The Bailiff exercises a customary right (which derives from the prohibition against begging) over the collecting of money in public places. The permission of the Bailiff rather than the Connetable, is required for any such public collection.

This permission is granted in one of two ways: either in the form of a Flag Day permit, or in the form of a letter authorising an ad hoc collection.

The Flag Day permit

The Flag Day permit is used for the large scale charitable collections which take place using a team of collectors, usually operating in a variety of locations throughout St Helier. The Flay Day permit also entitles the organisation concerned to undertake house to house collections in the week leading up to the Flag Day itself. It should be noted that the permit applies throughout the Island although for obvious reasons, the effort put into public collection tends to be concentrated on St Helier. These permits are normally allocated to organisations at the beginning of the year in question and they are required to apply in writing by the end of the previous November. Permits are granted on the basis of a series of conditions which are intended to ensure good practice in the conduct of such collections.

These conditions include:

• No person may assist or take part in any collection or sale without an armlet, badge or certificate showing his authority.
• No collection or sale shall be made on a public footpath or in any public place to the obstruction or annoyance of any person on such footpath or in such public place.
• No collector or vendor shall use a table for the purpose of any collection or sale so as to cause or be likely to cause obstruction.
• No collector or vendor shall importune any person to the annoyance of such person.
• Every collector or vendor shall carry and present to each contributor or purchaser, for the receipt of his money contribution, a box or other receptacle securely closed and sealed in such a way as to prevent it being opened or the money extracted therefrom without such seal being broken.
• Every collector or vendor shall deliver his boxes or other receptacles with the seals unbroken to one of the persons responsible for the proper application of the money received.
• No collector or vendor shall carry any collection box, receptacle or tray which does not bear displayed prominently thereon the name of the fund for which the collection or sale is being made.