Charidee muggers on LL

[Brendan]

giggirl Wrote:

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> Also, I seriously object to the way the male

> chuggers come on to the women and the female

> chuggers try and flirt with the guys. If you

> don't believe this happens just stand and watch

> for a while - it's nauseating.

Because a frumpilly dressed girl with dredlocks, wearing a dayglow vest is just the thing to make men part with their money.

It could be worse though. I mean they could be estate agents or recruitment consultants.

[pk]

BJL Wrote:

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> Interesting reactions to charity fundraisers. It

> seems that these people are hated almost as much

> as traffic wardens.

i agree

these people (paid or not) are trying to raise money for a good cause. the reason that they do so on the street is that they get better returns than if the charity just sits back and waits for people to send in money - it's easy to say no if you don't want to give so don't really understand all the moaning

[Sandperson]

I pretend to be on my mobile or say 'Sorry, I already give to my chosen charity' (I do) in a haughty voice.

[Sue]

pk Wrote:

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> BJL Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Interesting reactions to charity fundraisers.

> It

> > seems that these people are hated almost as

> much

> > as traffic wardens.

>

>

> i agree

>

> these people (paid or not) are trying to raise

> money for a good cause. the reason that they do so

> on the street is that they get better returns than

> if the charity just sits back and waits for people

> to send in money - it's easy to say no if you

> don't want to give so don't really understand all

> the moaning

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It's NOT all that easy to say no if you aren't very assertive, which is what the charities are depending on.

You have the choice of appearing rude (ignoring them or telling them to f*** off or telling them why you don't want to give to somebody accosting you in the street) or going along with it. Many people don't want to appear rude.

They hook you in by saying they don't want money, which as someone on this thread has already pointed out is just not true - they DO want money, they want you to fill in a direct debit form, which the charity then hopes you will forget you ever did, so they will take your money year after year.

Of course it's better for the charity - but do you not realise that there is a reason that these people are known as chuggers, aka charity muggers? Because when they approach you there are a lot of similarities to being mugged (though I don't want to downplay the trauma of "real" mugging).

I want to choose at leisure what charities I give my money to, not be forced to make a default "choice" through being approached on Lordship Lane whilst doing my shopping.

I don't think this is moaning, I think it is a completely understandable response to people who are forcing themselves on us without being asked!

[Cassius]

As pointed out they are paid - I considered (briefly) doing this when I went back to Uni - there is no empathy with one charity or another - you can be collecting for a cancer charity one day, a children's charity the next and an animal charity the next.

[Sue]

I also once considered doing it - the pay is relatively good for this kind of casual work - and of course that then comes out of the money people are "giving to the charity".

I once worked with someone whose mother worked for Oxfam, and he said if people realised the very high percentage of their donations which went on admin etc, they would never give again.

I don't know how true this is. The percentage, not the never giving again :))

[pk]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> pk Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > BJL Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > Interesting reactions to charity fundraisers.

>

> > It

> > > seems that these people are hated almost as

> > much

> > > as traffic wardens.

> >

> >

> > i agree

> >

> > these people (paid or not) are trying to raise

> > money for a good cause. the reason that they do

> so

> > on the street is that they get better returns

> than

> > if the charity just sits back and waits for

> people

> > to send in money - it's easy to say no if you

> > don't want to give so don't really understand

> all

> > the moaning

>

> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

>

> It's NOT all that easy to say no if you aren't

> very assertive, which is what the charities are

> depending on.

>

> You have the choice of appearing rude (ignoring

> them or telling them to f*** off or telling them

> why you don't want to give to somebody accosting

> you in the street) or going along with it. Many

> people don't want to appear rude.

>

> They hook you in by saying they don't want money,

> which as someone on this thread has already

> pointed out is just not true - they DO want money,

> they want you to fill in a direct debit form,

> which the charity then hopes you will forget you

> ever did, so they will take your money year after

> year.

>

> Of course it's better for the charity - but do you

> not realise that there is a reason that these

> people are known as chuggers, aka charity muggers?

> Because when they approach you there are a lot of

> similarities to being mugged (though I don't want

> to downplay the trauma of "real" mugging).

>

> I want to choose at leisure what charities I give

> my money to, not be forced to make a default

> "choice" through being approached on Lordship Lane

> whilst doing my shopping.

>

> I don't think this is moaning, I think it is a

> completely understandable response to people who

> are forcing themselves on us without being asked!

what charities are focussing on is the fact that most people don't do things unless you make it easy for them

of course it's moaning - maybe the first time one 'forces themselves on' you you could be 'hooked' by the 'we don't want money' but surely once bitten, twice shy and a second 'mugging' could be avoided

is not the right for charities to raise money for good causes more important than the right for unassertive people to avoid being rude? (and in my experience there're are easy ways to avoid being 'chugged' without being rude e.g. a simple 'no, thank you')

surely the only choice being forced is do you stop and talk or not, if you choose not then that does leave you free to choose your charties at leisure

[Cassius]

I heard that about Oxfam - although thinking about the logistics of the Oxfam set-up it is not surprising that admin takes up a lot of money. Also heard similar things about The Salvation Army and having been around the school at Denmark Hill on London Open Day can believe it.

[pk]

obviously people who work for charities (in admin roles or whatever) get paid - it's their job, without which the charity would not function or would rely on inevitably inefficient volunteers

if people don't realise that charities pay their permanent staff they are at best very naive

[Sue]

>

> surely the only choice being forced is do you stop

> and talk or not, if you choose not then that does

> leave you free to choose your charties at leisure

xxxxxxxx

My point was that many people don't find it easy to say no when they're approached in this way in the street.

[Sue]

pk Wrote:

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> obviously people who work for charities (in admin

> roles or whatever) get paid - it's their job,

> without which the charity would not function or

> would rely on inevitably inefficient volunteers

>

> if people don't realise that charities pay their

> permanent staff they are at best very naive

xxxxxxxx

It's the relatively high percentage of the money which is used for admin, publicity etc which I was talking about - obviously charities need permanent staff.

Charities which I donate to inundate me with leaflets, magazines etc most of which go straight in the recycling bin. I'd prefer them to put my money to practical use rather than paying staff to write this stuff, then paying for printing and postage.

I'm sure I can't be the only one.