I just walked across Leeds city centre. I was not approached by one beggar, which I’m sure ‘the city’ is very pleased about. I was approached by four other individuals, all with the same aim of convincing me to part with my money. The four people represented 3 different national organisations, one homelessness, one children’s and one animal charity.
I’m really not convinced this is a good image for charities to portray of themselves. In an environment where people are becoming more and more concerned about how much of their donation is used in getting ‘the job’ done that they support, and how much goes into other activities, it obvious that these ‘fundraisers’ definitely fall into the second category. It’s probably this concern that evolved the word Chuggers – Charity Muggers – to describe these people.
So my question is; how can a charity attempt to engage with you, a member of the public, with the aim of securing some kind of support (not necessarily financial) in way that feels appropriate for a charity?