The Modern Day Face of Charity - Chuggers (Charity Muggers) 2

Do you feel intimidated by pushy, over zealous, hard selling charity muggers when you are shopping in your local town or city centre?

Did you know that these people are mostly not employed by charities, but for profit, greedy priviate agencies that make millions leaching from people's charity donations and are on a very good salary including bonus and commision? Do you think these people really care about the charity and not simply personal financial gain?

NSPCC chuggers operating in Norwich. Some interesting tactics here including blocking peoples paths, chugging within one metre of the shops, following someone for more than three steps (I counted twelve in this video). It appears obvious that these are breaking the code of conduct established by the sector and also the rules setup by Norwich City Council in their SMA with the PFRA but who is policing this? Aparently no-one as they did this all day and the following day without obvious challenge.

I walked past these particular chuggers who spouted personal comments to people and used tricks to passers by in order force an engagement. I tried to avoid these when walking past but it was almost imposible as they walked from one side to the other once they had targetted their victim. I was under the impression the most SMA's included a decent oportunity to avoid engagement but these chuggers certainly gave people no chance. There were six chuggers operating on this day and the following day which is far too many.

Watch this chugger edge into peoples paths and one pedestrian with a cycle having to weave around him, aparently object to the advance and the chugger giving him backchat in the process. Watch this chugger pinning people against the shop window with no hope of avoidence and watch him follow people down the street and basically harass them as he's doing it, walking in such a way as to embarrass their potential victim. Notice the team leader take exception of me videoing them and try to indimidate me by approaching me speaking on a mobile phone. This isn't a rare practice from my experience, this type of harassment is very common in most city and town centres these days and Norwich is no exception..

Anyone wishing to campaign or wish to know more about this public menace of chugging should visit my facebook group. Please feel to join and to give your input regarding this issue. Street harassment and bullying such as this affects everyone of us who wish to walk the streets in peace!!!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=9150633906

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[mikemurphy155]

The reps have a licence by law to stand there, represent a charity, to advertise a charity as much as the shop next to the has a licence to advertise what's in the shop window, and like the shop window.you gave the option to walk past and not buy

[Curryking32000]

@mikemurphy155 you are talking such crap. Chuggers are not licenced and are self regulated by the PFRA. The SMA that some local councils have signed up to are not trading licences and so you are not under the same trading refulations as a local business. Many top charities and local charities won't touch chugging with a bargepole because of the damage it causes to their reputation. The big national charities that use it are so arrogant, they think they are untouchable.

[mikemurphy155]

And let's face it, if they told you a story where everything was rosey and everyone was happy, would anyone donate? The fact is though, these things are a reality around the world and people need help, for many reasons, and if this method works then isn't that a good thing?

[Curryking32000]

@mikemurphy155 Look you completely miss the point, In this country, exploiting & coercing sometimes vulnerable people by chugging is an unaccepable means to raise charity donations. Thats accepted by the authorities, the police, local business who are suffering at the hands these bullies & also local charities. Its not just about my rights to walk the streets unharrassed.And what about the damage to the long term image of charity that so many charities that are against this concerted with

[mikemurphy155]

Hello again. If you get a chance look for the video an idiot abroad best bits and watch the Egypt video, watch as he walks through the market and then look again at your own video and compare the 2. And honestly tell me which situation you prefer.

[Curryking32000]

@mikemurphy155 oh yes I have seen it many times and i live partly in India & partly in the UK & visited Egypt so I know what the cultural differences are with regards to what you are refering to.The fact is & from my own experience is that the agressive begging in these countries is actually quite rare rather than the norm & they only tend to agressively target westerners & they tend to be more wealthy in market areas.You can't compare chuggers guilt tripping to touts in third world countries

[unhappyhammer1]

£12m p.a. doesn't reach the charities you THINK you support when signing up through a chugger to the profit-making companies who use these people - TWELVE MILLION POUNDS.The average person signing on for a monthly direct debit will pay for a whole YEAR before any of that money benefits the charity.

If the charity is a worthy cause, note, go home, donate direct - cut the waste - don't blame the mugs on the streets - they're paid a tiny bit of the huge sum the companies employing them rake off.

[John27346]

I'm great at blanking people so chuggers don't affect me. If everybody did the same they would not exist.

[tooyjfwn]

annoying aggressive hard sell little twerps

[Fallenvalkyrie]

@Curryking32000 I took up a job as a street fundraiser and I literally lasted a day because I just couldn't bring myself to guilt trip people into giving money to charity. The best fundraisers are the ones who are in your face and won't let you get past and they are also the ones who are the most target driven and want their bonuses. The company I worked for had a policy that you don't walk along with someone or pressurise them, but what I saw on the street completely contradicted that.