Last time I tried to do that they did not have a box, and refused a donation offered in an envelope....Said they were not allowed. But I could sign up to donate X amount a month.
I have a cheque book -somewhere. I realise that admin is essential and charities need to attract donors. I don't want to pay for some fat cat parasite or some fancy building when modern technology allows them to work from home and I would like to donate but my trust has gone.
Last time I tried to do that they did not have a box, and refused a donation offered in an envelope....Said they were not allowed. But I could sign up to donate X amount a month.
'chuggers'. I didn't mean those. But there are often people standing outside the local supermarket or in the village high street with a collecting tin, or things like Children in Need and Red Nose Day and poppy sellers where you can put money in a bucket. I drop coins into the collection boxes by the tills for our local air ambulance most times I go shopping. I buy the Big Issue. I've gone into a local animal shelter and handed £20 to the lady on reception. I do actually have a standing order for the Cats Protection League - they send me raffle tickets once a year which I generally ignore but have never hassled me to increase the amount (in 20 years). Most charities have fundraising events where you can support them by going along and buying a ticket or a plant (win win) or sponsoring a teddy being thrown off the church roof (strikes me as cruel but is very popular round here). Not all charities behave like Oxfam and the RSPCA - both of which are appalling IME.
You just have to decide you won't be bullied, and if they try to demand money with menaces, walk away.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I don't bother with the larger charities. My money goes to a couple of local charities, the local hedgehog rescue and a local hospice. They both accept cheques (and food in the case of the hogs !). I hate it when the bigger charities send young people round door to door trying to get me to sign up for a monthly donation. I'm always polite, but l resent being harrassed on my own doorstep.
I really do want to donate, but the money received via chuggers is only marginally more than from charity Christmas cards. 10% or at an absolute maximum 20% seems reasonable for admin. If more is needed, something has gone horribly wrong.
Also, I used to give stuff to the local charity shops in the naive expectation that it would benefit people who couldn't afford decent clothing. I then saw a programme where it showed that the clothing was sent in bulk to poorer countries where it was sold as ' dead white man's clothes' and in the process destroyed the local clothing industries. It's not just the people who steal the charity bags who are preying on the donors.
Also, I used to give stuff to the local charity shops in the naive expectation that it would benefit people who couldn't afford decent clothing. I then saw a programme where it showed that the clothing was sent in bulk to poorer countries where it was sold as ' dead white man's clothes' and in the process destroyed the local clothing industries. It's not just the people who steal the charity bags who are preying on the donors.
Don't try to save the world - as AnniD says, stick to helping your local hedgehogs, or someone you can see actually doing the work on your street. There are lots of people around who are doing sterling work in communities all over. Look a little closer to home. Better still, get involved and help
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Some charities are just “ Big Businesses “ Never have anything to do with charity chuggers , use to have different ones every day in High st when at work Like RNLI , Macmillan Nurses and Salvation Army Pesrsonaly think RSPA is toxic , use to be a member and Oxfam Lots of Charities and Social Enterpises do a fantastic job , use to be Chairman of a local charity and never wasted a penny
I got seriously P'd off with Guide Dogs. We do have a standing order with them, for a lot more than the £1 they ask for in the TV ads. We were getting calls almost monthly asking us to increase the amount we gave and I repeatedly told them that I was not going to increase it and asked them to put a note on their system to that effect. Everything was quiet for about 12 months and then the calls started again. I warned the caller that if I was called again I would cancel completely. 3 months later another call and I went ballistic with them, telling them and leaving them in no doubt that I meant it, that I will cancel if called once more. I've had no contact in over 2 years now.
I agree with GWRS about the likes of RSPCA and Oxfam etc. There was a programme some years ago about the big charities and how much went into their running costs. At that time it was said that something like 60% of donations to Oxfam went on running costs. When you saw their flashy headquarters you could understand why.
Posts
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I realise that admin is essential and charities need to attract donors. I don't want to pay for some fat cat parasite or some fancy building when modern technology allows them to work from home and I would like to donate but my trust has gone.
You just have to decide you won't be bullied, and if they try to demand money with menaces, walk away.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I hate it when the bigger charities send young people round door to door trying to get me to sign up for a monthly donation. I'm always polite, but l resent being harrassed on my own doorstep.
10% or at an absolute maximum 20% seems reasonable for admin. If more is needed, something has gone horribly wrong.
Also, I used to give stuff to the local charity shops in the naive expectation that it would benefit people who couldn't afford decent clothing. I then saw a programme where it showed that the clothing was sent in bulk to poorer countries where it was sold as ' dead white man's clothes' and in the process destroyed the local clothing industries.
It's not just the people who steal the charity bags who are preying on the donors.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Never have anything to do with charity chuggers , use to have different ones every day in High st when at work
Like RNLI , Macmillan Nurses and Salvation Army
Pesrsonaly think RSPA is toxic , use to be a member and Oxfam
Lots of Charities and Social Enterpises do a fantastic job , use to be Chairman of a local charity and never wasted a penny