Charity collection on the London Overground network
Collection Policy
London Overground Rail Operations Ltd (LOROL) operates a fair-access charity policy and does not discriminate between, or offer preferential access to, any charities wishing to collect on its network. Any charity registered with the Charity Commission for England & Wales (http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk ) is welcome to apply for access.
Requesting collection dates
A large number of charities are in regular contact with LOROL requesting authority to collect at specific stations on specific dates. It is not always possible to agree to these dates, either because they are already allocated to another organisation, or because of the need to protect certain stations from too frequent collections resulting in 'charity fatigue' for its users.
With so many requests for collection access we limit the number of collection days for any single charity to 5 days per month, subject to the restrictions outlined above.
We expect 2012 to be a busy year with the Queen’s Jubilee as well as the Olympic games during the summer months. The Olympic games will be a massive logistical operation for LOROL as well as the Police as we endeavour to provide our customers a service without compromising the safety of our customers and our collecting visitors.
We expect an additional 500,000 passengers per day travelling to sport’s venues across London and the South East, with this in mind during the games and in the short run up to them, LOROL have decided (on recommendation from the Olympic planning directorate, Metropolitan and British Transport Police forces) to cease all collections across the network from 1 July to 16 September 2012.
We hope that you will be able to continue to enjoy the opportunity to raise funds at LOROL stations for the rest of 2012.
Terms and conditions for collection
Before authority for any collection takes place we require all charities to formally accept in writing our terms & conditions :
- Collection dates agreed are specific and non-transferrable and charities are not authorised to collect at any of the agreed stations on any other day, nor at any other station on the agreed dates.
- There is no authority whatsoever for any charitable collection aboard London Overground trains.
- Collection is subject to the following conditions for all collectors who must:
- Carry a copy of the Authority letter issued by LOROL
- Carry official identification which must be presented on arrival at station
- Sign-in with station staff & brief them on what they’re doing. Staff will provide any necessary safety or other briefing
- Adhere strictly to staff direction on where they can stand & what they can do. Staff’s word is final & non-negotiable
- Not impede passenger flows, or by creating delays to passengers in transit cause backlogs or blockages
- Be presentably dressed and non-costumed, and clearly identifiable as a charity collector
- Behave courteously, politely, non-intrusively & non-threateningly at all times
- In addition:
- Payment of fundraisers from any funds raised on London Overground premises is strictly not permitted by London Overground
- Unless otherwise agreed, collection activity must take place on the outside of the ticket barriers as well as some distance away from them
- Collection methods must be non-aggressive and non-intimidating at all times
- All collection buckets to be fully sealed & not accessible to collectors
- Within 7 days of each collection date each charity advise LOROL in writing of the amount collected at each station. Failure to do so may mean that no further collection will be permitted.
Responsibility for collection staff’s full compliance with the above rests solely with the requesting charity. In the event that London Overground or British Transport Police staff are unhappy in any way with collector’s behaviour then they are fully entitled to direct that the collector leaves the station immediately and without any form of appeal.
It is London Overground’s sole discretion as to whether any future collection access to London Overground stations, including any outstanding agreed collection dates, for that charity will be considered.
Next steps
Charities requesting access should email the LOROL Customer Service Team (overgroundinfo@tfl.gov.uk) giving details of:
Charity name
Registered address
Charity registration number
Preferred stations & collection dates (maximum of 5 + alternative dates for each)
