Volunteering for Childhood Day Frequently Asked Questions

You should have received a confirmation email letting you know that your collection slot has been booked. Following on from this you will receive further emails from us about your collection and what to expect on the day. Keep an eye out for these and if you don’t receive any further emails please contact [email protected].

You’re welcome to collect with a family member or friend. We just ask them to register on the same collection via the sign-up form to ensure there is space at that collection.

Your safety is of utmost importance to us. We will pair you up with another collector so you’re not collecting on your own. In the unlikely event that someone tries to take your tin or bucket please let it go.

Please take time to read our Safe Fundraising Guidance and Volunteer Guide ahead of your collection. These can be found on our Childhood Day volunteer resources page.

You’ll meet your collection lead for the day at your collection meeting point and we’ll let you know these details ahead of your collection.

On arrival you will be asked sign in, be given a short briefing from your collection lead and be given all the materials you need to collect. You’ll then be paired up with another volunteer so that you’re not collecting on your own.

The collection lead will provide you with an NSPCC t-shirt and collectors authority card on arrival which should be worn for the duration of the collection.

An NSPCC member of staff or volunteer collection lead will meet you on the day of the collection and we’ll pair you up with another collection volunteer so you won’t be on your own.

If you have any questions about your collection you can contact us at [email protected] or on 0203 772 9287. You will also be given a contact number for your collection lead should you have any questions on the day of your collection.

No formal training is required for you to take part in a Childhood Day collection. We will however be offering a virtual drop-in session to help you feel more confident ahead of the day.

The session will be hosted by an NSPCC fundraiser and will include helpful hints and top tips to get the most out of your experience. The drop-in will be taking place on Wednesday 8 May at 6.30pm. Details of how to sign up will be sent to you by email and also available on the Childhood Day Facebook group.

If you don’t receive the invite please contact us at [email protected].

We recommend bringing a drink, appropriate clothing (depending on the weather) and a bag to store any personal belongings. There won’t be storage space at most collections so please keep personal belongings to a minimum.

Children are not allowed to take part in street collections and we ask that anyone collecting is 18 or over.

Some sites may let you collect with your dog, just check the guidelines at your collection first by emailing [email protected].

We'd love to see photos of you and your furry friend collecting so don't forget to take some photos. Post them on our Childhood Day Facebook page or share them elsewhere on social media using #ChildhoodDay.

If you feel unwell on the day of the collection, please do not attend your collection and follow the guidance below on cancelling your collection slot.

Yes, if there isn’t a collection near you and you would like to set up and organise your own collection please get in touch with us at [email protected].

If you are unable to collect for us, whatever the reason, we completely understand.

To cancel or amend your collection slot please follow these instructions:

• Click on the ‘manage my registration’ link in your confirmation email you received when you first signed up.
• This will bring you through to your registration, from here you can cancel your shift if needed.
• To rebook on to a different collection, location or shift please complete a new registration.

If you experience any issues in changing your shift please contact us at [email protected]

If you are cancelling within 2 days of your collection please contact us directly at [email protected]

If you are cancelling on the day of your collection please contact your collection lead directly (their details will be provided via email before your collection).

Please try to arrive 15 minutes before your collection slot is due to start, this will give you time to sign in, pick up your collection materials and meet your local collection lead.

Head to your meeting point, your local collection lead will meet you here and make sure you have everything you need.

Your collection lead will be able to advise you where to stand when collecting. Stand somewhere visible but make sure you don’t block exists or obstruct people. Your collection venue might have specific requirements on where you can stand and we will share these with you before you collect.

If you need the toilet leave your bucket or contactless device with the person you’re paired with or your collection lead.

How long you collect for depends on which shift you registered for, but most are 2 hours long. You are welcome to stay for longer and if you want to do so just let your collection lead know on the day.

You may have a contactless payment device or scannable QR code to take donations during the collection and the collection lead will be able to show you how to use these.

Supporters may want to know more about our work and we’ve included some examples of how our work helps children in your volunteer guide.

If someone asks a question that you’re not sure about it’s fine to say that you don’t know and direct them to nspcc.org.uk for further information.

If a member of the public raises concerns about a child’s welfare or discloses anything to you can ask them to contact our Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email us at [email protected].

Once the donations from each collection have been counted and added together, you will receive an email from us letting you know how much was raised at your collection and from Childhood Day collections across the UK & Channel Islands.

All donations received will go towards supporting the NSPCC’s mission to protect children today, prevent abuse tomorrow and transform society to make child abuse a thing of the past.

It costs £4 for one of our trained volunteer counsellors to answer a child's call for help to Childline. Every penny you raise is vital to our work.

At the end of your collection please give your bucket or contactless device, collectors authority card and stickers back to the collection lead. We are happy for you to keep your NSPCC t-shirt.

We’d love to see photos of you out collecting on Childhood Day. You can share your photos by posting them on our Childhood Day Facebook page or sharing them on any social media using #ChildhoodDay.

Childhood Day collectors are there to raise money to help keep children safe, so please try to limit expenses where possible.

For example, you don’t need to travel far to support a collection, stay local! If you can’t find one near you this year, then how about supporting Childhood Day in another way or hosting a fundraising event nearby instead?

If you think you’re likely to have to spend your own money to fulfil your role as a collector, please contact [email protected] to see what we’re able to reimburse.

We’d love to have you volunteer for the NSPCC again, whether that’s through collecting, taking part in a fundraising event, joining a fundraising group or volunteering for one of our services for children such as Childline.

Being part of the NSPCC family can be great fun and you’ll be making a real difference to children’s lives.

We’ll be in touch with you again after your collection but it you have any questions or would like to get involved in the meantime contact [email protected].