Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 09:59:25 +0100
From: Howard Lake, FundUK List Manager
UK Fundraising has received a number of enquiries from organisations
wanting to collect for the Indian earthquake appeal. Several have asked
whether it is legal to shake or rattle a collecting tin on the streets.
I've always understood that technically one should not shake or rattle a
collecting tin as that constituted "begging." At least that's the message I
got while working at Oxfam in the 80's.
One enquirer was a legal student who said he could find no legal reference
to this "rule" and I can't find any reference in the ICFM Codes of Practice.
Does anyone know if this "rule" exists? If so, where is the source?
__________________________________
Howard Lake
List manager of FundUK, for discussion of fundraising in the UK
funduk@dircon.co.uk
Fundraising UK Ltd
+44 (0)20 8640 5233
FundUK is kindly supported by Netscalibur http://www.netscalibur.co.uk
FundUK details http://www.fundraising.co.uk/other_fr/lists/funduk.html
__________________________________
LEGAL > re: Shaking collecting tins?
Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 08:19:16 -0000
From: Lee Lloyd
Larry,
I was street collections organiser at Leicester University for two years and
I would have to disagree with you about the importance of street
collections. Although the money raised for the charities concerned could be
relatively small compared to other types of fundraising, it can be a
valuable way of motivating volunteers to become involved in charity giving.
A street collector can help a cause that they feel close to, without having
to commit regular time to volunteer or having to approach friends and family
for donations.
This also doesn't take into account the raised profile that a charity
receives when they stage a street collection, when else do you hundreds of
walking advertisements for your charity on a Saturday afternoon??
Lee Lloyd
NIACE
[email]lee.lloyd@niace.org.uk[/email]
LEGAL > re: Shaking collecting tins?
Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 15:53:30 -0000
From: Larry Boyd
You can shake but you can't annoy. That's the law according to the
Charities Aid Foundation book , "How to Guide - Running a Public
Collection" (1998 £7.95) Covers topics on this and other public
collections.
Are collections like this worth the effort any more? Especially with
Gift Aid giving a boost to other forms of fundraising?
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Larry Boyd
Communications Officer
Tools For Self Reliance
Southampton SO40 7GY
United Kingdom
(44) 0 2380 869697
[url]www.tfsr.org[/url] [email]communications@tfsr.org[/email]
LEGAL > re: Shaking collecting tins?
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 13:46:47 -0000
From: Stewart Lucas
As another ex-raggie the subject of to rattle or not to rattle is on close
to my heart. As far as I can re-call it (as was suggested) to do with local
bi-laws. they also dictate how far you can stand from another collector
extra. When applying for a street collecting licence in Manchester you get a
copy of the local bi-laws with your licence. Going back to Howard's initial
e-mail about those wanting to 'shake' for the Indian earthquake, The big
issue for them is not their behaviours on the street but making sure that
they have permits, ID and can-seals. A open bucket is illegal.
Stewart Lucas
Fund Development Manager
Community Foundation for Greater Manchester
John Dalton House
121 Deansgate
Manchester
M2 3BX
Tel: 0161 828 8725
Fax: 0161 828 8726
Mobile: 0794 6424077
E-mail: [email]Stewart@communityfoundation.co.uk[/email]
LEGAL > re: Shaking collecting tins?
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 13:14:53 GMT
From: Fodo Higginson
This is only a suggestion, but you cannot carry out street or house to
house collections without first applying to the relevent local authority with
dates, charitable status etc (and most dates are booked well in advance).
As these are local licences perhaps the guidelines are tied in with local
by-laws as opposed to national statute. You should be able to easily
obtain a copy of your local authorities Licence Agreement.
I hope this is of some use.
Fodo Higginson
South West Woodcraft Folk
[email]fodo.higginson@btinternet.com[/email]
LEGAL > re: Shaking collecting tins?
Date: Wed, 07 Feb 2001 11:57:15 +0000
From: Richard Hick
'Non rattling' appears to be the received wisdom... but it does have a
negative effect on income. Shouting at no-one in particular works
well. When collecting in Victoria pre Christmas a woman, unknown to us,
was walking around our collectors to see if any were shaking tins and
telling them off if they were!
Richard Hick
[email]Richard.Hick@mariecurie.org.uk[/email]
Marie Curie Cancer Care
LEGAL > re: Shaking collecting tins?
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 11:45:35 -0000
From: Lee Lloyd
Howard
Having just graduated from University, where I took part in countless street
collections for various charities, I was always told that it was possible to
shake or rattle a tin/bucket. I was also encouraged to ask people for
donations, with our take on the law being that as long as you were not being
an annoyance to people, and requesting in a pleasant manner, it was not
"begging". However, on a few occasions I was approached by members of the
public stating this, but as I collected next to and from the police without
anyone official mentioning this, I took it that no such law existed. I
found that shaking or rattling tins were not an effective method of getting
people to give you money anyway, compared to a polite request.
Lee Lloyd
NIACE
[email]lee.lloyd@niace.org.uk[/email]
LEGAL > re: Shaking collecting tins?
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 11:39:49 -0000
From: Ralph Graham
Whilst this is not a direct answer to the question I thought I should
mention something about prospective appeals. The Commission has received a
number of inquiries about appeals for victims of the Indian earthquake and
promoters/fund raisers should make themselves aware of the Commission's
booklet, CC40 - Disaster Appeals Attorney General's Guidelines, which is
available on our website ([url]www.charity-commission.gov.uk[/url]
<[url]http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk[/url]> )
The Commission is willing as a matter of urgency to advise on the terms of
any intended charitable appeal, or to consider whether a proposed appeal is
likely to be charitable, and if so to advise on the likely consequences. We
will need to see the drafts of any prospective governing document.
Whilst it is not our intention to prevent new charities being established
for the disaster we need to be satisfied that they are capable of delivering
the relief to the disaster area. Under certain circumstances it might be
more appropriate for individuals or organisations to make donations via
existing Aid Agencies, such as the Disaster Emergencies Committee, which are
geared up to deliver relief to disaster areas.
Existing charities must be satisfied that their existing objects and powers
allow them to raise funds for the Disaster under the umbrella of the
charity. Again advise on this point can be sought from the Commission (0870
333 0123).
Graham Ralph - Head of Registration, Charity Commission.
[email]gralph@charity-commission.gov.uk[/email]
LEGAL > re: Shaking collecting tins?
Date: Wed, 07 Feb 2001 11:36:19 -0000
From: Darren Worthy
As a Rag member I have often collected in the streets and thus have
encounted people who say you aren't allowed to do anything when collecting
in the streets.
At a Rag Conference I was told by a law student that the law on street
colectons simply states that you cannot collect in a way that annoys people
- not the most useful of descriptions as simply being on the street can
annoy some people!
I always advise students not to shake the tins (it gives them a headache
more than anything else!) and to politely ask people if they would like to
donate money to charity - that way technically they're not asking for money,
they're asking if you would like to give money, you could answer yes and
then donate in a shop!
It basically seems to be common sense, be polite to people, if they say no,
accept it and ask someone else.
If people do get anoyed at collectors they simply seem to say something
along the lines of "Do you realise it's illegal to shake your tin". They
want to point out how much they know, rather than actually stop you raising
money for a worthy cause.
Darren Worthy
Volunteer Co-ordinator
University of Glamorgan Rag
[email]darrenworthy@hotmail.com[/email]