Street Collection Programme
Within the Metropolitan Police District
a street collection programme is in operation.
This facilitates the smooth running of collections and avoids
more than one charity collecting on the same day.
Two days each week (usually Tuesday and Saturday) are allocated throughout the year for London-wide collections except during the periods set aside for local Borough collections or during December (for carol singing only). Each charity is normally permitted only one day on which to collect in each year.
The programme caters for collection to be held -
- On a London -wide basis; or
- Within a local Borough; or
- As part of a Carnival or Student Rag Day; or
- During the London Marathon; or
- Between 1 and 24 December (for carol singing only)
Two days each week (usually Tuesday and Saturday) are allocated throughout the year except during the periods set aside for local Borough collections or during December. Each charity is normally permitted only one day to collect in each year.
Each charity or organisation must give written assurance that they can collect in 20 or more of the 32 London Boroughs on the same day.
Six periods each year are allocated for those people who wish to collect within a Borough.
Dates for local Borough collections may vary slightly but the periods are usually -
February The last week March The last week June The last week August The whole month September The first week October The last week The Mayor or Chief Executive of the Borough in which the collection is to be held must approve the collection and issue a letter of sponsorship, which must accompany the application.
Please note that Charities or organisations are allowed to collect only one day per year in each borough
Borough Carnival or Student Rag.
All Charitable Street Collections within the Metropolitan Police District are stationary.
Except when it is in connection with a Carnival, then collecting is allowed
"along the route " only
This type of collection falls within the definition of a local Borough collection, however
consideration is given to applications outside the local appeals periods if the collection is to be held on the occasion of a Carnival or student "Rag" that occupies a traditional date each year.The Mayor or Chief Executive of the Borough in which the collection is to be held must approve the collection and issue a letter of sponsorship, which must accompany the application.
Rag-Week
To prevent problems arising over the accounts we now request that a permanent member of the college/university staff agrees to become the Chief Promoter (part 2 (1a) of schedule 1 ).
Please note that Charities or organisations are allowed to collect only one day per year in each borough
Christmas Carol Collections, 1 to 24 December
This type of collection is authorised by the Licensing Officer on behalf of the OCU Commander of the area in which the collection is to be held. All requests are to be put in writing to the Licensing Officer at the appropriate police station. Participants must be either singing Christmas carols or playing recorded Christmas music. Section 20(1) of the Regulations refers.
All Charitable Street Collections within the Metropolitan Police District are stationary.
Except when it is in connection with the London Marathon then collecting is allowed
"along the route " only.Due to the speciality of this occasion it has been decided that there will be a relaxation concerning some of the procedures at this event.
They are,
- No letters of sponsorship are required.
- No limit to the number of charities collecting.
- Collection on the move (along the route only).
Applying for a Street
Collection Permit
Please ensure that the application form is fully and correctly completed and accompanied where appropriate by any necessary information and/or letter of sponsorship. It should be sent to Charities, TP HQ, Room 443, Victoria Embankment, Westminster, London SW1A 2JL. Telephone: 0207-321-7129.
All applications whether London-wide or of a local nature are referred to an advisory Committee for their recommendations before any permit is granted or refused. It is important to allow sufficient time for requests to be considered. Application forms must be received well in advance of the date proposed for the collection, but at the latest they must be received by the first day of the month preceding the month in which the collection is to be held, for example if a permit is required for a date in September than the application must be received by 1st August.
The collection date requested may not always be available and the applicants should be prepared to consider alternative dates.
If you are a first time collector you will be required to submit detailed information and literature about the aims and objectives of the fund along with copies of accounts for the previous three years if applicable.
After the Collection has taken place
Attention is drawn to section 19 of the regulations, which sets out the procedure for submission of audited accounts etc. All the items required under this regulation MUST be submitted within three months and it is essential that this time scale be adhered to. Failure to comply with the regulations may prejudice any future applications.
a) Accounts should be submitted on schedule 2, showing the amount collected and any expenses or payment incurred. It should be certified by two of the persons responsible for the collection, and a qualified accountant and not later then three months from the date of the collection.
b) Expenses should be kept to a minimum. A maximum of 10% of the total collection is permissible for the first time collection, subsequent collections should be well below this.
c) A list showing the names of the collectors and amounts collected in each box should also be submitted together with the accounts.
d) An article shall be published in a newspaper, showing the area in which the collection took place, the amount collected and any expenses incurred.
e) If the total of the collection was £400 or less then a waiver may be requested for the signature of an accountant on the schedule 2 and the publication of a newspaper article.
If the collection was cancelled please notify in writing to Charities, TP HQ, Room 443, Victoria Embankment, Westminster, London SW1A 2JL. Telephone: 0207-321-7129.
GUIDELINES FOR STREET COLLECTIONS WITHIN THE METROPOLITAN POLICE DISTRICT
1) No collector shall be under 16 years of age, unless the collection is in connection with a procession, then collectors may be under 16 years of age, but not less than 14, as long as they are accompanied by a responsible adult.
2) Collectors should be stationary accept when the collection is accompanied by a procession.
3) Collectors should stand at least 25 metres apart.
4) Collectors should not cause danger, obstruction, inconvenience or annoyance to any person.
5) All collection boxes/buckets should display the name of the charity or fund collecting and should be securely sealed.
6) No animal should accompany collections.
7) Collectors should carry a written authority or badge signed on behalf of the Chief Promoter.
8) Collectors should probably be discouraged from hiring "fancy dress" etc. as the cost would almost certainly exceed the 10% expenses allowed for a collection.
9) No payment should be made to collectors.
10) A sample badge or letter of authority
should be submitted to the Charities office before the collection
takes place.