The Travel Foundation wants businesses to sign-up to its coin-collection box scheme before its ‘Summer for Change’ campaign gives way to winter.
The idea is collect holidaymakers’ unused foreign coins and use the loose change to help fund sustainable tourism projects in destinations.
Midcounties Cooperative helped to develop the scheme, encouraging customers to donate unwanted currency to support the Travel Foundation’s work. The group has more than 100 collection boxes in branches and Post Offices, raising an average £200 per box.
Airport parking company Airparks also has collection boxes at the key deposit points of its carparks in Luton and Birmingham.
The collection boxes require no management as operator Cash4Coins delivers the boxes and collects them when full.
Natalie Turner, head of branches at Midcounties Cooperative Travel, said: “We want to give our customers every opportunity to give back to the destinations they love.”
Graeme Jackson, Travel Foundation head of partnerships, said: “It’s estimated British holidaymakers have £663 million in leftover currency after holidays abroad and there is £145 million in old pound coins yet to be returned since they were replaced. That is a lot of unwanted cash which could help protect fragile environments and create sustainable livelihoods.”
If you would like a collection box for your business, email graeme.jackson@thetravelfoundation.org.uk or call 0117 930 7170.