The campaign encourages people to give to the first new polymer note they receive to charity
Millions of pounds worth of new £5 notes have been donated to charities since coming into circulation in September, researchers say.
A poll published by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) found as much as £12.5 million could be raised through the #firstfiver campaign, which encourages people to give to the first new polymer note they receive to a good cause.
The poll suggested that 2.5 million adults have donated their first new £5 note or plan to do so when they receive one.
Around one in six UK adults were said to have heard of the campaign, with awareness highest among people aged 25 to 34.
Social media campaigns can be a really effective way to get people– particularly younger adults – inspired to support charities
The poll also found women were more than twice as likely as men to be donating their first new fiver to charity (7% vs 3%).
CAF published the results in the run up to #givingtuesday on 29 November, the global day of giving which calls on people to give their time, money or voice to a good cause.
This year’s #givingtuesday will be the UK’s third, and follows a Guinness World Record set last year for the most money ever donated online in 24 hours.
Hannah Terrey, CAF’s head of policy and campaigns, said: “It is fantastic that people been inspired to do something good with their new £5 notes. With this year’s #givingtuesday fast approaching, this is a great example of a simple and easy act of kindness which can really make a difference.
“Social media campaigns can be a really effective way to get people– particularly younger adults – inspired to support charities.
“#givingtuesday calls on people across the UK to ‘do good stuff’ for a cause they care about on the last Tuesday of this month, whether that’s volunteering time, giving money or even just talking about the work of a favourite charity. It can be as easy as saving that crisp new £5 note on Black Friday and donating it to a charity on #givingtuesday instead.”
