Charity collectors hovering in shop doorways

[Jenjenyeahyeah]

I need to start by saying I’m not a terrible person, I do give to charity (and used to work for a charity!) and that in certain places I don’t mind charity collectors.
However, AIBU to think that they should not be allowed to hover inside shop doorways with their eagle eyes and big buckets because it makes people uncomfortable. Or is it just me? I went for a little look around the retail park this afternoon and actually didn’t go into Matalan, even though I was planning to, because of a woman pacing back and forth the entry doors inside with a charity bucket stopping people as they went in. It made me so uncomfortable the thought of having to either avoid her and rudely hurry past or to say no, explain I don’t have any cash and that I already have a DD to chosen charity that I just walked past to avoid it and went onto the next shop. Do the shops that give them permission to do this worry about people being put off from coming in? I don’t like talking to people/stranger/small talk at the best of times (hello self check-out I’m checking you out!) and this just stresses me out more. Am I being silly?

Bucket collector's need permission to be in doorways of shops.

As long as they're not rude, I don't a problem personally, but can see why someone could take issue. The person with the bucket has donated their time, and obviously they want to raise money, but will understand that not everyone wants to or can do.

It's chuggers I hate. With a passion.

I find it really off-putting too as I generally never have cash with me anyway. I'm sure lots of strident types will be along to tell us we're oversensitive and we just need to say no soon!

Learn a phrase like "Sorry, I don't speak english" in some obscure language and say it to them when they approach you.

Don't mind the volunteers with the buckets so much, but really hate the chuggers.
There has been one outside Boots in the town I work in for days. I have taken to pretending I am on my phone to get by him!

Silly question - what’s a chugger?

Chuggers get short-shrift from me. "If you waste time talking to me, you might miss someone with money to give you."

Bucket rattlers get my change, if they haven't previously used chuggers.

The people who try and stop you in the street and want you to sign up for a direct debit Jen

I also don’t think they should be allowed at train / Tube stations. Used to be like running the gauntlet on the wall to the office.

It pisses me off to OP. I always give if I have change on the way past but there is a specific one in a shopping centre near me. They have a permanent spot. It's just a long shopping centre like a main street and they stand right in the middle, one at one side, one at the other so there is no escape. No matter how many times you walk past and even if you have already given them money they still ask again.
I wasn't as angry about it until we met my partners cousin who was working for them in this particular shopping centre about 5 months ago. He told my partner that they get to take 50% the money from the bucket every day no matter how much they get. I had no idea it was so much!

YABU. Just say ‘sorry, I don’t have cash’ and carry on with your day.

If charities didn’t collect they would shut down and not do their work.

To collect on the street you need a local authority licence. To collect in a shop doorway (assuming that doorway is owned by the shop) you need the permission of the shop, which can be a lot easier to get. If the collectors have the shop's permission only, they aren't allowed to step onto the street to collect.

Oh, those. Yes I do not like those! I remember back in the day trying to walk from Tottenham Court Road to Google Street was an assault course of ‘chuggers’ and having to cross the road about 5 times just to make it!

I’ve never heard they are allowed to keep bucket money.

Much prefer a bucket collector to a chugger personally. Easier to ignore a shaking bucket with an apologetic sorry then a bouncy teen asking for 30 seconds of your time which turns into 30 mins and a phone call

time any charity that does that is behaving illegally and the Charity Commission would be interested.

If they are collecting on the street, ask for their licence. I used to provide every one of my collectors with a copy to show whenever asked.

I didn't know until that day either soshinysochrome

fuzzy Yes I didnt think that was the norm.

Unless I am imagining things sure I read somewhere that it is now actually illegal for them to ask or approach you,. They should simply stand there with their collection box.
That said I hate them too when I am out and about, passing by makes you feel guilty. I now get annoyed when they approach then feel cross with myself for not pointing out they are no longer allowed to approach people.

Ive never met a bucket collector - unless for strikers fund or small local Fundraiser. Surely that cant be legal? There used to be quite strict laws about street collections. Have they been done away with?

There are chuggers in our local shopping centre, the charity changes every week but there is a desk reserved for them.

Last week I had to scurry past to pick up DS’s new glasses and they were representing a charity I already give a monthly amount to. One of them asked if I would sign up and I said I already give to this charity... cheeky git asked “how much though?”

I got a chugger round once for st johns ambulance, I actually did a small direct debit as think it's an amazing charity, but had to cancel it as soon as I realised the fundraising company (lots of charities don't do their own chugging/bucket collecting, they get third parties to do it for them) got to keep lots of my donation (yes I think it was about 50%)!!!

So I think that's what the pp means about them keeping half the bucket money. Not that the person themselves is taking it, it's the company they work for (often not the actual charity)

If charities didn’t collect they would shut down and not do their work.

Would they? I live in the US and I hardly ever see charities collecting in town centres. Yet charities operate very very successfully here.

I’m an old fart and remember the days of the (usually) ladies with the paper pieces attached to a pin for RAF benevolent fund or the RSPCA, they just stood there and people were happy to approach them and give. These days it’s all so aggressive......

My Sil friends DM runs a company who do these charity buckets approx 10p of every £1 is given to charity the company get a cut then the rest to the person doing the charity. If people realised I don’t think they would get half as much money. I make a point of not given them unless I know the charity gets the full amount