Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Mumsnet campaigns

For more information on Mumsnet Campaigns, check our our Campaigns hub.

I'd like to suggest a campaign to regulate charities use of 'Chuggers'.

41 replies

belledechocchipcookie · 23/11/2011 21:40

I know they do a worthy job, generating income for the charities but there needs to be some sort of regulation as the chuggers are often intimidating and rude. I walk through the city centre and I see a different charity asking people for their bank account details every day. If I say 'I don't have time' because I'm running late I sometimes get abuse.
I'm also concerned that they are taking money off people who are vulnerable because they are not strong enough to say no. As there's a different charity every day doing the same thing then I imagine a lot of people's income can be taken away which defeats the object of the charity itself.
I'd like to be able to walk through my city centre without having to avoid them. I also receive visits whilst I'm in my home and I am bombarded with adverts whilst reading magazines and watching the TV. Life is hard for a lot of people at the moment and Chuggers using intimidation and guilt to get hold of bank details is a step too far.
They managed to raise funds before they used this method so why not revert back?

What do you think?

OP posts:
belledechocchipcookie · 01/12/2011 21:39

Sad That's really terrible faba, it's just what I want to stop. It sounds as though she needs someone to help her with her money.

OP posts:
RoseC · 01/12/2011 22:29

I really dislike chuggers. Like lots of you I get stopped at least once every day on my way to and from the station. I've stopped saying 'No, thank you', having got so fed up. I've seen them chase people down the street, including one poor woman last week who said - very politely - 'No thank you, I've just been asked'.

It's put me off every charity that uses them, particularly those who use the text campaigns. I'm convinced I saw a chugger 'helping' an elderly lady to text to the number yesterday Angry

I'd be very keen to support any kind of action that ends up getting taken.

belledechocchipcookie · 01/12/2011 22:31

I don't know how these people sleep at night. Angry

OP posts:
hiddenhome · 01/12/2011 23:01

One of them asked me if I liked animals the other day. I told 'em, only if they're well roasted and served with chips Grin

(they looked suitably shocked and it did shut them up)

belledechocchipcookie · 01/12/2011 23:02

Hahaha! I'd have asked them if they were going to give me a penguin! Grin

OP posts:
TheFarSide · 01/12/2011 23:14

I cancelled my direct debit to the Red Cross after they rang me at home one evening to ask for money and, when I told them no because I already send them money monthly, asked very patronisingly "are you aware that there's been a tsunami?". I'm also planning to remove them from my will as I've heard stories of big charities aggressively preventing bereaved loved ones from taking items of sentimental value from the deceased's house. I wouldn't want to put my family through that.

wahwahwah · 01/12/2011 23:16

The animal people tried to get me too!

Chugger 'Do you like cats and dogs?'
Me 'NO!'

I later thought that I should have said 'yes with chips'

The look of shock on his face was quite gratifying but I get accosted literally 4-5 days out of the week. And that doesn't include being asked two or three times on the same road by the same charity.

They are very annoying and they really do pester people.

peeriebear · 01/12/2011 23:23

A few months ago I blew out an NSPCC chugger by holding my Greggs carrier bag aloft and saying "Sorry, I have to get home with the kids' dinner!"
It was actually true, I was treating them to hot sausage rolls and chocolate cake. Haha :o

belledechocchipcookie · 01/12/2011 23:25

You shouldn't have to make excuses to be able to pass through your city centre, it's your right!

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 02/12/2011 07:57

I got 'Are you the lady who is going to do something amazing today'? Shock Then in town last week a man got 'Hello Mr Fabulous how are you today?'. He broke into a run.

I think I will email my local MP.

fastweb · 02/12/2011 08:26

ohhh I think this has just arrived here.

The other day there were a gang of about 20 people in tabards congregated outside the supermarket. During a fairly quiet time Customers had to run the guantlet of one after another proffering bags asking them to stick some extra shopping in the bag and hand it over after they had paid.

Nothing wrong with the concpet, but usually there is a trolly right by the exit where people put in extra stuff they havembought to donate.

This was different. It felt really pressurised by the sheer volume of people asking the same customer again and again. Big deep sigh and sad shaking of heads when a customer resisted the bag that was proffered several times over in the space of less than a minute.

I almost always buy two or three extra things for the charity trolly, but I had the right hump seeing little old ladies look intimidated so skipped it as a form of "caught on the hop and deep disquite over the techniques being used".

Next time I see the tabards outside the supermarket, I'm going to one of the other supermarkets.

Not quite as bad was the big supermarket where a gaggle of people were trying to get customers to sign a direct debit to a charity nonbody seemed to have heard of. They were far too in your face for my liking.

"Give us a smile"!!!!

Am not a performing dog. Do not wish to smile on command, especially when command is in cheesy, fake, children's TV presenter type voice.

Aside from being expensive for the charity and diverting funds, is this sort of thing not risking putting people off donating becuase they feel hassled, strong armed, intimidated and imposed upon ? Which in the longer term colours their vision of specific charities, or charity giving as a whole?

belledechocchipcookie · 02/12/2011 12:36

Strangely, I was accosted by a BBC local radio person in the street this morning who is doing a slot on this very thing! Looks positive for the cause. He asked about chuggers, I mentioned my concern for the vulnerable who are being exploited. I'm going to email him and see if I can get them to do more on this. Smile

Email your MP!!

OP posts:
Kveta · 02/12/2011 12:47

aside from the fact tht I saw the thread title and wondered what's wrong with the trains in chugginton (not that we watch too much CBeebies or anything...), I am with you on some sort of regulation for these bastards.

I was walking through town after a trip to the GP a couple of weeks back - had flu, should have been in bed, but had dragged myself to the surgery to be told to go home to bed, and was on my way - and 4 of them accosted me in a row. they were about 100 metres apart, so the 1st one I said 'no' to, the second I said 'no, leave me alone please' to, and the 3rd and 4th pounced together and I shrieked 'DON'T EVEN FUCKING THINK ABOUT IT' at them in shrill tones before bursting into tears on the street. I am SICK to the back teeth of them, and have given up on my original viewpoint of 'oh, they have to earn a living somehow' and now take the hardline 'they are all bastards, utter utter bastards' approach.

belledechocchipcookie · 02/12/2011 12:58
Grin

Oh, that's horrible Kveta Sad Brew

OP posts:
mulledwineoutdoors · 02/12/2011 13:09

urrgh, I hate the fake flattery thing. I had a girl shouting 'Yummy Mummy!' across the street at me. As if that's going to make me go and speak to her. Dd was 3 months old, I had not had much sleep, no time to have had a haircut since before dd born - I am not a yummy Mummy, and trying to pretend I am will not make me hand over my bank details. Also, I didn't look at her because it's like if you get wolf-whistled and you look round and you just look really up yourself

belledechocchipcookie · 02/12/2011 13:15

Eww, I'd hate to be called a 'Yummy Mummy!' I find it cringeworthy.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page