Anger at aggressive tactics of Shrewsbury ‘Chuggers’
Tuesday 8th November 2011, 10:59AM GMT.
Aggressive charity collectors are intimidating shoppers in Shrewsbury town centre into handing over cash or setting up regular card payments, police warned today.
Officers said that in one incident an elderly woman was reported to have been taken to her local bank by a charity worker to set up a regular Direct Debit payment after she was stopped on Pride Hill.
And they said other people had also complained about the ‘unacceptable’ way charity workers were trying to get cash for their cause.
The warning over Chuggers – aggressive charity collectors – was issued by Constable David Walton, a police officer in Shrewsbury town centre, who said the charity Shelter had been to blame for its aggressive tactics which had sparked complaints.
Shelter today said it ‘always had a very positive response’ from people in Shrewsbury.
Constable Walton said: “We will be speaking to Shropshire Council with a look at tightening the controls on public collections in Shrewsbury town centre as a result of several complaints and our observations.”
Constable Walton said he had no problem with charities collecting for their causes but he was concerned about the tactics being used by Shelter.
Richard Dalgety, a face-to-face fundraising regional manager for Shelter, said: “Our face-to-face teams are rigorously trained to follow Public Fundraising Regulatory Association guidelines at all times. These guidelines do not tolerate approaches that are intimidating or aggressive.
“We also have a clear three step rule policy that states a fundraiser is not allowed to walk more than three steps with someone and walking someone to the bank is clearly not permitted. Other PFRA regulations state that fundraisers must end every conversation politely regardless of the approach of the member of the public and that a fundraiser must offer contact details of the Shelter helpdesk if any member of the public wishes to make a complaint.”
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Easily sorted … Constable Walton can go on foot patrol and deal as appropriate …
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Dream on they let the lackies do that in the form of CSOs who can even put their own boots on the right feet.
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Each time they try and stop me they get a polite F. OFF…
I told one the othe day that I only give to the British Legion and help for heroes and he told me that ‘Those charities are a waste of time’
Yes, I nearly punched him very hard….
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You should have.Thank god there is somebody else like me. I can now tell the wife, as she always says, I must be the only one who says such things to them. Thanks Daz.
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Which charity said that Daz?
Would love to hear their chief exec explain why helping servicemen is a waste of time…
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Seriously he didn’t really say that did he, days before Remembrance Sunday. I presume he didn’t have a poppy on then?
What an ignorant idiot, I presume he would have preferred us to be under Nazi rule then if he believe the armed forces are a waste of time, or has he forgotten how close Hitler came to taking over Europe and how many members of the British Legion helped stop him, and since then have gone on to help other countries sort out dictators, like Bin Laden, Hussein, Milosovich, Gaddafi, etc.
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Daz. Why not just be polite? I acknowledge fully that I too would be extremely angry at retorts akin to that which you describe, however you write ‘each time they try’ suggesting that you are rude to all of them. No need, no need at all. Remember, what goes around, comes around!
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Not looking very ‘aggressive’ there are they? If we’re going to use the English language can we please use it in such a way that we communicate accurately. Personnally I swerve away from these people or politely decline, it’s actually not so difficult.
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Agreed with you Merc – there is no need to tell them to “F. OFF…” Daz. Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself. Avoid them – say no thanks, walk by, don’t catch their eye, state your preference, etc.. (if they did say that about the BL then as their name and complain to their Charity.
I would try and be supportive if it looked like an old person was being railroaded into something wrong though – its difficult to tell.
I’m sure thse charities would happily publish guidelines of their volunteers .. especially their specific guidelines for how they expect older – possibly frail, confused or easily led old folks. Perhaps a direct debit ‘cooling off’ period should be introduced (is there already one?).
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“I’m sure these charities would happily publish guidelines of their volunteers”
I think you inadvertently hit the nail on the head there – these “chuggers” are actually paid fund-raisers who earn commission, especially for getting people to sign up to direct debits, and are not to be confused with usually local volunteers collecting on local flag days, selling poppies etc.
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If I’m right these are not ‘volunteers’. They are working for a substantial sum taken from donations. Certainly, that used to be the case with direct debits to Shelter. Personally, I only gave to the hospice (market) and the homeless people in the Greyfriars area – in part because nobody is top slicing my money.
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If this is true then it’s really shocking.
