Public collections undertaken for, or on behalf of, charities and other voluntary organisations in places to which the public have general access are regulated by law.
Collections undertaken on private premises, to which the public is not afforded general access, are generally not regulated by law.
Many collections held on private premises to which the public do not have general access are the concern of only a small number of individuals, each of whom are known to one another – members of a family, an association, club, group or small voluntary community.
If you intend to engage in a collecting activity for, or on behalf of, a charity or other voluntary organisation, always ensure that the collecting activity is undertaken within the requirements of the law.
Where any appeal for money or property on behalf of charities or other voluntary organisations is made to a wider public, it is in the interests of everyone involved in fundraising to ensure that the trust and the integrity of the voluntary giving is maintained.
The most common form of collection appeals undertaken outside the requirements of existing legislation governing public collecting activity, are appeals involving the use of static collecting boxes – either floor standing or on counters in shops, pubs, hotels, hospitals, reception areas etc.
Static collecting boxes are amongst the most effective and efficient forms of fundraising, especially when voluntary workers are employed in their siting and servicing. They also provide visible evidence of a charity or voluntary organisation’s presence and acceptance by the community.
It is important that the authorities and the general public alike retain confidence in such a valuable source of charitable funds. This Code is designed to ensure the proper management and use of static collection boxes and to safeguard the public interest in their use.
