Contactless donation stations and card readers attached to jackets are being trialled as solutions to maintain the estimated £80 million in potential donations lost by charities should they continue to rely on cash.
Rough Sleeping Partnership (RSP), an alliance of four charities which tackle street homelessness in Bristol, set up two contactless donation stations in the local shopping area to receive £2 donations, as well as provide information about outreach programmes: in 6 months, the terminals raised on average £370 per month. Last year N=5, an ad agency in Europe, trialled the ‘Helping Heart contactless jacket’ where passersby could donate €1 by tapping a card reader on the chest of a rough sleeper’s coat. The money could only be spent on nominated products in liaison with a local shelter.
