To be fed up of charity collectors

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I live in a city centre so obviously spend most of my time in town. Lately I have noticed a huge increase in people wanting to sign me up for various charities (here its Shelter). There are literally three on every street meaning walking home becomes like running the gauntlet.

Every single one jumps out all fake cheeriness and I hate it. I understand they have a job to do but is this really a good marketing strategy for a charity? Tbh it makes me never want to give them a single penny.

I'm sick of feeling hassled on my own doorstep. Plus, I can't help thinking that if these people really gave a fuck about the cause they'd fundraise for free/volunteer.

Actually I think the only people who will shift them are the high street chains, but it's so hard to fight against charidee. Look at all those independent bookshops crushed by Oxfam.

Chuggers have turned high streets into a gauntlet and it does hurt custom and footfall. Maybe that is the angle to take, as people just not liking it seems to have no impact.

Yes, let's start a campaign against people earning an honest living by raising money for charity!

Or - we could just smile and say, 'No, thanks.' Works for me.

I had recently just got through the front door after attending the funeral of a dear friend who had died of cancer. A young man who left behind his wife and 8 year old daughter.

There was a knock at the door and it was a cheery chugger wanting to sign me up for a cancer charity (I won't say which one).

I already donate monthly out of my salary to this charity, I give money every other week at work for cake sales - proceeds to cancer charity. I had, the very same week, given a hefty sponsorship donation for DS1's girlfriend to climb Kilimanjaro for the same charity.

I have two other friends recently diagnosed with cancer and I was just so upset when I opened the door that I choked up and couldn't speak. I just shook my head sadly and was rewarded with a look as if I was something the chugger had found on the bottom of her shoe.

I felt so bad

I just smile & say "no thanks" & barge past if they're stupid enough to stand in my way.

We're all too polite as a nation that's the trouble, if we all just ignored & walked on, it wouldn't be an effective marketing tool.

The more people they get the more they will use it......I realise some of the older generation are more persuadable, but the rest of us need to get tough!

I don't think anyone suggested starting a campaign?

One banged on my door hard at 9 on Thursday night.

I opened it and he did that fake 'whoa honey' and stepped back as if I'd opened the door too fast

I glared at him and told him to go away and slammed my door.

I also ignore them in town. And I disagree it's an 'honest living' - I only see it as preying on and exploiting the vulnerable.

Loathsome practise.

No, I know.

And I do feel sorry for people like the old lady earlier and Baroness.

Yes Laurie Apart from anything else, I can't abide the cheeriness when whatever cause they are collecting for is a serious issue.

If cornered, respond that you do not pay UK tax (i.e. you are an ex-pat), they will vanish.

Had one at our door and when I declined saying that I already gave to charity he did I should cancel that and sign up as the one he represented was much better!

Another one was spinning me a long tale about all the work they did with disabled children and how much they needed "our" help. At this point ds' school bus arrived and the escort pushed him to the door in his wheelchair. I think it was the only time I have seen one rendered speechless

*he said

I hate them with a passion.

They accost me every single day without fail. I zig zag up the street, trying to avoid eye contact, in a futile attempt to reach the station to get home after working all day and they literally jump in front of me.

I glare at them and sometimes that works, but not always.

I am asked "and how are you today" and I say "I was fine until you spoke to me". Sometimes the death glare that accompanies this is enough, sometimes not.

This may be a disproportionate response but, to my shame, I've actually on one occasion told one who was being particularly obnoxious in his attempts to engage with me to fuck off, which, to be fair, he duly did.

I'm really not advocating this response, but the end of my tether had been well and truly reached.

I have indeed turned into a grumpy old woman.