Mary’s Meals launches contactless donation terminals in the capital

An international aid charity based in Scotland is hoping to raise money from Londoners on their lunch breaks.

Mary’s Meals, which provides healthy and nutritious food to over one million schoolchildren around the world, has set up contactless donation terminals (pictured) in selected popular cafes in the city which allow hungry workers to donate 30p simply by tapping their bank card against it.

The Lunchbox terminals were created by marketing agency Earnest Labs who teamed up with Mary’s Meals in bid to modernise how we give to charity.

Each 30p donation is enough to provide five meals to hungry children in some of the world’s poorest countries including Malawi, Liberia, India, and Haiti.

Together we can support the world’s poorest children to achieve their full potential

Alan Brown, executive director of Mary’s Meals UK, said: “It’s amazing the ways that people are inspired to reach out to the world’s poorest children through our work. This innovation uses some of today’s best technology to allow people with busy lives to make a real difference in the world without having to set aside time to do it.

“We’re incredibly grateful to Earnest Labs and all the London vendors who are already on board. Together we can support the world’s poorest children to achieve their full potential and help lift their communities out of poverty.”

The terminals have been set up in Reynolds, ICCO and Mortimers Cafe in London and in Lynwood Cafe, Oxfordshire.

By placing the Lunchbox terminal at the point of sale, vendors make it easy for customers to donate but puts no pressure on them.

James Wood of Earnest Labs said: “While there has been a 306.8% increase in contactless payments in the UK over the last year, we think it’s about time the world of donations moved on from change in a bucket and being hassled while you do your shopping.”