To feel a bit harassed by charity worker

@TheWeeDonkeyFella I remember reading once in a paper that was either a journalist or an interview with an actor or similar where they were approached by a chuggers for a cancer charity. They got the "don't you care about children with cancer" comment - only their actual child was being treated for cancer and the person was en route to the hospital to be with them.
They totally let rip at the chugger. Good on them.

"SO YOU DONT CARE ABOUT ..... THEN" must be a standard line in the chugger training manual.

I had a smug older guy say similar to me in a supermarket foyer a while back after I politely said no thanks when he tried to stop me. Didn't shout loudly but he said a very passive aggressive 'no, its ok if you don't care about sick kids'. I'll be ready for it next time including complaining to the store and charity.

Had it with a chugger in my home town "collecting for disabled children" we said we have enough of our own thanks kept walking "SO YOU DONT CARE ABOUT DISABLED CHILDREN THEN" really loud as we walked past with our disabled children one (almost adult) disabled child screamed back "FUCK NO!" they were refused permission to return to the town due to aggressive behaviour

I'm glad you're feeling a bit better @Hardknocks.

I popped back again today and counted 9 this time. I chatted to a few of them but made it clear I'd not be giving them any money. None of them seemed to know if they had a permit to be there and the station staff were fairly convinced they didn't have that so I'm going to ask Islington Council about it. The ones I saw today weren't aggressive, just unavoidable - they were from Uplifterz Union CIC and another one called something like Youth Action - all anti-knife crime. I also spoke to a member of staff in a coffee shop who said they're often there until 9pm and regularly want to drop off their bags in the shop and get shirty when they're told no.

Islington Council's website has information (I've not digested it yet) on street / market trading, which requires a permit. As these CICers are offering magazines for sale (as well as asking for donations) it might be that they need a permit to do that (they may have that in place of course).

Possibly they also need to be registered with the Fundraising Regulator to ask for donations (again, they might be but I've not yet asked) - I'm not too sure how it all 'hangs together' as they seem to fall between the various regulatory cracks.

• Not a charity so not regulated by the Charity Commission
• Possibly not regulated by the Fundraising Regulator unless the CIC requests it
• Not under the jurisdiction of Tfl (and presumably not Thameslink etc) as not on station property (except for when they are but they move when told to)
• Not sure if they fall within Islington Council's street traders remit or something else
• Not sure if there's a limit on the number that can be there (or if it's limited to X per company - in which case registering multiple companies seems sensible, to overcome that)
• Not sure if their behaviour outside the station is a British Transport Police thing (though I think it is for your experience OP as that happened inside the station) or a general Metropolitan Police thing
• They definitely seem to fall within the Regulator of Community Interest Companies though.

It does surprise me that no information about the company's finances will be made public for another couple of years (particularly as the owner of one of the Uplifterz companies had his previous company compulsorily struck off the register for (presumably) not filing records in time).

There was another thread on here about knife-crime 'chuggers' which pointed me to this article about Inside Success (another anti-knife-crime CIC) - an interesting read https://docere.uk/articles/the-london-knife-crime-activists (from 3 Nov 2022).

The Fundraising Regulator has completed two investigations into Inside Success and is clearly unimpressed with them but other than a few magistrates' fines here and there I'm not sure much has changed.
January 2024 | March 2023.

There were breaches but also the Fundraising Regulator may be a bit underpowered, as discussed in this debate / question in the House of Lords in March 2024 "To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of the powers and resources of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies" - Inside Success mentioned.

Jo

You must report this to the charity and the police. He effectively mugged you at the station.

Hope you’re doing OK!

An actual charity mugger . Report him. There should be cctv.

@Needmorelego almost certainly in the past, but do have a look out for it - most reputable charities these days use better 'chugger firms' and do peel off after 3 steps. Not all admittedly but many.

there is less obstruction and less bad behaviour than there used to be I feel. very impressionistic though

@ItsAllSoBleak I think every chugger I have ever come across has broken those rules 🙁

This is breach of the Fundraising Code:

https://www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/code/specific-fundraising-methods/collecting-money-or-other-property

8.1.2.
You must avoid causing an obstruction, congestion and nuisance to the public. You must not deliberately block the path of members of the public.

8.4.19.
If you have approached a member of the public, you must meet the ‘three-step’ rule.
You must not take more than three steps alongside the person or to follow them, even if they ask you to.
If the member of the public has not come to a stop within the three steps allowed, you must end your attempt to talk to them.

You can complain here as well as raising it with the charity

https://www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/code/using-code

One was already in the Thameslink / Elizabeth (rail) side of the station when I arrived there on Friday (just happened not to be inside on that photo I took later). Most of them did stay outside on the bit between the two station entrances though. I think 11 in total (6 or 7 from Uplifterz though only 2 had named jackets, 4 from an unrelated organisation). Seems a bit excessive!

While I was lurking outside another (or the same) one walked in again but staff member spotted him independently and told him to move.

Jo

When I was there one on Friday of the 'chuggers' (or CICers?!) was inside the station so I asked a member of station staff if that was OK and he said 'no' and moved the guy on quickly - I didn't have to give him any background context, the staff member was completely on the ball about it. I suspect he's had to ask them before.

When I'm there again if I see any of them inside the station I'll tell them to move myself ;) I would have done so the first time but wasn't sure if they may have had permission or not.

@ThinWomansBrain There's Uplifterz CIC and Uplifterz Union C.I.C. - same operating address, different owners, incorporated in July and September this year. They're Community Interest Companies.

Jo

My usual response is No, thank you and then ignore.

My usual response to chuggers is that I work in the sector, I don't donate to any charity unless I've read the accounts and understand the fundraising model.

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius ah yes - good point.
I wonder if after the OP put in her complaint they had been told not to be inside the station which was why they were outside a few days later when that photo was taken.

Nothing comes up on Charity Commission or Companies House website for Uplifterz

they have a website, but no CIC number stated.
Sounds very dodgy - when I read the OP I thought he'd lined up a payment, but didn't realise that he'd actually persuaded you to tap your card or phone.

Definitely report to the police and the organisation
About

[email protected] the email address for complaints

£25??? Heck, you need to report this.

The OP was at the ticket machine, inside the station, when she was forced to give the chugger money, @Needmorelego. Anyone who sees them inside the station should report it to TfL, or the BTP, because they can be removed.

@ComeAgainPlease a better sentence to use is just "Leave me alone".
Don't even bother getting into a conversation.

I tell them I choose my charity for each month on 1st of each month and give directly. It's the truth but also is a whole sentence. My donations are thought-through and made, so leave me alone.

@duc748 looking on Google earth it shows there's two stations opposite. One for the tube (so TfL run) and one for Thameslink and Elizabeth Line (probably not run by TfL).
These sneaky chuggers seem to be on the pedestrianised street in-between 🙁

OP a CIC is NOT a charity. Its a 'Community Interest Company', a type of business. Its absolutely a scam and you need to report them for posing aa charity workers.

I'm not convinced that's a genuine charity, their website seems to have taken their photos from a variety of other bona fode websites and they were only registered in July. I think it may be a scam.

@duc748 on the photo shared a couple of days ago it looks like they are stood outside the station. If it's not TfL property there's probably not much they can do 🙁