please empty your brain below
Why stand at the top of an escalator?, depending on how busy things are no one is going to see you until the last minute, even if they want to donate, standing at the top of an escalator looking for change isn't exactly helpful to those coming up behind.

Was she at a TfL station standing at the top of an escalator?, if so was TfL endorsing the charity?, might have been a scam.

Misery | 02.12.15 - 7:12 a.m. | #

It is possible for customers to be offered the opportunity to make a charitable donation as they are making an electronic payment, at the till perhaps. Rounding up to the nearest pound, for example, is equivalent to putting your spare coins in a bucket. See for example https://www.charitycheckout.co.uk

Andrew | 02.12.15 - 7:26 a.m. | #

The poppy appeal collectors at Canary Wharf tube station had contactless card readers, so you could still donate even if you had no cash.

As most tube stations have WiFi there's no reason this wouldn't work elsewhere.. so maybe the next time you see the lady she will have a bucket in one hand and a contactless reader in the other.

Robin | 02.12.15 - 7:27 a.m. | #

Just to echo Robin, trials of contactless charity tins are indeed underway - they're set for a fixed amount, which I guess could put people off, but for all the reasons DG's outlined they'll get widespread eventually.

Personally I want them to take the next step and offer a similar solution to TFL's buskers. I never give, because scrabbling in my rucksack for my purse, only to find I've got tiny change, is too dispiriting, and too slow! But if I could just swipe my card as I nip by - yeah, I'd definitely be up for that.

mighty mouse | 02.12.15 - 7:45 a.m. | #

Another issue is that many people already give substantial amounts to charity in other ways - direct debit, sponsoring friends and colleagues, etc. It's a very crowded "marketplace" out there for small charities relying on bucket collections, and this makes it less likely that people will stop - especially when the cause is an unfamiliar one.

THC | 02.12.15 - 7:50 a.m. | #

I was given to understand as an occassional charity collector myself that is now a legal requirement that you have to stand passively, do not shake your tin or solicit donations other than periodically announce(but not directly at any individual) the charity you are collecting for.

Peewit | Homepage | 02.12.15 - 8:22 a.m. | #

"I suppose you'll be wanting Chtristmas Day off"

Bah Humbug

Agent Z | 02.12.15 - 8:34 a.m. | #

I also collect occasional for a very well know charity. We must not shake the tin but just stand still.
We tried an Underground station once and the station manager told us where we could stand, which was just after the exit barriers. Not a good spot as every one was in a hurry and not much room or time to stop. We did not collect much and have decided not to go there again.
My charity finds the best places to collect seem to be at the entrance/exit to large supermarkets, where people do stop and sometimes even have time for a chat.
Any collecting we do is with prior written permission for certain timed "slots".

John | 02.12.15 - 8:40 a.m. | #

@Robin - what's WiFi got to do with it? Connectivity not required to make a contactless payment with a phone.

Plastic.. what's thay? I went out for the whole day on Monday, and didn't take my wallet, i just used my phone - everwhere. it was ace. I did take a charge just in case! (but didn't need it).

Dominoes pizza online do an excellent thing where they round up your order to the nearest pound, and ask if you'd like to donate that amount in pennies to a charity, i often say "yes".

But the people i feel REALLY bad for are the 'Watchtower' people outside stations, who i have never ever EVER seen have any success in getting someone to stop and talk to them. Surely it can't work? Why do they bother??

Geofftech | 02.12.15 - 8:51 a.m. | #

Personally I prefer to give to organised charities who can also claim the tax back through Gift-Aid. Donating cash is tax inefficient.

Dave | 02.12.15 - 9:00 a.m. | #

Considering so much is now done electronically...is collecting for charity with a bucket a little old-fashioned and bit British?...Is charity collecting by bucket (still) done in other countries?

E | 02.12.15 - 9:13 a.m. | #

In a world of electronic money, how do the little people get paid ? If I loaded up the car with old stuff and went to a car boot sale, how would I receive payment ? Will people have to have their own merchants account on their smartphone ?

coffin dodger | 02.12.15 - 9:19 a.m. | #

I usually have a bit of cash, but have another problem - it's usually buried at the bottom of my bag and not accessible.

But to be honest I prefer to give using my charity bank account - a set amount goes out of my pay automatically each month and I donate from there. I have regular payments and do adhoc ones.

It's the most tax efficient way of giving, but doesn't really work well for people collecting.


But for now I suspect this is a bit of a London problem. Go outside London and contactless seems to be a lot less popular in my experience. TfL pushing it so much has surely driven usage.

Andrew Bowden | Homepage | 02.12.15 - 9:23 a.m. | #

Geoff, the JWs are required, as an article of faith, to perform "missionary" duties. A lot of it is standing around, offering up Watchtower, but there are other elements to it. (Or so I've been told) I don't think anyone who's been disturbed mid-meal by them in the past is against the fairly new practice of standing around outside major stations instead. It also allows their shyer members to feel like they're doing something without freezing up in terror or being attacked. Though I always associate it more with the guys in the first episode of Black Books.

