# Well wishers could add £3 million to charity coffers

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2006/11/30/well-wishers-could-add-3m-charity-coffers/
- Published: 2006-11-30T00:00:00+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Tourists could be throwing almost £3m a year into wishing wells according to a new
report from financial services marketing agency Teamspirit.
The Fountain Money Mountain
report says that one in five UK adults spends an annual average of 31p at tourist
sites like Rome’s Trevi Fountain – which adds up to just under £3m.

The survey says that some wishing wells and fountains already contribute to charity
funds, but others do not. Megan Pacey, director of policy and campaigns at the Institute
of Fundraising said: When money is quite literally thrown away into wishing wells
and fou tains, it would be to everyone’s benefit if those responsible for the upkeep
of such sites could nominate an appropriate UK charity to receive these funds.

In a separate move Italian charity Caritas says it plans to set up a supermarket
for poor people in Rome using the thousands of coins thrown into the Trevi fountain
each day. Around £2,000 is thrown into the fountain each day. Families will be given
a top-up card by their local councils which they can swap for basic food items at
the supermarket in the centre of the city.

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