The solution? Ban all “chuggers”. Yes i know that not all of them are this poor but, until the council sets up a code of conduct; get rid of them.
They are generally a pain at the best of times anyway!
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Don’t go into Shrewsbury town centre very often but did wander over with my wife one weekday about three weeks ago (from that evil place called Telford so surprised we weren’t rounded up, trashed, hung drawn and quartered for being the devils offspring lol).
Unfortunately my lasting memory of that day in what is after all a very pleasant place to wander, is that in the period of time it took us to browse the length of Pride Hill shops, we were between us accosted SEVEN TIMES by red T-Shirt wearing obnoxious oiks purporting to be saving the world on behalf of whichever charity they claimed to represent.
Lesson of the day – if thats they way they want to operate, I would never in a month of sundays giving the organisation in question a single penny !!
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Yep. I avoid Pride and take alternative routes to avoid them. I was once chair of Crewe and Nantwich Greenpeace and wouldn’t give them a penny. We wouldn’t have behaved like that. We used to dress up as animals and go around pubs (with landlords’ permission)and make people laugh. Many of us were part of a theatre group.People couldn’t wait to give us money. It went straight into the bank.
Btw S’bury people aren’t too bad (I’m a incomer!)
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Katherine, you sound fun. A good Nags Head girl methinks. Get yourself down there petal.
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Got it in one, Merc!
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I have the ultimate answer to this matter. On being approached by one of these bandits, my mouth opens … and … out comes the word … “No.”
Those unable to utter this response, but who have some language skills, just blabber back in French, German, Portuguese, Latin, Brogdanavian, whatever.
Another effective tactic is, on seeing a charity bandit about to approach, look away in the opposite direction, and just walk straight past. If the bandit gets in your way, that’s his problem.
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Oh for god sake get a back bone and tell them to go away or ignore them.This has possibly been complained about by under 5 people.
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Only 5 rapes last year in Shrewsbury… perhaps we should be telling the same to the victims, eh Andrew?
If one person: old young, male female any ethnicity you choose, is criminally targetted and made the victim of a crime then, call me old fashioned if you will, but yes: the police should stamp it out immediately.
If that hurts the supposed “good” charities then tough.
Isnt it actually illegal anyway to actively pursue someone when trying to collect for charity? I thought collectors weren’t even allowed to shake a tin containing previous donations so surely hot-footing it after someone badgering has got to be wrong?
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Yeah, donate or don’t donate, it’s your choice, but please stop whining about it.
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I encountered a few of these types when I was last over.
What worked for me was some free advice on sex and travel, or recommending a Paxo diet.
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The best thing is to ignore them, then if they persist be polite and tell them to go away. If that fails then be robust yourself and tell them in no uncertain terms where to go!!
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It’s the same in Dudley Street in Wolverhampton.
If it’s not “Chuggers” harassing you it’s religious nut-cases.
Very irritating!
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If these were all young ladies dressed in stockings and short skirts the police would soon arrest them for loitering.
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A situation then likely to cause a breach of the peace? Inform the nearest Police Officer.
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Very similar tactics were used in Ludlow last friday for WWF with their guys knocking on doors of pensioners and being rude. These guys knocked on my door three times in one evening and each time I told them to go away.
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So stupid. If we don’t get bullied we give to the causes which matter to us. Apparently S’bury police targeted trick or treatsters. What’s the difference?
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Targeting Trick or Treatsters is definately a welcome thing as long this targeting doesn’t get recorded as a crime solved. I suggest we chase this unwelcome American ‘culture’ back across the pond. Back to normal charity collecting I only give to people giving up their own time to stand in draughty supermarket entrances myself. And back on Pride Hill, whats with the word ‘bully’? No one is ‘bullied’ even the ‘chuggers’ don’t ‘bully’. They may get in your eyeline and enter your personal space but ‘aggressive’? ‘bully’? Oh please.
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Yes but they are raising millions of pounds a year for good charities, some of these people are real heroes so give them a break!
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I’m sick to the back teeth of having to run the gauntlet each time I walk up the High Street.
I never give these rat-bags eye contact but it makes little difference, they still shout to you from 2 or 3 metres away!
I find myself planning my route away from them whilst I’m walking!! I’ve had to dive for cover in shops just to get them away from me!!
