pink!"

As someone who worked for several charities over the years you would not believe the hoops they have to jump through to obtain funding. Being able to demonstrate the diversity of their service users may well be a requirement of some funding applications. Most organisations while getting some funding from the public also need to make lengthy applications to a smorgasbord of Grant making bodies. No grants no service! I actually worked for Age UK when it was Age Concern and remember folk being very uppity about the fact they put money in a tin every flag day but got no service. That flag day money was but a drop in the ocean compared to what the charity needs. Personally instead of petty complaining I would be doing anything I could to help a Charity raise funds. As someone else has said the information is anonimsed and only collected a statistics. This is the exact opposite of discrimination and helps Age UK support more older people in need.

These forms are mission critical to any organisation that is ever inspected or is regulated or depends on public donations. The data is used anonymously to help organisations to measure how they are performing under their obligations arising from the Equality act.

They have to prove that they are NOT discriminating against any of the protected characteristics of gender, disability, race, age..... so it therefore follows that if you want services to be provided for you it is your part of the bargain to help them to plan, bid for funds and prove that they have delivered what they said would.

As customers it is in our interest to provide the data so that our needs are met and our money spent fairly.

I am glad everyone can be so cheerful as the Common Purpose leftists salami slice the rights of the population. An Age UK course has nothing to do with anyone except the charity and the applicant,and, furthermore, the desire to impose ‘Diversity’ is malign. Quotas are inherently sexist, racist and unequal.

I wonder how much these statistics actually prove other than getting grants. For instance, where I live most of the primary schools are CofE and there are no mosques. So Moslems are thin on the ground. Is this taken into account?

As for charities asking for (to me) irrelevant information, having agreed to a small monthly donation, I was once asked by a 'chugger' in the street for my age and phone number.
I declined to give both, on the grounds that my age was irrelevant, and I didn't want anyone phoning me, let alone passing my number on.
He said that was fine.

Next thing you know, there was letter from the charity, saying that they were 'unable' to process my 'application' without this information. I couldn't believe the cheek of it - anyone would think I was asking them for money!

Needless to say, the letter went in the bin - and the money started coming out of my account anyway.
This was ages ago when chuggers were a new thing - I invariably pass them by now.

I think it might be to do with funding. They need to prove that they are attracting and retaining people from every part of society. Quite often it isn't compulsory to answer these questions and there is a "prefer not to say" option so, if you feel strongly about it, pick that option.

Yes, Eleothan, it is virtually always ethnic minority families who choose to sit very close to the car park. Living very close by and walking there almost every day, we see it time and time again.

I was not implying that there is anything wrong with it, merely saying it in the context of walking as a pleasant leisure activity often being an alien concept in certain cultures. And I dare say that stems at least partly from ethnic-origin climate - when it's stinking hot much of the time most people will not choose to walk far unless they have to.
Might add that having lived for many years in parts of the world where it IS stinking hot much of the time, I can understand this only too well.