Charitable donations at the door

We also had a young chap come to the door yesterday asking us to sign up for Great Ormond Street, again via direct debit. We often get approached in town as well. 

We choose for ourselves which charities to support and would never give information like this direct to canvassers. It's bad enough getting phone calls and appeals from the charities we already support. I know it's competitive out there but I often wonder
if these hard headed methods of fund raising are actually counter productive? 

.......and once they have your contact details you'll be inescapably pestered by phone, emails and by post.

Some time ago we had the same with the British Red Cross , I mentioned to the young lady I thought you were no longer allowed to do this sought of collecting at the door (I to thought it was now not allowed ) Yes she said but the local authority (council
) have given them permission , I declined 

next morning rang the local council to find out who had given them permission , went through so many different depts but nobody new anything about it , so emailed the Red Cross , just a short apology email back  

In this day and age you do not give any information at all to any callers to your door ,just say no thank you go away ,this may sound harsh ,but it is not ,even if they show you any credentials tell them to go away ,find out from your council, for registered
charities and inform them you have had cold callers they are probably bogus

You can try a sticker on the door saying no cold callers or charities. They are available on eBay. We have one and sometimes it works but it's surprising how many pretend not to see it.

 

We get the stickers free from the local council/trading standards.

If someone then knocks I say very slowly in a monotone, no-ooo, thank you-ooo. No-ooo want-ttt.

When they ask "why are you talking like that" you just point to the sticker and say " I though you could not understand B  english."

They don't come back for some reason.

I don't report them because they are just  the bottom rung in a sad chain. To be honest, despite taking the micky, I do feel sorry for them to be having to earn their living like that. Only a bit though.

There will be a miserable manager (MM) sat in their car watching "their team" somewhere. He/She is fair game.

I don't like this direct debit donating either, whether at the door, or in the street. I prefer to make a cash donation when/if I feel like it. I already subscribe to the weekly lottery for our local hospice. The only time I did a doorstep lottery sign up
was to the Chestnut Tree House children's hospice in West Sussex, and only because we'd had a talk by them at Townswomen's Guild. I made an online donation to Save the Children once, for a special appeal, and now get bombarded with mail & emails wanting me
to sign up to regular donations. No way!

its not just your doorstep you have have to worry about,dont know how many times i have been approached in city centres,and the local supermarkets used to virtually barricade every door and mug you,if not on the way in they would get you at the checkout

We have a "no cold callers/free newspapers" etc. Sticker on the door and they ignore it,If I don't recognise the caller I don't open the door or shut the door on them.I don't engage with anyone begging which basicly is what they are doing in shopping centres etc. I do give to charities  but ones of MY choice