Collection tins for non-existent '˜Chichester Children's Hospital' seized

Collection tins raising money for a non-existent '˜Chichester Children's Hospital' have been seized from a pop-up shop.
Collection tins seized by Trading Standards (photo submitted).Collection tins seized by Trading Standards (photo submitted).
Collection tins seized by Trading Standards (photo submitted).

West Sussex Trading Standards is reminding retailers to only display official charity collection tins on shop counters after the incident.

Trading standards officers visited the pop-up shop just before Christmas after they were contacted by the licensing team at Chichester District Council.

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The tins were found on display with ‘Chichester Children’s Hospital’ marked on them – an organisation which does not exist.

Trading Standards seized all four tins and gave the £111.80 collection to Chichester’s St Richard’s Hospital.

The shop owner was warned to use official collection tins in future, verbally and in writing.

David Barling, West Sussex County Council’s cabinet member for residents’ service said: “We do all we can to protect consumers and in this case there was a risk of the public being defrauded.

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“Retailers display collection tins for such a wide variety of good causes.

“But please remember they have to be tins with official labelling.”

Carol Purnell, Chichester District Council’s cabinet member for environment, added: “We recognise the importance of genuine fundraising and work hard with our partners to protect the public from those who sometimes try to abuse this privilege.”