Charity Collectors at Supermarkets

[redman41]

Every day this week there has been at least 1 Charity Collector in the Foyer of my local Morrisons Supermarket. There were 2 on Wednesday !
I do give to certain Charities i.e RNLI, Fireservice, Help for Heroes etc but if I gave to them all I would be in need of Charity myself.
When you politely decline some seem to think that you are heartless by not giving.
Any one else see things this way ?.

[Mamyalynne]

Well in truth you should have no need to decline, as they are not supposed to approach you. They are allowed to stand and set out their stall and that is that.

[237SJ]

Yes. They stand right outside so that you come face to face with them. I`m not charitable but I`m surprised the supermarkets allow them to stand virtually in the doorway. It`s not so bad if they say nothing but when they say "childhood cancer, kidney disease" etc I feel awful by not giving.

[sandyRoe]

I agree. I give to a homeless charity, Crisis, Oxfam, and The Medical foundation for the treatment of victims of torture. You'd need bottomless pockets to be able to give to every good cause.

[hc4361]

I pay to my chosen charities by standing order and refuse to give to any more. I don't feel guilty about it and don't care what the tin rattlers think.

I wish the supermarkets would ban them, along with the man trying to sell breakdown cover, the lady trying to sell double glazing and the other one advertising fitted kitchens.

[237SJ]

Whoops, I meant "i`m not uncharitable"

[carmalee]

I've stopped having a conscience over it redman - I give to the charities I support, poppy appeal, cancer charity and lifeboat appeal - I give up at least one day a week to a disabled group, I foster dogs for a breed rescue and I used to work (very hard) for an animal charity. I'm not saying I'm a cross between Mother Theresa and Joan of Arc but I sleep well at night!

[ummmm]

Drives me nuts. We also have a big issue seller. Talk about making you feel guilty coming out with bags of food. Last thing you need when you're doing your shopping.

[redman41]

Agree with all the comments so far as they are 'In your Face' so to speak.
Apart from the Charity collectors there are others, such as Electricity, Gas and others
Bit of a pain really.

[cazzz1975]

they stand in the way deliberately to make you feel guilty into giving.

[China Doll]

I don't feel guilty because I give what and when I can to charities I choose to support. I absolutely loath those people that stand in the street asking for a few minutes of your time as they get paid just to get your damn signature basically which takes away from the actual charity so rarely feel bad about being rude to them if they're particularly pushy.

[ummmm]

I rarely have cash anyway.

[ChuckFickens]

If you can give out the impression that you are going to continue walking on the same path regardless of who stands in your way I find they move fairly quickly :)

also works for navigating crowded streets.

[237SJ]

Oh yes, we get the Big Issue seller as well. At christmas I felt a bit guilty and bought one. It was four quid! I thought they were 50p. It was rubbish too.

[mccfluff]

they don;t bother me i give if i can, don't if i can't.

[cazzz1975]

your height may be a distinct advantage doing that chuck, when your 5'3" they just stay rooted to the spot

[redman41]

I think Chuck just steps over them !!! lol

[cazzz1975]

I am the same ummm, Im a card or nothing sort of person.

[237SJ]

In North Devon we used to have a Salvation Army lady who came into the nightclubs. She wore the uniform with the headscarf and looked very conservative. We would be supercool teenagers, dancing away to Sex machine by James Brown and she used to actually come amongst us on the dancefloor shaking her tin. The lads used to give her a whole load of cheeky banter and try to chat her up. I think she liked it as it was always the same woman.

[YT52]

If they stand in your way (obstruct you) with the intention of collecting money then isn't that classed as aggressive begging?
I thought there were laws passed to stop that sort of thing years ago.