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Charity muggers - Chuggers - banned from Burnley town centre
CHARITY collectors have been banned from Burnley town centre five days a week after complaints from visitors and traders.
Collectors, dubbed “chuggers” or “charity muggers” because of their aggressive tactics, have been limited to operating in town on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Burnley Council has taken the step because shoppers were being put off from visiting the town centre but some have called for a complete ban.
Coun. Charlie Briggs, leader of Burnley Council, said: “Our first concern has been for shoppers and others using the town centre. We know a number of shoppers had started to avoid parts of St James’ Street, having been repeatedly approached by charity collectors operating in the area in the past.
“The council has proactively tackled this issue and come to this new agreement which will go a long way to deal with those issues.
“We’ve tried to find a balance between allowing charities to raise cash for worthy causes while at the same time preventing collectors being seen as a nuisance.”
The agreement means there will be a maximum of two collectors operating in any one area and they will be required to wear formal ID badges and follow a code of conduct.
But Peter Quinn, the chairman of Burnley-based volunteer group Charity Aid, called for a total ban.
He said: “It is dishonest and parasitic. They work for a profit-making company not directly for the charity. They are not telling you that they keep the first £112 from everything they collect. Why don’t they tell people this? Because no-one would give money via a chugger if they knew the truth.”
Dr Toby Ganley, head of policy at the Public Fund Raising Association, said: “This agreement with Burnley balances the duty of charities, on behalf of their beneficiaries, to ask people for their support, with the rights of the public not to be put under undue pressure to give.”
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Comments
There are 5 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
thealien2000uk
Monday, February 27, 2012 at 04:13 PMSomeone wants to tell The British Heart Foundation on St James's Street (who have circumvented the 5 days ban) as they have a person just inside the door shaking a collection box at passers by on every day of the week that they are open, never mind just the two days allocated and the cheeky sod shakes it vigourously at you after you have just bought some little trinket, clothing or book etc (in some cases more expensive than new retail prices) in the shop. Also I was told by some of these "chuggers" that they are not all volunteers, some are paid wages and that thier wages are reamed from the money they collected, and that some get commission (the more they collect, the more wages they get). AVOID ST JAMES'S STREET and BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION FOR FEAR OF BEING "CHUGGED".
Blackpools Finest
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 02:28 PMcharlie does it again xx
Dr livingstone.
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 01:55 PMGive Chuggers A wide Berth!
Dr livingstone.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 04:03 PMChugger.....Mugger?
Lexi76
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 01:58 PMWhat gets my goat is that when a member of the public does sign up to support a charity through a "chugger" they are not made aware of the fact they with be making their direct debit payments for 10-18 months before the charity they signed up to support sees any money from their donation. As this is the length of time it will take the charity to pay the "chugging" company for recruiting each doner. This information is given freely on the PFRA website but is not highlighted to unsuspecting members of the public when they sign up to become a doner. Yes "chuggers" are annoying, but I think "chugging" companies and unfortunately some charities are being highly deceitful and it is disgraceful that the general public are not made fully aware of what they are signing up for. If you want to support a charity regularly go to the website and sign up there at least you won't be paying for the pleasure of being pursued down the high street by a "chugger".
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