Leicestershire and Rutland Blood Bikes: Raising More While Raising Awareness

"The CollecTin Solo generated approximately three times more donations than the individual card readers." Chris Rollestone - Training and Membership Manager

Leicestershire and Rutland Blood Bikes is a wholly volunteer-run charity supporting health organisations across Leicestershire and Rutland, as well as the local Air Ambulance.

The charity provides a free, out-of-hours transport service for blood, blood samples, human milk, medications and other vital medical supplies, helping healthcare providers deliver critical services around the clock, 365 days a year.

Background

Leicestershire and Rutland Blood Bikes had previously, and still do, rely on a simple SumUp card reader alongside their traditional cash collection buckets for fundraising.
At a committee meeting earlier this year, the team began exploring new fundraising ideas and technologies that could help increase donations while also improving the visibility of the charity.

Having previously seen CollecTin units being used by the Royal British Legion, the team were immediately drawn to the professional appearance of the units and their ability to clearly display charity branding and charity commission information - something that standalone card readers could not achieve.

The Solution

To get started, private funding was secured to purchase the charity's first CollecTin Solo contactless donation unit. The team eagerly awaited its arrival and quickly put it to work at its first fundraising event - an annual comedy night organised by one of the charity's supporter companies as part of the Leicester Comedy Festival.

The combination of a professional-looking donation unit, clear charity branding and simple contactless giving created an immediate impact with supporters.

Results

The success of the first event exceeded expectations. After the comedy performance, a volunteer stood with the unit at the exit and audience members queued to donate. Within just 30 minutes, the unit had generated more than the original purchase cost of the CollecTin itself.

The charity subsequently used the unit at a membership evening to sell items the charity had tied up in storage, helping unlock additional funds. 

Further fundraising success followed at a static collection event where volunteers used cash buckets, standalone SumUp readers and the CollecTin side by side.

The CollecTin Solo generated approximately three times more donations than the individual card readers. Volunteers found that holding the unit throughout the day made it highly visible and encouraged more people to engage and donate.

Recognising the value of the system, the charity has now purchased a second CollecTin unit that will be dedicated to static fundraising events.

What's Next?

The charity is now expanding the use of its CollecTin units by placing them with partner businesses alongside banners and promotional leaflets to raise both funds and awareness.

Several units have already been positioned within shops and businesses across Leicester, creating new opportunities for regular community donations.

The flexibility of the CollecTin has also encouraged members to organise their own fundraising activities, including collections at gigs, Freemasons events and other community gatherings.

The team has also attached a QR code to the rear communications panel, allowing members of the public to instantly visit the charity's website, learn more about its work and enquire about volunteering opportunities simply by scanning with their smartphone.

As fundraising opportunities continue to grow, the charity is confident that even more uses for the CollecTin will emerge in the future.

Chris Rollestone, Training and Membership Manager says, 

"We have found the CollecTin a very visual and versatile fundraising tool. Within three months it has raised an amazing amount of vital donations. There's nothing NOT to like about a CollecTin."

Key Outcomes

• Generated enough donations to cover the cost of the unit at its very first event.
• Raised approximately three times more donations than standalone card readers at a static collection.
• Increased visibility and awareness of the charity through clear branding.
  Enabled new fundraising opportunities with partner businesses and community events.
  
• Helped drive engagement through QR code access to the charity's website.
  
• Led to the purchase of a second CollecTin unit within months of deployment.

In addition to our partnership with Leicestershire and Rutland Blood Bikes, we are also proud to supply CollecTin More units to Greater Manchester Blood Bikes, Lincolnshire Blood Bikes, Highland and Islands Blood Bikes, and Nottinghamshire Blood Bikes.