Coin Painting: Guide

To read a checklist summary of this activity, click here

Before you start

Coin paintings, like penny trails, are officially classed as a form of public collection, and require a license. Your charity may be able to arrange this and identity badges for you; if not you will have to contact your local authority.

In London, you should contact the Licensing Team of the City of London or the Metropolitan Police for advice.

There is further advice on public collections in our Street Collections how2guide here.

First of all, you’ll need an artist to draw the picture. Someone well-known locally could add to the popularity of the event and help you get local media coverage, or try your local art school - they might run a competition and choose the best design for you.

Does a large company own the site you’ll be using or is there a company locally who might match fund the event if you use a picture of their logo for your coin picture? If so, ask them to promote the event and get their PR office on board. If working with a company, remember to think about its the suitability in relation to your cause.

You can do this activity on your own, or you can get together a team including:

• a co-ordinator to oversee the painting;
• a treasurer to deal with the money; and
• half a dozen helpers to take it in shifts to look after the painting during the day

Pick a date at least six weeks in advance to give yourself time to find a venue, artist and design. Check for any conflicting events on that date.

Find your venue! If you have a shopping mall or centre, ask them if you could use a part of that to attract the maximum number of passers-by. In the summer, a pedestrian precinct or a local park could work. Since a coin painting is officially classed as a public collection, you must contact your local council to get a license for this activity (see law and best practice below).

If you are doing your coin painting at work, you may be able to do it in an entrance hall if your company has a reasonably large one.

Explain to the venue that you will be using temporary paints or chalks that will wash off easily (and make sure you do!). If they are not keen, you may have to stick together sheets of lining paper on which to draw the design. You may be able to get a number of posters from the local cinema or supermarket and use the reverse, which will give you a big canvas and is great recycling! This approach has the advantage that you can prepare the picture in advance, but there is something nice about a proper ‘street painting’.

You will need:

You may also need

• cones and ropes to fence off the area;
• small flyers or A4 posters for notice boards and shop windows;
• a large poster on a board to promote what you are doing on the day and who you are raising money for (or you can wear a sandwich board); and
• material for cleaning up.

Warn other businesses in the area what you will be doing and when and ask them to stock up with small change in case people want to change notes on the day.

Arrange to have a supply of buckets to take away the coins to be counted – they’re very heavy!

Make sure you have some helpers at the end of the day who will help you scrub away the design if necessary.

On the two Saturdays prior to the event, display some signs on community notice boards around the area explaining what will be happening.

You could leaflet all the businesses in the area and ask if they would be willing to display a poster for you which your artist might design for you, around the design he/she will be using on the day.

Let your local TV station know what you are doing and when – they may want to send someone down to film the finished picture.

Arrange to have a local photographer to take some pictures at the end. Maybe a local politician such as the mayor, or the chairman of the company whose space you’re using would like to be photographed with the money (or even placing some!). Let you local newspaper know. There is more information on promoting events here.

You will need a float for the day in small change in case people want to change their money so they can join in. Think about how you will handle the money.

Two people should check the amount raised at the end of the day and you need to decide who will be responsible for banking it.

Before the day write a press release and send it to media that have agreed to cover your event. There is a press release template here.

Deliver radio and local TV interviews, if you have any.

Remind the media 24 hours before and on the day if you have time.

Hopefully your planning will all have made the day itself run smoothly.

On the morning of the event day pace out the area you need and rope it off with cones and rope so the space is clear.

If you have not pre-prepared the picture, lay out a few hats or caps for people to donate to get the ball rolling. You can use this money to start filling in the space as the artist completes each bit.

The artist might build up the work using just three colours to represent copper, bronze and silver coinage. As they complete one area, you ask the public to start to fill in the space with coins.

If you find yourself with a crowd of people, make sure they don’t trample all over the work of art. Your helpers, if you have them, can help keep the barriers up and they can place the coins for members of the public. You could give them a ‘uniform’ or coloured jumpers or jackets to wear so people know why they are there, a simple sticker badge may be enough.

Count and verify the money you have collected in a safe place and arrange to have it paid to the charity or whatever cause you’ve raised it for. Don’t forget to take back any float money that you started with.

Once you have removed the coins from your picture, you may be able to leave it there or you might have to wash and scrub it up at the time. Check with the site owner what they want you to do.

