People will be given the opportunity to make donations to charity at 12,000 cash machines across the UK this summer, Nick Hurd the Minister for Civil Society announced today.

Ministers have been looking at new ways to make it easier for people to give small amounts of money to charity and have been working with cash machine operator LINK to ensure that cash points can start offering people the opportunity to donate to charity in time for the 2012 Olympics.

With an influx of people visiting the UK this summer the Government is keen to give them every opportunity to support worthy causes when they wish to.

Charity donations will be made possible at all 12,000 ATMs belonging to Royal Bank of Scotland and cash machine operator Bank Machine this summer, which is already being heralded as the ‘summer of social action’.

The country will be united in celebrating the Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games, with many people volunteering and organising street parties for their community.

The banks taking part in the scheme will nominate a number of charities and people will be able to choose who they support at the cash point.

Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd said: “People in this country have always given generously to worthy causes. We want to make it easier for people to give small amount to charity if they want to.

"By making it possible to add donations at cash points we can make an even greater difference to other people’s lives.

“It’s important that as a Government we bring public sector bodies, businesses and civil society organisations together to find new ways to support charitable and voluntary action. That’s why later today we are holding a summit so that we can find new ways to support charitable and voluntary action.”

Steve Lampshire, senior community affairs manager Royal Bank of Scotland, said: “We know that finances are tight for many people, but if our customers do want to make a charitable donation we want to make the process as easy as possible. In turn our selected charities will receive a steady income to enable them to carry out their vital community work. ”

Melanie Knight, Bank Machine’s Director of Communications & Resources said: “Bank Machine was the first ATM operator to announce its participation in the ATM Charity Giving scheme.

"We have received registrations of interest from over 550 Charities that wish to take part. We have asked an independent panel to decide which Charities will participate as we want to ensure that as many worthy causes as possible are able to take part.”

Today’s announcement comes ahead of the Giving Summit will take place later today and will bring together public sector bodies, business and civil society organisations to discuss how they can work together to make Britain and even more generous country.

The Government has already taken measures to make it easier to give so that it becomes a part of everyday life.

It has for example supported measures such as text giving and financed innovative crowd-funding platforms.

Through the £10 million Innovation in Giving Fund it supports creative ideas so that they can scale up grow and become self-sustaining.

Share Story: