Public Sector D-Day Toolkit
- What does D-Day mean to public sector bodies?
- What is the idea behind D-Day?
- How can public bodies set up their own D-Day?
- How to run the D-Day itself
- What else can public organisations do to help?
What does D-Day mean to public sector bodies?
D-Day is a way of encouraging charities and the public sector to foster links: public bodies have workforces the shops can tap into, for both donors and maybe volunteers too. Hosting a collections drive is an inexpensive way for the public sector to give to charity, help the environment, and to demonstrate their continuing social responsibility.
What is the idea behind D-Day?
An employee donates one good quality item each on a specific day. This could be a piece of clothing, a book or a record, depending on what the shop needs. There are several advantages to this way of working:
- The donation ought to be of good quality, as people are not being asked to part with a lot of things, or even to fill a bag which they might associate with a binbag.
- It is one easy step for people to help others, and clear out their wardrobes and shelves at the same time.
- As a lot of people are taking part, there is still a great level of donation.
How can public bodies set up their own D-Day?
There are three key steps to follow, in creating a link with a specific charity:
- Find the right charity to approach. Public sector bodies will, of course, wish not to be seen to be partisan in selecting a charity. One (democratic) way to do this is via a staff ballot. Or, perhaps, you might simply choose the appropriate charity closest to your offices. There is a list of Association of Charity Shops’ member charities - click here. Although you will need to approach charities through their headquarters, you can also search for local shops using our online database.
- Arrange a day for the charity representative[s] to visit your company and promote the idea to as many members of staff as possible. A canteen or meeting room should be set aside for this.
- Choose a place for the charity to make a collection on the designated D-Day.
How to run the D-Day itself
There are several things to remember on the collection day:
- The charity representatives will need a designated area they can be in, without blocking passageways or doors: a table may be helpful
- If possible, reserve the charity vehicle[s] a parking space near the collections area
- Get photos taken of donors and charity representatives, for both the charity’s newsletter and the company’s, if not local press
What else can public organisations do to help?
- Stay in touch with the charity. There may be other ways you could help them, or you may wish to make D-Day a regular occurrence.
- Encourage other branches of your organisation, or those bodies you are responsible for or work with, to host their own D-Day.
- Enthuse to friends and family: they may think about having their own D-Day too.
- Send out a press release: this sort of event makes everybody look good.