The campaign launched with a presentation to around 300 primary school children, introducing the idea of unused currency and encouraging them to get their families involved.

Each child received a collection bag to take home, with a two-week window to fill and return it. The campaign was supported by communications through staff and parent WhatsApp groups, while an award for the form returning the most bags added a simple element of friendly competition.

Some families went further, reaching out to friends and their wider networks. Two particularly engaged “super-collectors” ultimately generated around half of the total raised.

The campaign showed that simply distributing collection bags isn't enough. Regular communication and reminders were important in turning initial interest into returned donations.

It also became clear that participation wasn't evenly distributed. A relatively small number of highly engaged supporters generated a significant proportion of the overall result.

This helped demonstrate the value of identifying and empowering enthusiastic individuals who can extend a campaign beyond their immediate household and into their wider community.

The two-week campaign raised £1,769.50, comfortably exceeding its original £1,000 target.

A total of 73 bags were collected, with an average value of approximately £22 per bag. The highest-value individual bag contained £289.73.

Around half of the total was captured through named Gift Aid, with the remaining eligible donations processed through the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS).

The results demonstrated the potential of a simple school campaign to reach far beyond the school itself, mobilising families, friends and the wider community around a shared fundraising goal.