to vow never to collect for Christian Aid ever again.

[bogwobbit]

Nothing to do with the charity, which I think is an excellent one, but jeez people in this country are soooooooo miserable.
I can understand why people for various reasons can't or don't want to give to a specific charity and I can appreciate (especially after reading some other threads on this topic and by the way yes, all you people who complain about people daring to knock on your door collecting for charity, are unreasonable and imho quite selfish) that not everyone likes to be asked on their doorstep (very nicely in my case) if they would like to donate but why do people have to be so rude and smug and downright horrible about it. It's almost as though NOT giving to charity is some kind of positive personality trait. Funnily enough the nicest, most generous ones are the little old ladies who quite possibly can least afford it.

So after spending five hours of my time, trudging through the rain and the hail and the wind in freezing temperatures after a full day at work, never again!! Rant over but jeez, another nail in the coffin, for my faith in humanity :)

"I also frequently get phone calls from charities with whom I already have a direct debit"

Can you opt out of this?

I was to hear that 'the Governement' will match the money 'raised' by CA. The Gvt has no money except what it raise in taxes - was not aware it was awash with spare money to fritter away.
So if anyone is conned inot giving, they will also be increaing the country's tax burden by the same amount, thereby reducing the amount that can be spent on genuinely useful things.
Luckily I found this out before the man came to collect the envelope. Now instead of ignoring him when he knowck on the door, I shall hand it it back sealed to him , but inside instead of money will leave a polite fiver-sized note explaining that I disapprove both of their 'cause' and particularly their methods, and expect them to cross our house off their rounds in future.

The government does of course have a budget for overseas aid MrsGuy. Do you disapprove of your taxes going to other overseas aid too? And why do you disapprove of Christian Aid's cause, which is helping the world's poorest people?

When I suggeste a sponsored dog-shit collection, the OP countered with the the fact that she does sponsperd litter collection - hardly the same thing! I also pick up litter , but do not ask for money or glory for it.
How about charity collectors doing 'bob-a-job, like the scouts used to? I have a lwn that needs cutting, would happily give a tenner to charity for someone to do it ,. And I'm sire many of us have washing up/ hangng out teh washing etc they would give a quid for....Oh, yes of course they will rapidly cite 'heath & safety/not insured, as the usual cop-outs for doing anything that might actaully take effort.
If that is too much trouble, how about leaving the envelopes, and instead of coming backt to colect them, leave a note to say they will be standing o x street coner on Tuesday at 6pm say for people to give them the envelope. Then the lilltle old lady is not being accosted in her home, and has a get-out if she cannot afford it.. (of course takings would be down from those poor old ladies, which is why the charity would never do it)

parp parp?

really? you chose to use the favoured phrase of a 3 year old to defend your stance?

"How about charity collectors doing 'bob-a-job, like the scouts used to?"

It's not either/or, MrsGuy. There are many fundraising events organised during Christian Aid week each year, all of which "actually take effort", and collecting door-to-door is just one of them.

As for sponsored dog-shit collection, well we pay our taxes for that too, don't we...?

Trestle: "Can you opt out of this?"

I don't think I can - it's not like the TPS. Once they have your details, you're theirs for life!

I feel your pain. I have been lumbered with collecting for Christian Aid for the last few years, but have vowed not to do it again next year. I have written a list of houses not to call at because they either give to other charities, have a scary dog or are miserable or rude.

I am never forceful and just ask for the envelope back. If people say "no thank you" I just accept it and leave. I find that it is generally older, retired people who give willingly and are the most polite.

CA is a victim of aggressive paid chuggers and lying utilities salesmen. A CA volunteer following up an envelope is not the same, but people don't realise that. People also don't realise that they don't 'push' their religon with their work. I put money in the envelope and am glad the volunteers give up their time.

Excellent post pinkappleby. Completely agree.

Agree completely pinkappleby.

I think the OP has taken a lot of flak, not all of it justified.

Quite Bunbaker, that is the point I made upthread.
It's the older retired people that mostly end up giving.
My example of my mum is one of them. She used to give to the RNIB, but then they started sending her raffle tickets to sell.
As she was pretty much housebound, it wasn't something she was able to do, and she used to panic that they'd accuse her of selling the tickets and keeping the money.
We phoned and let them know, but that is why I still think the elderly are the most easily used in this way.

I never, ever pressurise people to donate. In fact I am almost apologetic at asking as I hate to ask. In my case I think it isn't to do with them being a soft touch, rather than they have a different attitude towards charity. My MIL is the same.Sshe hardly has two pennies to rub together, but always gives to charity/homeless people or any deserving cause. I think it is a generational thing where these people have probably suffered genuine hardship and are more understanding. Also they don't "hate" religion or any charity associated with religion the way so many posters on here do.

