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 was stopped near my work with "You look like a nice lady". Fixed them with a death stare and replied "I'm really, really not." He looked a bit scared!

I stopped giving to charities a while ago. They are NOT doing what they say they are doing IMHO. Most money go to wages. The breaking point was guy who called me bitch when I refused to sign up to DD on a street. It wasn't to my face. I think he thought I can't here him anymore...
I switched to small local food banks. I know what they are doing with donations.

I have previously had to contact a cancer charity directly. I do support said charity when I am able to, but their fundraisers knock on my door every Tuesday evening at 8.30pm. I write to say this is a) very presumptuous to knock on doors and b) a bad time, DC have just been put to bed c)weekly fundraising house visits are OTT.
Lovely reply from the charity and they gave the fundraising team warning not to knock on my door any longer. I just bought their charity pins for my wedding favours , so continue to support but don't want to be disturbed.

It's a race to the bottom for the charities - most of them hate working with the agencies that supply the chuggers. Most of the direct debits take about a year before the charity actually starts to make money from the donations because of the cost of using the agency as it's not just the commission they have to pay the people doing the street harassment.

I think it's a pretty immoral job to do that attracts a certain type of person that's not nice. I can see how some people are desperate for work, and so there are probably nice people mixed in. I really hate seeing them harass elderly people the most.

I'm not sure how they sleep at night when they know they are literally taking money from a charity. If you want to donate, go direct to the charity and set up a direct debit, or give a one off donation you don't need to give your money to a middleman to get rich off it!

I hate them too so I just use them as a bit of a game. 10 points for each one I can dodge without eye contact, 20 if I say " no thanks" and they leave me alone, 30 points if I have say no twice or more. 100 bonus points if someone else is being harassed and I can interrupt and make the chugger leave them alone too.

I used to work with adults with learning disabilities and the amount that used to get talked into handing over their bank details by these chuggers was disgusting. It would be completely obvious that most of them had learning disabilities as well. One girl got told she would get into heaven if she helped this perticular charity.

It is usually kids charities and animal ones around here, I usually tell them that if I sign up they will have more kids or animals to look after as I won't be able to feed mine, they then usually apologise and say thank you for your time.

I work in a hospital and the property management company have allowed these chuggers at the main entrance for over a year now. It is only recently they have stopped walking in front of me when I enter or exit the building to try to sign me up which I think is due to my death stare. They have got 3 different charities who rotate. I actually hate them being there because the most visitors to the area are elderly who do not need some idiot making them feel guilty and signing them up to £15.99 a month or whatever it is subscription donations

What on earth is in it for the property management company?

I would like to know the same thing!

God that's awful, having them in hospital, I saw one for a local hospice outside the canteen in my local hospital last year. Really felt like it was playing on people who may have just lost someone.

And the street chuggers are another reason why the high street is dying. I'll also avoid my local co op if they've got a charity blocking the doorway.

I was in my back garden a few years ago when one cheeky fucker decided because I hadn't answered my door, it was ok to walk down the side of my house into the garden to ask me whether I cared about animals... apparently lots of my other neighbours had already signed up for a monthly direct debit

He really didn't understand why that was an issue for me. Funnily enough I didn't sign up...

The word parasites really comes to mind

When they go out on the streets en masse, I tend to tell each one that tries to stop me that I've just signed up with their friend down the road.

@TheFatberg
Could be the same place....

Are you sure about liverpool? Because recently i have encountered them on bold street and church street to a lesser extent. They used to stand in front of me and try make me late for uni. Now i just say NO or fuck off if they persist. Vile people. The fact that they also use womens appearance and shout at you down the street. Vile.

I have my septum pierced and one chugger shouted "oi nosering" at me once before trying to slime up to me talking about my appearance. I think he was with shelter.

I tell them that I don't give to charities which menace me on the street.

RE the RSPCA, the SSPCA had to rebrand as the Scottish SPCA and force the RSPCA to hand over any legacies etc mistakenly given from Scotland and make it clear that they only cover England and Wales - a lot of legal fees that shouldn't need to have been paid.

The PDSA shopping centre stall just before Christmas were really helpful even when I said that I already sponsored through another animal charity. Dog's Trust too.

I refuse to give to anyone who employs chuggers.

I used to work with adults with learning disabilities and the amount that used to get talked into handing over their bank details by these chuggers was disgusting.

Same! Many of my clients hardly had two pennies to rub together at the end of the month, either.

I lived in southern Africa in the 90s. My friend's dad worked for Save The Children. They had a huge house on the outskirts of a city that was mostly flats, a gardener, driver, cook and nanny, all paid for by STC. I don't imagine his salary was particularly low either. This helps me not to feel bad when chuggers call me selfish for refusing to sign up.

There's a street I walk down occasionally which has lots of chuggers. I've always got my phone to my ear and am involved in an animated conversation so they can't interrupt me. There's also a "look" which shows your mind is more on the phone call than on what's happening in the street. Nobody is actually on the other end of course

There's a man who stands in the centre of Liverpool, I'm not sure if he's a charity one but he only stops women and calls them "Doris' in a snidey way and asks you if you have a sense of humour, he's a big man and I found him intimidating.

I was stopped near my work with "You look like a nice lady". Fixed them with a death stare and replied "I'm really, really not." He looked a bit scared!

I don't know you - but I like you!

I’ve also done the “pretend to be on the phone” which works pretty well.

Has anybody else found that male workers target women, and female workers target men? When I worked in central London a few years back, female chuggers would ignore me whilst male would bound across the street towards me. One day it was raining and I was wearing baggy jeans, baggy hoody with the hood up and looking at the ground. A female chugger approached me, but when she saw my face and saw I was a woman she scarpered pretty sharpish.

Clearly they are primed to target the opposite sex in order to “flirt” and try and get sign ups that way. Ugh.

@Wigwambam10 that is disgusting I hope the money was gotten back