On the day or as soon as possible afterwards, tell all of your helpers how much money was made. Volunteers always like to know the return for their efforts and they’ll be more willing to help next time.

Tell the charity how much you’ve raised, and arrange to deliver the money to them. They will also be pleased to receive any pictures or news-clippings that you have.

Let us know how it went, by posting a comment in the forum or create your own ‘my fundraising’ page.

Inform your charity

It is good practice to let the charity or individual know you are fundraising for them - a quick phone-call will do, or drop them an e-mail. They may have useful resources and advice to offer. If you haven't yet decided, there are a number of websites that will help you.

Fundraising Materials and Publicity

All of your fundraising materials should make it clear where all the funds you raise will go, that you are fundraising in aid of the charity and that you do not represent the charity. If you are not fundraising for a registered charity, then you must not use the words ‘charity’ or ‘charitable’. If you are fundraising for a registered charity, remember to include their registered charity number on your fundraising materials.

Handling money

Make sure you have a secure system for handling the donations.

Match funding

It is usually a good idea to ask your employer if they will match-fund your fundraising income, but remember to check that they will match-fund this activity before you start and if so, if there are any limits.

Risk assessment

A risk assessment doesn't have to be a complex document, but it is always a good idea to run through one at a level appropriate to your activity to ensure you are taking the appropriate health and safety measures.

Insurance

Use your risk assessment to help you identify any insurance you may need. Generally if you are hiring a venue, it will be insured and you should ask what cover is available when you hire. Some charities are able to offer insurance to people fundraising for them, so it is worth checking with them. For more information on insurance check the know-how sheet on insurance.

Collecting Funds

You need a licence from your local authority or the relevant licensing authority (e.g. the Metropolitan Police in their area of operation) to collect funds on the street or in a public place or by going from house-to-house. It is illegal to collect funds in this way without a license. To collect funds on private property, you need permission from the owner. If collecting from pub-to-pub, although technically collecting on private property, you will still need a license. There are special rules about collection buckets – check any bylaws with your local authority. Even where not covered by legislation, it is best practice to ensure the boxes are secure.

Obtaining licenses

If you need a licence to carry out an activity, then it will most likely be issued by your local authority or the police. It is worth making a quick phone call to check whether you do need a licence.

Children

If you have children present, but supervised by their parents or people delegated to supervise them by their parents or legal guardian, then you are under no legal duty to make special provisions, though you should take them into account when you do a risk assessment. If you are running an activity with children who are not supervised by their parents or people delegated to do so by their legal guardians, then you should carry out appropriate background checks on the people involved in your activity who are to have unsupervised access to children. You should also ensure that the children do have permission from their parents or legal guardian to be involved in the event.

Equal access

If you are running an activity you are required to take 'reasonable' steps to make it accessible to people with disabilities. This doesn't mean you need to invest in expensive equipment, but it does mean you should look for a venue that has good access, print material in a font size that people can easily read and so on. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has lots of really useful publications including one called 'Organising accessible events' and a very friendly help-line so do give them a call on 08457 622 633 if you are unsure.

Photography

It is a good idea to take pictures of your fundraising activity. Most charities will be really pleased to receive them for newsletters and other materials, but just check the photography and filming laws before you start, to reassure yourself.

Copyright

If you are producing your own materials for your fundraising activity, you must only use materials that you have a right to reproduce. Copyright law gives the creators of literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, sound recordings, broadcasts, films and typographical arrangement of published editions rights to control the ways in which their material may be used. The safest option is to use material you have produced yourself, such as photos or drawings. Although some material is available without copyright restrictions on the internet, don’t assume that all materials are copyright free.

Codes of Fundraising Practice

The Institute of Fundraising has developed the Codes of Fundraising Practice to provide a guide to the law and best practice in relation to fundraising activity throughout the United Kingdom. Check to see whether your charity has committed to best practice by becoming members of the Fundraising Standards Board. You may find information in the following Codes useful:

Handling of Cash Donations

Fundraising in Schools

Accountability and Transparency

Guidance for 'In Aid of' Volunteer Fundraisers

Volunteer Fundraising

You can find all the Codes of Best Practice on the Institute of Fundraising’s website.

Disclaimer

Copyright

Copyright © 2007 Institute of Fundraising. Please see our terms and conditions for full details on use of these materials.