Aggressive Charities

Solari

Solari

Solari

Permabanned
Joined
14 Nov 2002
Posts
5,555
Location
Kent
Had to get this off my chest....

I support several charities, but due to the death of a friend (who was a Barnardo's child) last year, I sent Barnardo's a one off donation - thought it'd be a nice gesture.

Ever since then I'm getting at least 2 begging letters a month (sometimes 2 a week) and it's doing my head in. They've probably spent most of what I gave them in postage and stationery costs! :(

Meh, I'm going to write them a letter asking them to cease and desist, but what they are doing seems a bit of a waste to me, and also verging on harassment? The RSPCA and others I support never do this *shrug*
 
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In the letter inform them you sent them the original donation as a good will gesture due to the death of a friend and i meant a lot to him. Also tell them that you currently suupport several charities and you are unable to afford any more. They should not harrass you any longer...
 
*lift receiver*
*dial number*

#ring-ring#
#ring-ring#

"Hello, Barnados"

"Hello, this is Solari speaking. You've got my name on your list because I sent you a donation a while ago and you keep posting me stuff. It was a one off donation made for a specific reason and I'm not going to make any more. Can you remove me from your mailing list please?"

"Sure, what's your address?"

"It's myhouse number, myroadname, mytown, mycounty, mypostcode."

"Ok, hang on a moment" *clickety click* "Right, that's done for you sir".

"Excellent, thanks. Bye"

"Bye"

*click*

Sorted. And probably quicker than making a thread about it, although making threads does solve a lot of problems, I doubt this is one of those instances.
 
Do what Feek said or alternatively ask them to take you off their database completely (legally the have to), if you're off their mailing list it doesn't mean they can't pester you with phone calls ;)
 
Ask for a refund, or how much it cost to send you all those letters compared to the original donation.
 
Not as bad as those people in the streets.

"Hey can I just show you a leaflet" I assumed it would be a club or something, and was in a really good mood so humoured him.
..
"Will you donate money to a charity?"
"no, sorry" I walk away.
"But it's for a child. He is disabled but has no wheelchair."

Guilt tripping is bad practice..
 
^^ There are always loads of charity workers wondering around Stroud with their clipboards. It's hard to avoid them.

One day I was accosted by 3 people working for the same charity within the space of 1 minute:

Person 1: "Can I interest you in charity X ..."
Me: "No thanks"

Person 2: "Have you got a minute to talk about charity X"
Me: "No sorry"

Person 3 (wearing the same gear as the other 2): "Could I..."
Me: "Sorry, I'm not interested"
Person 3: "but you don't even know what I'm offering"
Me: "yes I do, I just been pounced on by your colleagues 50 yards down the hill".



The annoying thing is that they try and do the 'talk and walk' with you when you aren't interested; whereby they do a funny backwards walk thing alongside you whilst trying to get you to sign up even when you say you aren't interested.
 
Yeah, I was actually going to donate to one charity ( a massive one, but I forgot what it was.)

A really bubbly 20yr old who clearly believed in what she was saying just asked me and a friend if we'd like to talk. So we did, and had a good conversation. The only problem, when I went to fill out the form at the end for a few quid a month, was that I was 17 and so too young.
 
Majago said:
The annoying thing is that they try and do the 'talk and walk' with you when you aren't interested; whereby they do a funny backwards walk thing alongside you whilst trying to get you to sign up even when you say you aren't interested.
Click to expand...

It's because they're on a commission. Most of the clipboard people in the street are being paid to sell you charities.

Eriedor said:
Headphones and no eye contact sorts out the street prowlers!
Click to expand...

Tried that one but a Hare Krishna nun got me with one of the prettiest smiles I've ever seen on Princes Street in Edinburgh. Still, didn't cost me much, gave her a pound and got a book in return :p
 
Majago said:
The annoying thing is that they try and do the 'talk and walk' with you when you aren't interested; whereby they do a funny backwards walk thing alongside you whilst trying to get you to sign up even when you say you aren't interested.
Click to expand...

Keep them talking while you steer them towrds a lamp post.
 
yipyipboo said:
:D that made me lol
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Hahaha, quality :p

"Chuggers" are annoying... I don't like the way the companies work - don't they get a cut, or the first year's donations or something?

Anyway, I know a thread won't solve it, but just wanted to have a gripe at some of the methods some charities use.. Guilt trip/Sob story begging letters aren't very nice :(
 
love it when it bites them in *** though, yea its for a good cause but sometimes they really take the ***.
When the EPL clubs started to tell whoever it was to DO ONE because they were putting up the names on their websites of people who were donating so that the ones wouldnt would be named and shamed, so they wound up losing everyones support because it was seen as bully tactics :D Kind of shocking for the ones in need, putting some clowns in charge!
 
I used to give to a few charities until I started reading the financial statements and bare facts of where the money goes.

One of the charities I used to give to (which I will not name) had a total income of £72million last year. I thought that was quite good, until I read their financial review and found this.

Staffing Costs : The average number of employees during the financial year was 111 (2006: 89). The aggregate amount paid to or on behalf of staff are as follows:

£5,655,064 in Total for Wages and Pension.
So by my calculation this charity pays their staff an average of £50,000 a year each or there abouts. (or about 13% of the total charity funds, which is supposed to go to the needy) :rolleyes:

Oh, and by the way, this is a christian church run charity (with 9 Bishops as trustees)

And yes, I know all charities have overheads, but thats just ridiculous.
 
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yea, because they are run like businesses so need big wage execs etc, bit of a joke really. Its like giving to charity shop, chances are you know fine well the people working in them will horde all the decent stuff donated for themselves.
 
Charities in the UK and the rest of the western world for that matter have got massively out of hand. Oxfam for example is now the biggest seller of second hand books in the country and is putting bookshops out f business all over the country and how may you ask do they do this? they don't pay for stock and they pay no tax on the sale so can sell much cheaper.

My mum turned down a job with Guide Dogs for the blind (one of Brittains richest Charities) as the salary they offered her was truly obscene. Something needs to be done to regulate *** they are allowed to spend the money on, what businesses they are allowed to run and how they are allowed to generate income.
 
I had some red cross guy come up to me before and said "2 seconds" and I said "sorry I cant afford to give to charity Im a student" and he goes "yeah you students are ******* full of money your just tight *****" to which I said "you wouldnt know scruffy **** until you finish college and meet the educational requirements for university and the social demeanor for the lecturers to put up with you" as I walked away.
 
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