To think those high pressure charity street fundraisers should be banned

[startrekk]

This isn't really something I have given much thought to until recently. I always just avoid all contact and walk past the charity fundraisers quickly, ensuring I don't get caught listening to their hard sell.

However recently in the small village where I live there have been a team of around 5 and they are stood apart from each other pretty much blocking the main high street meaning you have to actually ask them to get out of the way as they have taken to hovering in front of you as you get close. I've had them pretend I have dropped something in order to get my attention and comment on my outfit or shopping bags as I've gone past.

I feel sorry for the small independent coffee shop that is located in the spot they have chosen to stand, as everyone avoids this path like the plague now and goes along the path further down.

I know it raises money for charity but I don't feel that is a good enough reason for these high pressure sales tactics to be allowed. There's nothing wrong with standing with a bucket and hoping people give change, but this is just ridiculous! I'd love to know where they learn their 'techniques' for selling.

AIBU? Anyone else who can't stand charity street fundraisers (charity muggers)?

I usually encounter them whilst making the 10 minute walk from work to Waitrose on a Friday. It’s like a obstacle trying to get past them I usually have both headphones in and pretend I don’t hear them. It’s just annoying because there are like 5 in a row. I find it intimidating to be honest. I already give to 5 charity’s. It comes to something when you can’t even walk through town without getting caught and asked for money.

Adreamofspring, I too think it's exploitative of the vulnerable.

They make me sooo uncomfortable. I normally try and walk as far away as possible from them (yet they still shout at me). I avoid eye contact and pretend not to hear them. I just hate how they are drawing attention to me when I’m minding my own business, out and about on my own. I prefer to be invisible when I’m alone in public, and them shouting me down makes me feel mortified!

@BrightYellowDaffodil I should have elaborated more (hectic morning!). Harassing and pressuring is 100% not okay and there are many regulations and control measures created to prevent this but sadly they don't always work. That's why it's important to report anyone who makes you feel uncomfortable. Without your feedback the charities won't know you have an issue with it.

There are people who respond well to this kind of fundraising - who appreciate interacting with someone representing the organisation but it really depends on how well the fundraiser is trained. They should never pressure or harass, just simply ask.

If you feel like you can't say no, a 'no cold callers' sticker means they cannot knock at your door (if they do, report them!) and as I said previously street fundraisers are not allowed to obstruct your path or follow you more than three steps. Report anyone who breaks the rules, just as you would with any commercial organisation.

Likewise if other methods of fundraising make you uncomfortable you can join the TPS, MPS or FPS. It's free. Then fundraisers aren't wasting your time or making you unhappy.

I didn't think "no cold calls" zone legislation applied to charities. It should, but I don't think it does.

@Satsumaeater it does - and you can put a sticker on your door if you're not in a no cold call zone. If a fundraiser knocks on your door with one of those in sight then they will face disciplinary action for knocking there

I had never really twigged that they harass mostly women before.

I complained to my local council about a group in town. I was generally altering my route to avoid them but I was late for the train one day and one actually blocked my path and when I said I was late for a train, he was like ‘good you can fill in my form’. I was very rude back.
I tried wearing sunglasses, headphones, speaking on my mobile. Nothing worked.

Complaining to the council did make a difference after they initially said it was nothing to do with them. I pointed it out was and how bad it was for the businesses around where they were standing as everyone was running past.

If I see them I try and make a note of what charity they have on their tabard and as they approach just say "I already support insert charity name here*". It seems to work.
They are bloody annoying though and I can see why people actively avoid high streets that have them.

It's another reason to avoid high streets which are not having a good time at the moment. Time for councils to do something perhaps.?

I used to work in a charity fundraising, but not in the chugger manner. We did employ chuggers and I felt so sorry for them.
They would be sent all over the place - they had no say in this 100+ miles. Expected to get a minimum of 2 sign ups a shift or they would be given warnings. No commission, minimum wage, working in all weathers, very little training.

Yes they could have gotten better jobs, but they were passionate about the charity and what it stood for. And many had bills/mortgages to pay

They were lied to about what the job was, expecting a people engagement role with a small aspect of fundraising.

I agree it shouldn't be allowed - I won't donate to any charity that uses this method now. But I do feel sorry for the people.

My best friend works for a small charity that uses these. The charity he works for employs the chuggers, paying a set amount per sign up.

It would seem that the demographic is mainly the older generation, and usually female.
Several donors have changed their mind after signing up, which makes me wonder how much pressure was put on them at the time?

Disgusting practice and the sooner it is banned, the better.
If I'm approached either on the street or by cold callers, they definitely get short shrift.

When I lived in London and if I’m anywhere that isn’t my small town I use my non-British accent to say ‘I’m just a tourist.’

