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Charities to get formal warning about 'chuggers' Charities to get formal warning about 'chuggers'
(6 months later)
Charities are set to be formally warned about their commercial fundraising activities, including tie-ins with companies and street collecting, amid increasing concerns that some arrangements risk eroding public trust.Charities are set to be formally warned about their commercial fundraising activities, including tie-ins with companies and street collecting, amid increasing concerns that some arrangements risk eroding public trust.
The alert from the Charity Commission will go out on Monday to 1,700 charities believed to be involved in such activities, a commission spokesman said, with a warning that failure to comply with guidelines could mean action will be taken.The alert from the Charity Commission will go out on Monday to 1,700 charities believed to be involved in such activities, a commission spokesman said, with a warning that failure to comply with guidelines could mean action will be taken.
The charities will be urged to review fundraising efforts, which include both street and door-to-door collections by outside-employed “chuggers”, or charity muggers, and promotional deals with companies such as credit card providers and energy firms.The charities will be urged to review fundraising efforts, which include both street and door-to-door collections by outside-employed “chuggers”, or charity muggers, and promotional deals with companies such as credit card providers and energy firms.
Also on Monday, the commission’s chair, William Shawcross, will say charities must stop “hounding” people.Also on Monday, the commission’s chair, William Shawcross, will say charities must stop “hounding” people.
“It cannot be right for vulnerable people, older people, generous people, to be hounded on the telephone, through the letterbox or in the street,” he will say in a speech in Southampton, according to advance extracts given to the Sunday Times.“It cannot be right for vulnerable people, older people, generous people, to be hounded on the telephone, through the letterbox or in the street,” he will say in a speech in Southampton, according to advance extracts given to the Sunday Times.
According to its report, the alert will warn charity trustees that they must make sure any fees or commission received for commercial deals are “clear and transparent”. It will warn of the “potential for such arrangements to impact on public trust and confidence”.According to its report, the alert will warn charity trustees that they must make sure any fees or commission received for commercial deals are “clear and transparent”. It will warn of the “potential for such arrangements to impact on public trust and confidence”.
The Charity Commission already has detailed guidelines about the potential pitfalls of commercial deals, but a number of charities have attracted controversy for fundraising efforts.The Charity Commission already has detailed guidelines about the potential pitfalls of commercial deals, but a number of charities have attracted controversy for fundraising efforts.
Age UK was criticised about an energy tariff tie-in with the power firm E.ON. The energy package, aimed at older consumers, costs £1,049, £245 more than the utility group’s cheapest rate.Age UK was criticised about an energy tariff tie-in with the power firm E.ON. The energy package, aimed at older consumers, costs £1,049, £245 more than the utility group’s cheapest rate.
Related: Poppy seller who killed herself got 3,000 charity requests for donations a year
Previously, MPs have said charities’ efforts to self-regulate over the activities of chuggers are failing to work properly.Previously, MPs have said charities’ efforts to self-regulate over the activities of chuggers are failing to work properly.
The issue of charities targeting potentially vulnerable people was highlighted in January when a report on the death of a 92-year-old woman who killed herself said she felt “distressed and overwhelmed” by the huge number of requests for donations.The issue of charities targeting potentially vulnerable people was highlighted in January when a report on the death of a 92-year-old woman who killed herself said she felt “distressed and overwhelmed” by the huge number of requests for donations.
Olive Cooke may have received almost 3,000 mailings from charities in a year, the report from the Fundraising Standards Board (pdf) said.Olive Cooke may have received almost 3,000 mailings from charities in a year, the report from the Fundraising Standards Board (pdf) said.