Tell your charity how you feel about chuggers

KayG

Hi Everyone,

I've been reading a lot of posts here and elsewhere about how people feel about chuggers. It's been bothering me for years but it's surprisingly hard for me to find out which charities I support are ones that use them. However, I've found one list now: google Public Fundraisers Regulatory Association and click on its list of members.

I've written to all the ones I support which do, telling them regretfully that I'm planning to cancel my subscription. I'm surprised how upset I felt when I started writing (sad, not angry). I've supported some of them for years, even decades. But at least I'm giving them a chance to reply. I know a lot of you are very angry about chugging, so please, write to the ones you support and say so. You might get them to drop this: some charities are dropping it because they've become aware of the ill-will it's caused.

I know that charities do need professional fundraising now. But there's a big difference between a charity employing its own staff (as long as senior staff are not on inflated salaries) and paying money to profit-making third party agencies.

If a lot of my money goes to Save The Children fundraising staff, it's going to a group of people who at least live and breathe the work. Many of them care, they talk to other people who care, they know the issues and they talk to their friends about what's happening. That's worth something. If it's going to a profit-maker, that is lost. And so is the transparency: it should not be so hard for me to find out how the chugging money is spent.

And there is no getting away from the fact that smaller, poorer
charities lose out. If you're in favour of chugging fair enough, but if you've refused to give money to a charity because you know it uses chuggers, please, tell them.

Kay

scotrae

Not all charities using this method of fundraising employ agencies, so if that's the point that irks you please do check before you cancel your valued support!

I work for a (smaller, poorer) charity that is a member of the PFRA but employs its own 'chuggers'. (We call them 'face to face fundraisers'). These dedicated colleagues come to team meetings at our UK office and get to meet and quiz our international project staff. Many of them take the opportunity to go and see our country programmes for themselves - out of their own pockets and annual leave. Everyone of them lives and breathes their work. When our international colleagues meet these guys they are always incredibly impressed by their dedication, knowledge and ability to remain cheery in all weathers, even on days when nobody wants to stop and talk.

Agencies can take a huge cut but not all charities use them. And it's good to check out where your money goes and how much impact it is having. If you feel strongly about the 'chugger' issue and beleive that your chosen charity uses them, please ask them if they use an agency.

Thanks for reading!

KayG

Thanks, Rae: I didn't know that and that's really useful to find out. I have written to mine asking, but I appreciate other folk might not nefore cancelling so it's good that you've made this clear.

Why is it that your charity's a member of the PFRA if you're employing your own chuggers? Hope that doesn't sound rude - it's not meant to. I'm just interested.

Thanks,

Kay

scotrae

The PFRA regulates face-to-face fundraising and some of the busier towns and fundraising sites are managed by the body to make sure they don't get over-used by charity fundraisers and to maintain public confidence. I understand that around 95% of charities that use 'chuggers' are members and Concern Universal is one of those. Our team get spot-checks by PFRA mystery shoppers to make sure they adhere to PFRA code of practice and if there were any problems or complaints PFRA could investigate.

And it didn't sound rude at all Kay. Like I say, it's good to understand these things about charities.

KayG

Thanks Rae!