Chz | 02.12.15 - 9:46 a.m. | #

My Aunt always used to get the Watchtower when the Jehovah's Witnesses came round. Not because she wanted it, or was in any way religious, but because she felt sorry for the people trogging round the streets getting doors shut in their faces.

All infinitely preferable to those annoying people who stand outside Oxford Circus with a megaphone. Or indeed the Asian guy I used to see on the District Line years ago. He'd get on one stop, reading something very loudly and incomprehensibly from a book, then get off.

Couldn't even tell what he was saying, yet alone what religion he was selling.

Anyway, we're probably going to get told off now for being OT ;)

Andrew Bowden | Homepage | 02.12.15 - 9:51 a.m. | #

Since self service check outs have been in use at supermarkets I try and pay at them with the loose change from my pockets. This helps to keep the accumulation of coins from getting too heavy and weighting my trousers down. As a consequence if I encounter a collector with a tin I often have no change. This is a new situation as at staff operated check outs I have always tended to use notes or card to pay.

I have seen people talking to JW's and when I see them I often say Hello just to relieve their sometimes apparent look of boredom. I think they have found it no longer fruitful knocking on doors anymore.

The charity that I occasionally collect for used to do door to door collection but we no longer do so as for the amount of time and the walking involved very few doors called at got opened.
Perhaps the JW's have found likewise.

I have not seen street collectors accepting cards yet but I will look out for them in future.

John | 02.12.15 - 10:19 a.m. | #

There's always the thought that anyone collecting for charity in the street might be bogus. But then, so might the people who knock your door or send emails - more so with the emails!

But standing at the top of the escalators? It's a wonder she didn't get swept away in the rush.

Bronchitikat | Homepage | 02.12.15 - 10:38 a.m. | #

For several years now the choir I'm in has sung carols at the bottom of the escalators at Canary Wharf. We raise money for Samaritans - we sing and they organise the collecting. It's been very successful; lots of money donated. Some people even stop to listen! We're there on 16th December, 5:30 - 7:30pm.

Tony | 02.12.15 - 1:51 p.m. | #

@Tony: I think people are generous when they hear real music; I think the choir with which I sang was successful at local precincts.
I see in today's news that De La Rue are cutting their bank note production. I suppose we're all getting more cashless. I never have loose change to hand for buckets or other collectors now.

Helen D Vecht | 02.12.15 - 2:14 p.m. | #

@Dave 9.00am

You are dead right about tax inefficiency. Every 80p donated via Gift Aid = £1 to the charity and if you are a 40% taxpayer, 20p back to you. So it is in the charity's interest to obtain donations via Gift Aid. Secondly, I totally agree about cash and contactless: I never carry any cash other than an emergency £10 or £20 note and try to pay for everything by credit or debit card, so as to keep a track of my spending habits. So far this year I have spent cash on exactly 68 occasions mainly for gardening help, haircuts and the monthly newsagent's bill. Having said that, I never go to pubs or cafes!

Oldie | 02.12.15 - 2:37 p.m. | #

Others have already nailed it..the very worst place to try to have personal interactions is at the entrance to an escalator.
As for bucket collections..they are in action at this moment in front of most supermarkets in the Washington DC USA area...and run by the Salvation Army.

Colesville Garth | 02.12.15 - 11:30 p.m. | #

Coffin Dodger: "In a world of electronic money, how do the little people get paid ? If I loaded up the car with old stuff and went to a car boot sale, how would I receive payment ? Will people have to have their own merchants account on their smartphone ?"

To answer the last first, in the long run (or even medium run) quite possible. Micro-credit and mobile-based businesses are huge things in the developing world, where physical connections (roads, post, gvt. offices) can be rather flaky or too far distant.

On the other hand, the banks don't actually care about "little people" - cash costs them: people to handle it, space to store it, security to transport it, high street space to dispense it. Pixels and bytes cost too - IT hardware, programmers and security systems - but it feels like those costs are perceived differently. More profit trumps customer service, always. They simply aren't interested in someone's £57.88 car boot takings. That's why they're pushing e-payments (for the small stuff, now we've had years of using cards for the big things) and online banking as hard as they can.

I work in IT but I loathe this - for physical purchases up to £20 I almost always use cash - and larger when I can. (Impulse purchases when light in the wallet are the main exception. And of course I don't send cash for stuff I buy on eBay).

And that's before we even get to the "THEY will track everything you do, forever" debate...

Graham | 03.12.15 - 7:38 a.m. | #

TFL's guidelines for charities are here: https://www.kclsu.org/pageassets/runningagroup/LUL-CHARITIES-FUNDRAISERS-FAQ-sheet.pdf

Ed | 03.12.15 - 8:02 a.m. | #











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