Actually when I first moved to London I was stopped in Leicester Square and given the whole spiel on whatever charity it was and genuinely felt compelled to donate. Pulled out a fiver and was told no cash, only bank details. I legit didn’t have a bank card and was still living in a backpacker hostel so I just said as much and kept walking. I always wondered after that why they hang out in super touristy spots where lots of non-Brits will be.

I loathe them - bouncing up with their clipboards like a f*ing Tigger - I walk quickly anyway and just speed up , smile and say sorry no time today .

@PartridgeJoan, it’s not just the overtly harassing or abusing ones that are wrong, it’s ANY form of canvassing in the street/on the doorstep. I have absolutely no problem with saying no, but there are many who can’t or won’t be able to (and they’re probably seen as the ones who “respond well”). I’m not cluttering up my front door with stickers to say “No cold callers”; they shouldn’t be there in the first place. And it’s not that chuggers “make me unhappy”; they are a bloody nuisance.

To take an extreme example, extortion and holding people to ransom might be a lucrative income stream, but that’s (obviously) not OK. So why is harassment and putting the hard sell/guilt trip on people acceptable just because it’s a charitable organisation behind it all?

Yes I hate them. Petition anyone!?!

There are a couple of groups of them near where I work, and each group spread out so you end up having to say no to each one of them on your way out and way back ad they forget who they've approached already...it can be up to 10x every lunchtime and it's very draining. I find myself getting snappier and snappier with them

It's interesting to read here that women are targeted in creepy ways by some of these people because as a man I've rarely felt harassed by them.

I don't feel comfortable about charities any more. I briefly worked at a couple of them a few years ago, including one that's mentioned on here. The amount of money spent on renting central London offices and wages was scandalous. Just looked at the 2017 annual report for one of the charities and nowhere does it mention specifics on overheads...what a surprise .

could be worth a petition

in central London, the pavements are so crowded, when they literally cut across to target someone, it's very noticeable. That's something they're not meant to do, but who the hell follows the code anyway.

I do think they target women as well.

The AA salesmen (always men) at my local Tesco always target women too. Why do they assume we're incapable of already having sorted out our breakdown cover? Fuck. Off.

I was in town just Christmas and a group of chuggers had made a point of standing near a Salvation Army band playing carols,and were targetting people who were approaching them to listen. That struck me as an especially cuntish thing to do. I made a point of ignoring the one who tried stop me and went and put a pound coin in the SA tins. Unlike these corporate wanker charities the SA actually do good work IMO.

I also had the RSPCA knock on my front door last week. They always say the same spiel, 'I can tell you are someone who loves animals'. Well I'm not sure how you tell that just by looking at me, but yes I am and that's precisely why I wouldn't piss on the RSPCA if it were on fire. Never mind donate money to them. I slammed the door in their face.

I also once gave false details to a Chugger, made up name, address, DOB and bank details. Not very kind I know, but I thought it would teach them to not harass people.

I wouldn't piss on the RSPCA if it were on fire

Me neither, from various times I’ve needed to call them (deer hit by car, abandoned horses) and they’ve either no bothered to come out (“Can you call back in office hours?” Not really love, I’ve got an injured deer at my feet, it won’t hang on until 9am) or been specacularly useless (the inspector didn’t even know how to put on a horse’s headcollar and she said they were ok because they had access to water...a stagnant pond).

A chugger once asked me to support the RSPCA and when I refused, made the mistake of asking me why. I told him exactly why, at the top of my voice in a crowded station concourse. Don’t think he got many signups for a while after that!

I always say politely "I'm very sorry, I don't speak English"

I don’t feel guilty at all if I say no to them. If they pressure me, I just tell them to go away.

They prey on women because they know we’ve been socialised to be nice. Fuck that.

I hate chuggers but apparently it's a very successful method of fundraising.

Anyone who bothers me on the street I just say a bright "no thank you!" with a smile.

YANBU but I employ a different strategy. I saunter past them, I don't hurry past and don't feel embarassed. When they speak to me I find a stern "Not interested" with a hard stare daring them to continue talking to me usually works. If that fails a simple "fuck off" usually works. If they shout from the other side of the road I completely ignore. You can't control what they do and say but you can control your reaction and how you feel about it.

The RSPCA are an awful organisation. They are only really interested if there is big money involved, they couldn't give a shit about the average Joe down the road who's mistreating his dog.

They also harass people. There was a story a few years ago about an elderly farmer who they'd been rabidly trying to prosecute for neglecting horses. He went missing, but is believed to have committed suicide. He was clearly struggling, but instead of offering support they ruined his life. They are scum.

If you want to support an animal charity then the likes of Dogs Trust, Cats Protection, Battersea or even a local shelter are far better options.