Invisible, moi?

[Katharine]

I have just spent part of the afternoon standing on a street corner soliciting ....... wearing a sash saying Leukaemia Research, and holding a collecting tin in my hand. I began to think I was invisible, however nobody bumped into me, so I don't think I was. It was just that many people chose not to see me.

I know that giving in the street is not the most cost effective way of giving to charity, but when you pass someone standing there with the collecting tin, if the charity is one you agree with, please give anything however small. It does bring a smile to the face of the collector and helps to pass the time!

At the end of the day we counted the money and had raised £323.61, which will go to a good cause. My sister is in remission and has had her five years all clear from a particularly virulent leukaemia, when diagnosed she was supposedly within 48 hours of death.

[Mid A 15]

I have just spent part of the afternoon standing on a street corner soliciting ....... wearing a sash saying Leukaemia Research, and holding a collecting tin in my hand. I began to think I was invisible, however nobody bumped into me, so I don't think I was. It was just that many people chose not to see me.

I know that giving in the street is not the most cost effective way of giving to charity, but when you pass someone standing there with the collecting tin, if the charity is one you agree with, please give anything however small. It does bring a smile to the face of the collector and helps to pass the time!

At the end of the day we counted the money and had raised £323.61, which will go to a good cause. My sister is in remission and has had her five years all clear from a particularly virulent leukaemia, when diagnosed she was supposedly within 48 hours of death.

Katharine,

This is a difficult one and having manned collecting tins myself in the past I can see both viewpoints on this.

Society has become so dishonest and corrupt that many people in my experience assume that those with collecting tins and buckets are up to some sort of "scam" and that therefore the money will not end up where it should. That obviously is not applicable to you I hasten to add!

These days I will ask the collector for Gift Aid details. If they can convince me that they are bona fide then I will donate. If not then I won't. On more than one occasion I have not been convinced and returned slightly later to discover that the collector has disappeared. Could be coincidence but on the other hand......

[Katharine]

Andy

I do agree with you, I am far more often to be found behind a charity stall raising funds by selling something. It is quite a rare experience for me to just hold a tin, but with the connection to my sister I could not say no ( the organisers know me too well!). I publicise Gift Aid as much as I can.

Last year I was the Overseas Service Chairman for my Inner Wheel District and got into trouble for telling people to give money after the tsunami direct using Gift Aid rather than through an Inner Wheel Club. I was far more concerned with raising funds than kudos for Inner Wheel. Some of my Inner Wheel superiors did not see it my way. (I still think I was right!)

[FrogBoxed]

I have the same stock response for anyone selling, handing out fliers or collecting on the street (once I've run out of change)—I take the time to look them in the eye and say, with a genuine smile, "no, thank you". It takes moments, but it makes clear that I am a) not ignoring them and b) being open about not wanting to give (or take).

[jtaylor]

I too see both points on view on this, but on the whole feel that street charity collecting is guilt-driven form of collecting, especially when standing somewhere that people want/have to pass....

I've heard that shops don't like having collections at their doors, as these reduce their sales for the day....

Obviously I agree with (and do) give to charities, CH being the primary charity of choice, and hence feel that the street collection is aptly referred to as "chugging" - charity mugging.
I don't criticise anyone for giving, but personally won't give on the street.

Having said that, EVERY shop till should HAVE to have a charity box next to it for loose change...

J