I think I'm not being unreasonable, but I'm a bit angry, so I'm not sure. MacMillan coffee morning

[Fiendishlie]

A neighbour knocked on my door collecting items for a tombola at the MacMillan coffee morning thing her group is having at the village hall on Friday. I tell her I'll bring something over later and, as I'm not working on Friday, I will come to the coffee morning.
She looks uncomfortable and tells me that the coffee morning is for members of the group only and I can't come.
I was completely blindsided and rendered speechless; all I managed to do was close the door on her.

This isn't on, is it?

How very, very odd
Very amused about calling Olive though
Like she could do anything

Love 'calling Olive'.

V. fishy indeed, wonder what tea leaf woman is planning to do with donations - flog 'em on ebay? I'd alert Macmillan as well as the cops, tbh. They won't want someone a. stealing donations from them and b. giving them a bad name.

Silly auto correct

Yes...call Olive

OP it seems really dodgy...call Macmillan for advice....maybe ask another neighbour who has donated if she's had an invite to the coffee morning....and see if you can find out her name (the rude neighbours I mean)

How peculiar! I thought that the whole point of the Macmillan "World's Biggest Coffee Morning" event was to encourage as many people as possible to take place. Not some add-on to a private group activity.

IMO you should use Hecate's link to find another one on the same day, and tell her you're going to that one, so it seems only fair to give them your donation.

Oh yes I can see how calling a green slimy thing can help the op

That's odd. I would've thought they would want more people to come to raise more money! Especially if she had the nerve to knock on your door asking for donations!

Reading your last post, it now seems very odd.
Personally, I'd want to go round and confront her with the fact the playgroup aren't having a coffee morning and you'd like to know why she has suggested they are, but then, as my dcs will tell you, I can be very embarassing.

That is really fishy. If I were you I would call the police non-emergency number for advice. This woman is collecting donations for a charity coffee morning that doesn't appear to exist

maybe the "organisers" like to help themselves to the best stuff at low prices? I hate it when charity helpers do that.

if it was a scam i doubt she'd be asking her neighbour, surely she'd go to another village

it sounds unthought through (is that a word?) and rude but i doubt it was deliberate

don't give it another thought!

I doubt it's a scam, more likely poorly thought through coffee morning. I bet they are just having the coffee morning at the playgroup as they would usually have coffee there anyway-but she said she would do a tombola. Maybe everyone is giving a pound for charity or whatever. Would explain why it wasn't advertised as essentially nothing different from usual is happening.

But there isn't a McMillan coffee morning - OP's update included - "I called the woman who runs the pre-school, it's the same woman as when my DS was last there, 13 years ago. Friday is a normal day, no coffee morning planned."

So the neighbour is asking for donations to - what?

OP, do you know if your neighbour even attends this pre-school? I appreciate you don't know her name so couldn't ask the woman who runs it.

It is starting to sound suspiciously like a scam.

bizarre! How very rude

Why not check to see if the village hall even have a booking for Friday.

Are you sure its the pre school?

They are having one at my son's primary school on Friday.

Same , for Macmillan....is there a Primary in your village? maybe ask them?

I really wish people would read threads

I mean, if you can't be arsed to read the whole thing, please at least read the op's updates.

I would call McMillan and the police.

Why did I think you meant the pre-school? think I'm thinking of something else...

I think as well as notifying the police and other neighbours to this, you need to ask your parcel company or postman not to leave parcels with her any more. (note on the door next time you expect something)

Maybe she has an addictin to taking in other people's stuff!

If you have checked with the pre school then honestly what else can it be but false pretences

I second asking a neighbour what the woman's name is, then double check with the preschool to confirm if she is actually involved with the preschool.

Then ring Olive if she isn't involved. If its a scam she's obtaining by deception!

Have a look on the Macmillan website someone linked to below in case there is a legit coffee morning elsewhere in your village... but it does look highly, highly dodgy.

Are you sure it isn't crossed wires, and maybe you were mistaken about which playgroup it is?
I'd check locally first to see if there are other coffee mornings in your area.

OP did you speak to anyone else about this? I have been wondering what happened!