Our fundraisers are constantly coming up with surprising and original ways to collect money for us.

But few know about one of the more unusual methods which has seen St Michael’s collect funds for many years.

John Fancourt has helped us raise an estimated £20,000 since the mid-1990s thanks to the sale of old or foreign coins which end up in our collection tins.

The former accountant, whose first love is stamp-collecting, has used his contacts, including Lloyd Bennett (www.coinsofbritain.com) and the Kingston Numismatic Society near London, to help with the sale of the items, some of which can be rare.

‘I started off with a huge bag of coins and I was asked if I could do anything with it,’ he said.

‘It’s fairly consistent throughout the year in terms of the volume of donated coins etc which I’m sent by the Hospice to try and realise funds. It’s amazing what appears from time to time.’

Recent coins have included those from Chile and Argentina.

‘I’ve also had a 500 Shilling coin from Uganda and others from Kenya and Papua New Guinea, and of course recently exchanged European coins from the 27 countries,’ he added.

‘Some are only good to be melted down as bullion, but others are bought by collectors, sometimes through auction.’

Mr Fancourt says he often receives notes too, as well as many old UK coins, with the Shilling and copper coins being the most common.

He receives the items from the Hospice after staff count up money donated through collection tins, sifting out those which are not current UK sterling.

If you have notes or coins in foreign currency that you would like to donate, there is a special collecting tin which is housed at the main Post Office in St Peter’s Square, Hereford.

Should anyone have any medals they would like to donate they can take them to any St Michael’s Hospice shop.