Well, this thread has certainly given an interesting insight into the mentality of charity collectors, and the contempt they feel for anyone they want money off.

People can have valid reasons for not believing in charity as a concept. I don't I believe that charities can unwittingly perpetuate the very things they are set up to mitigate because those responsible for creating or maintaining or solving the problems don't have to take responsibility for them and instead pass that responsibility to charities who by comparison cannot hope to do as good a job.

We do give to charities but are extremely discriminating in who we support. I don't support the NSPCC for example because I fundamentally disagree with their aims, their campaigns and the way they spend their money. I do support shelter for the opposite reason, however we almost stopped giving to them when they were exposed as using workfare.

Charity is not the last word in helping people just like voting is not the last word in democracy.

YOU like your charity, it doesn't mean other people do. Charities that employ aggressive tactics like guilting and door knocking have to be super good for me to support them. The problem I have is with people think other people should give to charity.

The problem I have with anyone coming to my door is not the fact that they are coming to MY door but because they are coming to anyones door.

The law on collection tins for charity were written to stop emotional blackmail and harassment of the public which could cause vulnerable members of the public, who could not afford to donate, to feel obliged to. This is why tins must be closed, collectors are not allowed to shake them, or to otherwise call for support whilst collecting.

And yet knocking on doors to collect envelopes is legal.

I don't get it. I don't get why one is deemed acceptable and one isn't. Its exactly the same in my book.

I wouldn't give to any charity that bothered me in my own home for that reason. Because I believe its a exploitative and questionable technique which in theory under other circumstances is already unlawful for the reasons above. If anything bothering someone in their own home is worse.

There's a million and one ways to collect for charity. Its about time Christian Aid modernised and understood why this provokes such a hostile (though none the less unacceptable) reaction from some people.

HTAI - yes- you are spot on. Why??? is it still legal to knock on peoples' doors and ask for money? There are laws that entitle people to a cooling-off period if they are sold to in their own homes - for good reason, to avoid the exploitation of vulnerable people. Yet those who claim to be 'Christian' exploit those same vulnerable people and the law lets them do it

Yes, very good point! With that in mind it doesn't really appear to be a great things that charity collectors describe taking the majority of their money from the elderly who can afford it least... Although I'm not sure that is strictly true I think families often can afford it less than pensioners.

I really don't see the problem. All charities do door to door collection, most of them have trouble getting volunteers, but Christian Aid has church members and can often do blanket coverage.
I simply knocked on the door and said ' I put an envelope through your door, did you wish to make a donation?' to which it was easy to say ' no thank you' to which I said 'OK then- bye'. The most common reaction from those who didn't was ' I have lost it' or ' I never saw it' to which I said ' well, I can give you a spare one if you really want it- leaving it easy to say they didn't.
Anyone can knock at a door. Some had notices about free papers, sellers, junk post etc. I wasn't doing any of that,and I never saw one that said 'no charity collectors'.

I think it laughable that the elderly are supposed to be a soft touch- not my experience.

I think the problem is that people already feel stressed about the hundreds of calls on their money from all sides, and these days, many people can't give money on the spot but feel guilty saying no, and a bit like the comfort of the space they have - their home - where they're not being put in that position is being invaded a bit.

And reading about how selfish and antisocial some collectors think people are if they don't give, is it a wonder people feel stressed about it?

I never give money to CA or Trocaire because I wouldn't support christians in anything they do, even if they present causes I might support from other quarters.
Most charities are rackets anyway with the bulk of funding supporting their own admin and I dislike the way many send out begging letters, knowing full well that they are often fleecing the elderly and confused.
I'll always drop some coins in a homeless person's cup or support local collections for operations for sick children but I dislike chuggers and find the idea of the wealthiest religion on the planet trying to guiltmonger me into bolstering their already bloated coffers repugnant.

Yes, Exotic, but why are people making these excuses, that they've lost it or don't remember seeing one?
It's just a natural reaction, from people trying not to sound mean and feel pressurised and guilty for not giving anything.
As for it being laughable that the elderly are a soft touch, read my posts.

"Well, this thread has certainly given an interesting insight into the mentality of charity collectors, and the contempt they feel for anyone they want money off."

You obviously haven't read my post then.

If someone tells me they have lost the envelope I know it is because they don't want to give, so I don't offer another one. This time someone genuinely did lose their envelope and asked for another one.

Please don't lump all charity collectors together as we aren't all like high pressure salesmen.