# Carol singers collect via contactless card

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/12/09/carol-singers-collect-contactless-card/
- Published: 2011-12-09T09:45:52+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

![](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/files/images/news/barclay_carolsingers_contactless_bucket.
jpg)

![](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/files/images/news/barclay_carolsingers_contactless.
jpg)

The London Community Gospel Choir serenaded shoppers in London’s Covent Garden on
Wednesday and collected for charity using cashless cards only. While the choir performed,
people were able simply to hold their contactless cards over the charity collection
bucket that had been equipped with contactless technology in order to make their
donation.

The donations were made using pre-paid cards provided for the purpose by Barclays
and Barclaycard, so in practice the donations came from the Barclaycard. Each donation
of £5 made from the cards through the payment system on the contactless collection
bucket was donated to [Help a Capital Child](http://www.capitalfm.com/helpalondonchild),
and £2,500 was raised.

Contactless cards enable people to make purchases of £15 or less, without the need
to enter a PIN or their card into a payment terminal. Once the card has been held
over the contactless terminal, the transaction uses a secure network to add automatically
the purchase to the customer’s credit card bill or debit it from their current account.

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Richard Armstrong, Head of UK Payment Acceptance at Barclaycard, said: “At this 
time of the year, shoppers are often caught short of change when they hear Christmas
carollers singing on the high street for charity. We introduced the UK’s first contactless
carol singers at London’s Covent Garden to make it easier and quicker for people
to make donations on the go.”

Barclays says that there are over 15.3 million contactless Barclays debit and Barclaycard
credit cards in circulation in the UK.

Although the donation was made digitally the charity does not receive contact details
of the donor.

www.Barclays.co.uk/contactless

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