Is chugging still an effective way of fundraising?

[Healthy2020]

I walked past some chuggers earlier and was thinking these things have been going on for years, didn't we get sick of them ages ago? But if they're still out there doing their thing then there must be a reason for it. Do they really succeed in persuading people to sign up?

Have you ever signed up for a regular monthly donation through a chugger? I don't think I know anyone who has.

We DH did a few years ago, but found that all those fivers/tenners really added up every month, so now we have a no chugger rule. I guess that people still do sign up though, or they wouldn't do it.

There still seem to be a lot about in the city centre here.

I got stopped by one recently - literally stood in front of me blocking my way. I started walking round them saying I wasn't interested and they said "Don't you care if little children are dying?"

Well obviously I do care but for some reason didn't properly register what he'd said until after the words "not really" had slipped out

"Chugging" means a very different thing in Glasgow, I assume
I can only imagine the scandal here if someone was on the news for "chugging for charity" haha

I tell them that I'm 17

When they do the "Don't you care if little children die" I give them a long deadpan stare and say "Nope. I work in a school". And keep walking

i hate them. think they are parasites.

@antisupermum thank fuck I’m not the only one that really bloody wondered how that raised anything for charity .

“Your pal up the hill got me earlier” is a slightly less mean feeling answer than “no” to the dying children ones

@LaurieFairyCake

They’re often volunteers/paid on a commission basis so it doesn’t really cost anything to have them so even making a small amount of money us worth it.

My Dd had a rather nasty run in with one a few months ago. She was on her way home from work and had popped into town on the way to pick up a bit of food shopping. Our local high street is chugger central. Never a day goes by (apart from Sunday) when they are out in force for some charity or other.

Dd does her best to avoid them, doesn't make eye contact,pretends she's on her phone,or just says 'No thank you' firmly if approached. On this occasion she had her ear phones in,listening to music. She was aware of a chugger waving at her and trying to get her attention. Before she could respond,he had pulled one of her earphones out of her ear! She was like 'What do you think you're doing?!',as the earphone fell to the floor,and he put his foot on it,in a ploy to detain her. Oh dear. He had picked on the wrong person. Dd shouted at him 'Get your bloody foot off it!',before reading him the riot act about yanking her earphone out being assault. He wasn't even apologetic! Told her to calm down.

She was in two minds whether to report him to the police,but in the end decided not to. She'd had a long,tiring day,and knew that going to the police station would involve waiting around for ages for someone to take a statement from her,and her teenage Dd was expecting her home any time. With hindsight,I think she should have contacted the charity he was working for and reported him.

The chuggers are working for various Big Name charities, they can be relentless, but I ignore them.

I give to a local charity and I know how it works, that'll do for me.

Anyway, how anyone in this day and age would give bank details to a randomer in the street is beyond me.

By all accounts yes, they’re very successful. People generally don’t give to charity until they’re reminded - they mean to sign up but never get around to it etc. I’ve signed up via a fundraiser to a couple of charities I always meant to get around to donating to but kept forgetting. I guess it’s the same as beggars, I can’t believe many people give to them but those with the best pitches in my town centre apparently easily earn a couple of hundred pounds a day, which I think is phenomenal.

And I can’t really get worked up about the whole “chuggers are just in it for the money, they don’t actually care about the charity” argument. Most people do their job for the money above all else, it doesn’t negate the outcomes of work they do. Charities need to fundraise and I’d rather they invested in the most efficient means. Those who get aggressive should be reported, though.