Charity wants members of the public to give it their last fiver

THE national charity Caudwell Children is calling on the British public to boost its fundraising coffers by donating their last paper ₤5 notes to the charity.

With the imminent withdrawal from circulation of the old ₤5 notes, to be replaced by the controversial polymer fiver, on Friday, 5 May, 2017, as much as ₤165 million, currently in the public domain, could cease to be legal tender. 

And now bosses at Caudwell Children, which provides practical and emotional support to disabled children and their families, are appealing to the public to send them their old paper fivers.

As Andy Bailey, Media Campaigns Manager from Caudwell Children, explained:- "We're always trying to find novel ways that the public can donate, and we are hoping people support our campaign. The introduction of the new polymer fiver was always going to lead to the withdrawal of the old version, and from this Friday you won't be able to spend them in supermarkets or restaurants anymore. The thought of all this money being sat in drawers and in the pockets of old coats is really sad, especially as we could put it to great use!''

With time running out to spend the old ₤5 notes there are fears that the cash will simply be lost to the economy.

"Restaurants, bars and shops won't accept them after Friday. They are perfectly within their rights to refuse them. And with banks and building societies accepting the old notes at their discretion millions of pounds will be lost. From Friday, 5 May, 2017, the old fiver will, in effect, will be worthless." continued Andy.

However, there is 1 way that members of the public can guarantee to get their ₤5 back. As Andy explained:- "There is a phrase printed on the old ₤5 note that states 'I promise to pay the bearer on demand' which means that the Bank of England is duty bound to exchange your note. However, that's a considerable hassle as you have to either swap it in person at the Bank of England's head office, in London, or you have to send your cash through the post. So we're urging people to simply send us their old fivers so that we can then exchange them as a donation to the charity. In return we will put you on our 'Gimme Five' Roll of Honour. With the public's help we can change the lives of disabled children across the UK."   

You can send your old fivers to Final Fiver, Caudwell Children, Minton Hollins Building, Shelton Old Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST47RY.