I've been using the askCharity service for over two years, and the generous help from charity PRs never ceases to amaze me. However, as the service has grown more popular, it does get harder to generate the same volume of responses and find case studies.

It must be hard, when you're bombarded with requests, to read through everything. That's why I aim to make the title of my request informative, and the request itself as concise as possible, so PRs can see at a glance if it's relevant.

If you see a request that grabs your attention, but you don't feel there's enough information to act upon, get in touch with the journalist or researcher. They're not withholding detailed information to make your life more difficult - they're just trying to generate as much interest as possible. Contact them and ask for all the details. If it is a genuine request, the journalist will be more than happy to help, even if it doesn't turn out to be a project you can work together on. I'm always happy to exchange information with new PR contacts. Even if we can't work together on one particular story, another will soon come along where we can.

Another dilemma for many of my charity contacts is whether to put case studies forward for interview. Most journalists understand that charities build up strong relationships with their case studies; any journalist worth his or her salt will respect that. Although journalists have no control over whether an editor will publish a commissioned piece, we can keep you informed, explaining everything that can (and probably will) happen to your case study, from photo shoots to agency interest, to make the experience a positive one for them.

Most journalists, particularly in the health and real life market, understand that not everyone feels completely comfortable sharing their story - no matter how much they want to help their charity. It helps to know what the journalist has worked on before, to give you and the case study peace of mind.

I direct interviewees to my website initially, so they can see who I am, who I've worked with and the kinds of stories I've written. I'm also keen to point out my counselling training, which helps immensely when I'm dealing with sensitive issues. If you're worried about putting a case study in touch with a journalist, find out as much as you can about them. They shouldn't mind sharing previous articles, experience and interviews, or even putting you in touch with case studies they've worked with previously. Journalists do understand why charities are suspicious of them, but they also want to build solid, trusting relationships. A good journalist will go out of their way to affirm your faith in them.

Johanna Payton is a freelance journalist specialising in health, parenting and real life - www.johannapayton.co.uk