Our High Street needs a clean up.
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Good on them I say, young people take note, when you are hanging out on street corners drinking hooch all day you could be working hard, earning money and helping good causes. This is a good worthwhile ethical job and there are some tremendously talented and charming young people doing it. As a regular donor to many charities I dont need convincing but sadly many of you out there dont donate unless your arm is twisted by a cheeky / charming chappy or chapess in the street, it clearly works or the charities would not pay for their services would they now.
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I think i want my money back
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leave them along they are professional fundraisers spending their days full time getting moeny for charity, they deserve a knighthood for it, not abuse
thank you
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They are not professional fundraisers, they are college kids being exploited to earn a quick buck for a charity that pays its staff wages out of charitable donations.
Who in their right mind would give away money to this kind of charity.
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some of the birds they put on the street in shrewsbury are well fit, worth stoppin for a chat like :) :) :)
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The tactics used by these collectors is counter productive, many of us have come across the over zealous salesman, some fell for it but never went back again. There are those that will have been served a substandard meal in a restaurant, they didn’t complain they just did’t go back. Shelter is going to loose donations in the long term. My defense is for those who cannot say “No” When they mean “No”. The elderly lady who was walked to the cash point might not have wanted to give, she might have felt intimidated, a sense of guilt even, she, along with the rest of us, have every right to walk along the street in freedom without being hounded in the street. Why should we have to be placed in a situation where we have to deliberately change direction or avoid eye contact (though at times it might be the best policy). I regard the comment made by the one collector to Daz as highly offensive. It angered others too. What if someone smacked one of the collectors? Who would be arrested then? I think the tactics and the language used by these collectors is provocative likely to cause a Breach of the peace. The Samaritan story was about two opposing sects of the Jewish faith who did not usually have anything to do with each other but when the Samaritan saw the other guy needing help he helped him despite him being the opposition. Today and on Sunday I will remember those that offered and gave their lives for my freedom, those that came back harmed mentally or physically and I will look across the sea of faces, the same old faces I see every year The Armed Forces, The Emergency Services, The Doctors, The Nurses and The Clergy. Brave people who dare to tread where other men fear to tread. I will give thanks for each and every one of them. Then quietly I will remember the guy on the street, he had been one of them, It got too much for him, he hit the bottle and turned to drugs, too sick to seek or accept help, he needed Shelter.
‘
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Fiona, What a moving reply, well done.
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Whenever I see a chugger rattling their tin, I like to pull out my pan-pipes and have a hoe-down with them in time to the chugs.
We’re just short of a mariachi player and some sombreros – experienced musicians wanted.
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Now I may have dreamed this, so correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought that there was some rule or understanding that the old-fashioned type of charity collectors (money tin and flags/stickers) weren’t allowed to either shake their money time or make a lot of noise.
So how do the chuggers get away with…. well, as the name suggests, mugging people?
There’s always massive outcries when the utility companies try hard sell activities, so why do we overlook door-to-door chuggers so readily. At least in the street you stand a chance of a body-swerve. Much harder on your door step
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I seem to remember from my fundraising days that you needed a licence to collect unless on private property and you could only have one once a year. You had to conceal your tin while in public spaces. Maybe that was just a by-law in a different town.
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I think anybody who freely gives their personal details and bank account number to a stranger, needs their head looking into!
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I am unsure of the actual figures but some time ago was told that the people that get your signature often get the equivalent to the first 18 mths of subscriptions as their commission, worth some investigation?
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My husband briefly had a job signing people up for Shelter. Donors didn’t know they would be paying his salary for a long time before the charity saw any money.
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The fundraisers at Shelter don’t get commission and haven’t done so for the past two years since they set up in-house funraising teams. I used to work for them and in all honesty 90% of the fundraisers are really passionate about the charity and not trying to earn a quick buck. It’s exhausting work, you travel all over the country and you’re on the streets for a minimum of about six hours every day in all weathers. Anyone who is rude or agressive in any way won’t be in the job for long and realistically it makes much more sense to be polite because then people are polite back. If you’re rude to the public all day all you end up doing is having a rubbish day yourself and potentially spoiling someone else’s day. Unfortunately there are a few people who are there just for the money but they don’t stay long as the work tends to be too hard and the hours too long.
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Good point. My story is from some years ago.
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