GoldPaid runs one free online training session every month for charity retail teams. It is part of the Charity Jewellery Recovery Programme, and it exists for a simple reason. The fastest way to stop donated gold and silver being underpriced is for the people sorting it to know what they are looking at.
The session lasts an hour. It is delivered over a video call, so anyone can join from the shop, the stockroom or home. It is free for anyone involved with a charity, and managers are welcome to invite assistant managers, volunteers, area colleagues and head-office staff.
Who the training is for
- Charity shop managers and assistant managers.
- Volunteers and back-room sorting teams.
- Area managers and regional retail managers.
- Charity retail head office and e-commerce teams.
- Fundraising teams.
- Trustees and finance leads who want to understand the risk.
You do not need any background in jewellery or hallmarks. The session is written for people who have never looked at a hallmark in their lives.
What you will learn in the standard hour
Here is how a typical hour runs.
| In the session | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Welcome | How the hour will run, and the charity-first framing. This is training, not a sales pitch. |
| Why value gets missed | The real reasons donated gold and silver get underpriced or mixed into job lots. |
| Gold and silver clues | Stamps, weight, colour, wear, clasps and the ten-second magnet check. A strong pull rules a piece out, because solid gold and silver are not magnetic; no pull proves nothing on its own. |
| Hallmarks in plain English | 9ct (375) to 22ct (916) gold marks, the sterling lion passant, assay office symbols such as the Birmingham anchor and the London leopard’s head, and the silver-plate confusion that costs the most. |
| Broken, odd and mixed items | Snapped chains, single earrings, charms, watches and the contents of a tangled jar. A snapped chain holds exactly the same gold as an unbroken one; damage changes resale, not metal weight. |
| What to photograph and send | Which items to flag, what to photograph, and the safe postal process from label to payment. |
| Questions | Time to ask about anything, including pieces you have in the shop right now. |
Why an hour a month is worth it
One trained volunteer who turns a ring over and reads the stamp can protect more value in a single morning than the session took to attend. The arithmetic is simple: an 18ct band stamped 750 is 75 per cent pure gold, so a 4 gram band holds 3 grams of fine gold whether or not anyone reads the stamp. The training is not about turning your team into valuers. It is about building one habit: pause before pricing anything that might be precious metal, and check.
The aim is simple: flag more, guess less, and handle with confidence the donations that used to go straight onto the tray.
The occasional two-hour session
A few times a year, GoldPaid runs a longer two-hour session for teams who want more depth. It is open to the same people, and it is still free. The session covers:
- Gold purity in detail: 9ct (375), 14ct (585), 18ct (750) and 22ct (916), and what each fineness means for value weight for weight.
- Silver standards: sterling (925) and Britannia (958), and why EPNS, EP and A1 stamps mean plated, not solid.
- Watches: pocket watches, vintage wristwatches and what to check before pricing.
- Costume jewellery that may still carry real value.
- Designer, antique and branded pieces, and when to be cautious.
- Coins, medals and small precious-metal items, including why pre-1920 UK coins are 92.5 per cent silver and 1920 to 1946 issues are 50 per cent.
- Broken jewellery and scrap value.
- When to sell, scrap, auction or seek a specialist.
- The volunteer handling process and shop-level escalation.
- Area manager reporting across multiple shops.
How the sessions run
- One session a month, plus an occasional two-hour session.
- Delivered over a video call. The joining link is sent when you register.
- One hour for the standard session.
- Free for anyone involved with a charity.
- Invite as many colleagues as you like, from one shop or from a whole chain.
- A recording is shared with everyone on the invite list afterwards.
Who delivers the training
The sessions are run by Rocco Clayfield, who runs GoldPaid and assesses donated gold and silver. The training is practical guidance drawn from that day-to-day work.
It is not a formal qualification or an accredited appraisal course, and it does not make anyone a registered valuer. It is designed to help your team know when to pause and check, which is the part that protects donations.
Register your charity shop team
You can also call 07944 014111 if you would rather talk it through first. There is no charge and no obligation.
What the training is not
A few honest points. The session is not a sales pitch. There is no pressure to use GoldPaid for anything afterwards. Attending does not commit your charity to selling a single item. And we will never ask a charity to make a decision on a valuation during a training call.
It is also fair to ask what GoldPaid gets out of running free training. We are a commercial buyer. Trained teams flag more items, some of those items come through our postal route, and we earn only when a charity accepts a written offer. That is the whole arrangement, and it only works if the training is genuinely useful, which is why there is no charge and no obligation attached.
Rocco Clayfield, Director, GoldPaid.
Common questions
Is the training really free?
Yes. There is no charge to attend, no charge per person, and no charge for the recording afterwards. It is free for anyone involved with a charity.
Do we have to sell anything to GoldPaid?
No. The training is entirely separate from selling. Attending commits your charity to nothing. You are welcome to attend and never send a single item.
Can volunteers attend, not just managers?
Yes. Volunteers, back-room teams, assistant managers, e-commerce staff, area colleagues and head-office teams are all welcome. Managers can invite anyone involved with the charity.
Do we need any experience with jewellery?
None at all. We start from the basics: what a stamp looks like, where to find it, and why it is worth a second look.
Is the session recorded?
Yes. The session is recorded, and the recording goes to everyone on the invite list afterwards, so anyone who could not attend, or who wants a refresher, can still use the training.
How long is the session?
The standard monthly session is one hour. A few times a year there is a longer two-hour session for teams who want more depth.
How many people can we bring?
As many as you like. A single charity can put forward people from every shop in its chain. There is no cap.
When is the next session?
Sessions run monthly. Register by WhatsApp, phone or email and we reply with the date and joining link for the next one. If that date does not suit your rota, the recording goes to everyone on the invite list, and your team stays on the list for the following month.
How do we get the joining link?
Register once by WhatsApp, phone or email. We add your team to the invite list and send the joining link and date before each session.
Request a free prepaid Royal Mail label
Tell us where to send it. The label arrives by email, usually within about 30 minutes during working hours. Requesting one commits you to nothing: you get a written offer after the XRF assay, and if you decline, your items come back to you free.
Would you rather ask a question first, or send a photo? Message us on WhatsApp . It is the fastest way to get a sense of what something is worth before you post anything.