Forum Topic

Doorstep Chuggers

Oxfam doorstep chuggers are in the area,just waiting to separate you from your bank details.   Remember, these people work on commission, so money is not going to the charity.  They were on Grafton at 4:20 this afternoon.  Should they be banned from this sort of practice?

Nikki Howard ● 4815d14 Comments

Had Red Cross last week. I think they should be banned - If I want to give to a charity I will do it in my own way so they get all of the donation.

Amanda Knights ● 4815d

Exactly my sentiments, give direct.I have the policy of, never dealing on the doorstep. (That also includes, outside Morrisons.)

Nikki Howard ● 4815d

Marginally less bad than the High Street ones - I stepped round some rather bouncy Rad Cross ones in Holborn this afternoon.You should have heard graduate son dealing with Oxfam on the doorstep this afternoon> (I lurked upstairs) By the end his pleas of student poverty were so heartfelt, I thought they might give him a donation.I can't see how you can legislate for people banging on your door though.

Sara Nathan ● 4815d

I contacted a charity directly to complain about doorstep chuggers and they responded that a lot of people like them  as it makes it easier to give to charity.I asked them to make sure my address was on a do no ring list.I sent the Oxfam lot packing yesterday. I told them what I thought doorstep chugging. They are probably getting vulnerable people to sign up out of 'politeness'

Kim Rugg ● 4815d

Another thing that annoys me is, these clothing companies, (companies being what they are) claiming to be charities, even supplying a (more often than not, bogus) charity number.  The number of companies doing this, for profit, must be illegal.  How many times have people put out clothes, believing they are charitable donations, only to have them collected by and, let's call them what they are, thieves and criminal gangs.I have even noticed that the white van is around again, looking for anything they can find in peoples gardens, which will turn a profit.

Nikki Howard ● 4815d

The last is two-edged - if you have something you don't want, putting outside with a "please take" notice, isnt a bad way of it going somewhere else - and who cares if someone with more vim makes some money from it?

Sara Nathan ● 4815d

I object, when I've paid the council for safe disposal, I don't expect white van man to come and nick it.  The object in question was a gas cooker, which I had made unsafe.  Guarantee they got more than the £20 I paid the council.Pity we couldn't have put a "please take" notice on Abu;-)

Nikki Howard ● 4815d

We had an agency woman working for the Daily Mail around today apparently - ringing on all the doorbells and asking what he was like as a neighbour for a double page tomorrow. Jonjo - being perverse - said he was the pinnacle of neighbourliness, came round with gifts (true) and infinitely better to have next door than the Antipodeans before him (also true) I bet they don't print any of it!

Sara Nathan ● 4815d

Looks like you spoilt their storyline. The Daily Mail would do better to follow-up on the Industrial Site meeting on Friday.  I've got the bit between my teeth for this one.  I'm not going to back down.  The proverbial is going to hit the fan.

Nikki Howard ● 4815d

It's not only the doorstop chuggers - I get a little fed up with charities that I already support employing outside people to phone me and ask for more money.  I know all charities are feeling the pinch, but so am I!

Nina Battleday ● 4815d

Spotted the pesky duster sellers last week on Baldwyn Gdns, before they moved to Cumberland Pk.

Nikki Howard ● 4815d

Charities have been employing professional people and paying them market rates for a while as they are simply more effective at raising funds than unpaid volunteers doing it part time and around other commitments.The wishing well appeal for the great Ormond street hospital was one of the first to take the plunge and hire people from business with competitive wages. They were highly successful at raising money. They were even accused at one point of raking an unfair amount of donations, leaving other charities starved.I don't object to this aspect of hiring and paying these people but I feel cornered when they come to my front door as you can't dodge them as you can on the high street.I do take some pleasure though when they come to the door and can see me from the bay window at my desk but I refuse to open the door.

Kim Rugg ● 4815d

Just print this out and post outside

David P Archer ● 4815d

They say that the poorest are the most generous.I think every so often you have to question yourself and ask whether you are being unreasonably anti and whether you are giving as much charity as you could - or being as generous to someone more needy than you as you could be.  The trouble is that you never know what tomorrow will bring... 

Philippa Bond ● 4815d