Guardian features how to deal with charity street fundraisers
Howard Lake | 9 September 2005 | News
Today’s Jobs & Money supplement in The Guardian features a reader’s request for advice on how to deal with charity street fundraisers. Several readers give their thoughts.
This week’s Personal effects column features charity street fundraisers. “Almost every morning I’m assailed by clipboard-wielding charity street fundraisers, wanting to set me up a direct debit” begins a reader’s letter to the column. “Friends say that most of the money goes to pay their wages, not to the charity they are hawking. i feel like they’re out to mug me. What’s the best way to fend them off? Or am I being too unfair on them.”
Eight readers respond with their advice, the most succinct being “It’s easy… headphones.”
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One former street fundraiser asks readers “don’t be too harsh on us.” But “the managers were another matter: heavy targets, “overfishing” of high streets, and sacking fundraisers who don’t hit their quota.”
A former charity accountant claimed that “signing up with a street fundraiser is an extremely cost-inefficient way of donating.” Instead she recommends donors approach the charity directly and give tax-efficiently.
One reader suggests trying to bamboozle the fundraisers by asking them “Had a good response today?” He says this approach never fails because they have to answer and don’t get time to ask you something.”
One reader feels is’s fairly exempt from the fundraisers’ attentions. As well as not catching their eye or smiling, he thinks his gender, receding hair, expanding waistband and poor dress sense puts off all fundraisres. “Copy my looks and peace will reign” he claims.
The best advice comes from a Somerset reader who advises telling fundraisers the trust, namely that you already give to charity in an organised way, so can’t help. A mention of using the services of Charities Aid Foundation goes down well, it would seem.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.