Representatives of two of Winchester’s leading homelessness charities are poised to make a significant charitable donation of their own as they hand over 6.5lbs of foreign currency to the Alzheimer’s Society. For years the Spare Change for Real Change scheme has collected coins from Winchester residents to funnel into programmes which make a lasting difference to the lives of homeless people in and around the city centre, the money is dilliagently counted and sorted right here in the Winchester Business Centre. Many of Winchester’s more international residents have topped up the collection boxes with loose change from a whole host of nations over the years. The Spare Change for Real Change team have been on the hunt for a worthy cause for this pile of coins and now a charity has been identified to help.
The stash of foreign currency will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Society to help fund their vital efforts in supporting those living with dementia and their research into defeating the condition for good. The weighty donation which includes the Euros and US Dollars that you might expect also contains Swiss Francs, Croatian Kunas, Rand from South Africa and dollars from as far afield as Singapore, and Trinidad & Tobago. The Alzheimer’s Society is one of several UK charities that are happy to accept your unused coins from holidays and they even accept obsolete coins.
Jane Bastock of Winchester BID co-ordinates the Spare Change for Real Change scheme, she says, ‘Spare Change for Real Change has been phenomenally successful in raising money to help support homeless people in the city and passing on this foreign currency to another worthy cause is a true demonstration of the fantastic commitment and charitable spirit of the teams from the Nightshelter and Trinity. The decision to donate this money to the Alzheimer’s Society also demonstrates the commitment of Winchester’s businesses to maintaining a dementia friendly High Street.’
Brightly coloured Spare Change for Real Change collection boxes are located in businesses across the city and donors can rest assured that whatever coins they contribute will all be used to help the homeless. If you are a Winchester BID member interested in hosting a Spare Change for Real Change collection box in your business then please contact jane.bastock@winchesterbid.co.uk
