Charities on Fargate - your opinions

[izzie79 10]

Its becoming a major problem I agree and its the rudeness that really winds me up too!

[chem1st 10]

I agree with Dexkdes about Big Issue sellers.

 

They're trying to make an honest living, so cut them some slack. And the mag is actually quite interesting to read. Speaking as a journo, it often gives a fresh and different point of view to the usual media hype.

 

It's none of our business what they spend their money on. It's been legally earned, so mind your own business.

 

If I had double glazing fitted for £2k then saw the fitter drinking in town later that day, I wouldn't want to knock him down to £1,500 or change my mind. Get real! People drink - it's a fact of life.

 

The big issuers are alright, they are down on their luck and could do with some help, more often than not they are friendly too.

 

The chuggers however

[chem1st 10]

Have you seen this

 

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=494023

[Oddgitt 10]

On a slightly related subject (as the Big Issue has een mentioned previously...), has anyone else been disgusted with one of the BI vendors specifically the tall ginger-haired one who often sells between the new Barcleys Bank and the 'Proper Deli Co.' (top of pinstone street)?

 

He's extremely sarcastic & rude when you don't buy from him and I've seen him be extremely vulgar to women walking past him.

 

A couple of times he's obviously been half cut.

 

I haven't seen him about in a while so assuming he's either been sacked or he's drunk in a gutter somewhere.

 

Anyways, wondering if anyone else knows who I mean and whether they can concur?

[CherryNicole 10]

When I was at uni I'm sure the going rate for them was £8.50 per hour. This annoys me because if they actually cared about the charity, they wouldn't be getting paid to do it.

 

I think they're really rude too. I've had that one that goes "wow you look like a really nice person, what a lovely dress you've got" etc etc as it turns out I refuse to stop to talk to you, so I'm not that nice am I?!

 

Also, what do you take me for, I'm not going to give a random person on the street my bank details!!

[bus man 10]

I belive that Fargate should become a restricted zone for charities and the opinion survey people in some respect the latter are worst.

 

I tend to find the charitle people if you say no thank you they smile and back off the survey folk in my experaince dont:

 

This has happened to me a few times and at the end of last year it was a problem as ill explain, they pick a target someone they want to stop they approach , like a single lion going into kill a wilderbeast, the victim says no, they them immeidatly choose another victim and change direction to get them this change of direction is without any thought what so ever to any body walking near by who get knocked out of the way .

 

At the end of last I had a shoulder operation and twice I was bumped into by these survey people it was painfull and it wasnt funny .

 

If sheffield council really wants to get people to come into the city centre and enjoy it then these people need to be stopped I now avoid fargate unless I have to to a shop on there.

[emma.82 10]

I agree it is irratating in fagate getting mobbed all the time. when you say no you feel the need to run away as they keep on and on I know the difference between a charity as well as evryone else and i think they are woring on comission

[xXMessedUpXx 10]

I hate these people with a passion.l fargate has become a slalem course. I've taken to plotting my escape routes around them if i see them out in force. its always teh same "have you got a few minutes" etc. I don't do direct debits. I don't care if its £1 a month. I've lost my job and i'm not well enough to work. I don't have £1 a month. And if i do set up a direct debit then i'll be getting a £40 charge a month when that £1 doesn't go out.

 

yet when i try and tell them this they don't listen. So i get sick of explaining. And now i just ignore them. Or lie and tell them i'm under 18

[xXMessedUpXx 10]

They don't work directly for charities, they work for an agency. The biggest agency I think is GiftAid. The agency then gets a certain amount of money from the charity per signerupper.

 

There is only three ways to get rid of them: tell them you dont have a bank account. tell them you work/used to work for gift aid. the third one I cannot advocate on the forum.

 

I know all this because my friend used to work for them. I would urge people still to remember they are people regardless what they do for a job. My friend once got spat in the face - I dont care how annoying you find something, thats just wrong.

 

With regards to is it worth it for the charity, well, yes. Otherwise they wouldn't do it. They make a net profit. There is clearly a larger debate to be had here about huge charities and their fundraising tactics, for example Oxfam and their chain of mini department shops where the books sometimes cost more than they originally did in Waterstones!

number 4: lie and tell them you're under 18, legally they can't pursue ot further*

*N.B this only works if you look young

[Sneakerfreak 10]

They are a pain in the ass and pester to try and stop me from walking up and down Fargate almost every day in MY lunch break.

[mogwai84 10]

Big Issue is a good read, I happily fork out once in a while for it as it's an interesting magazine.

 

I find the best way to deal with chuggers is to point out that you'd rather 100% of your money went to the charity... so you'll donate directly.

[nerd 10]

I saw one trying to sell Big Issues outside the town hall, while chugging a can of Tennants super strength larger!

 

On some other side notes on the homeless a sponsor form was sent round about 2 months ago asking for donation to the homeless, I refused because all I see is that they spend it on booze or drugs. I've asked a homeless person a long while back if he wanted me to buy him a sandwich, he refused and said he would prefer the money...I wonder why!?

 

Also years back when I lived in Bradford A 'begger' would be outside the local newsagents almost daily, I used to give him all my loose change from buying something in the shop, a year later someone told me he wasn't homeless, but he lived in a house a couple of streets away!

 

OK, to play devils advocate...

If I were homeless, living rough on the streets with no warm home to return to at night and no one to be happy to see me I think I would probably start drinking. There is so much cheap booze around, cans for les than a quid, I used to drink alcohol and it fills you up and keeps you warm and keeps the demons at bay for a short while, so I guess thats why so many homeless people drink - it aint like they have a good life, is it.

 

Also, I tend to find that most genuine homeless people, if you offer them a sandwich or a bottle of water will accept the offer gladly. In summer I often buy a cheap pack of bottled water and give the bottles out - if you are standing around on the street trying to sell magazines out in the sunlight it is easy to get dehydrated and if they eave their pitch they cannot return for a set period. However one man did once ask for the money instead of a sarnie. When I queried it he said if he could get about 60p more for the day he had enough to stay at a hostel that night where he could have a shower, food and a bed. it seemed plausible, and such a small amount to me.

 

Yeah, so on occasion I may have been conned and given a quid or a sandwich to someone who didnt need it - but in my opinion its better to help 10 people out a little bit and be conned by 7 of them because the other 3 genuinley needed help.

 

 

the charities omn fargate however really pee me off - They often work through a company called "dialogue direct" or something similar, and get paid over £6/hour. Considering they are usually in groups of 6, and they are there at least one day a week, and in several towns and cities across the country it means the charity are spending an awful lot - wouldnt they be better just employing workers to carry out there charitable doings and getting volunteers to fundraise? I avoid the charities that use this aggresive marketing - if they can afford that they dont need my money.

 

oh, and someone mentioned that thse people were often dreadlocked, pierced, tattooed, alternative clothes wearing types...dont tar us all with the same brush, we dont all go round trying to get your money. Some of us are good people!