See, say I'm probably taking a break and words come in to my head... works almost every time. 

Anyway, bit of a GOW one perhaps.

Chuggers... Charity Muggers... not my expression, one I was given by someone who tried to earn a living doing it for a while.  People who stand in the street wearing charity tabbards or tee-shirts, holding clip boards and trying to sign up passers-by to make regular donations

This week I have been 'chugged' by I don't know how many chuggers.  Three separate lots for Shelter, one lot for Unicef and, if Big Issue venders can be included, albeit at one remove, umpteen others.  In total, on Monday, as I walked along one street, passing three sets of Chuggers, I was accosted three times, and managed to evade something like 15 others, not counting the Big Issue vendors every few yards.  I have to assume that it is cost effective for the charities, that the revenue it draws in exceeds the cost.  But I find it increasingly annoying to be pounced on and to be told I "only" need to give "this much a month" by someone who has no clue of my personal circumstances or financial wealth.  Telling them I already give away X% of my income seems to make no odds; telling them (if true) that I already support their charity often leads to curt dismissal; daring to ask about the charity, how it spends its money, what it's aims are etc usually elicits a blank look.  It must be soul destroying work, pretending to be cheerful all day long, standing in the street on a cold, wet day with targets to meet on mugs supporters signed up.  But increasingly I just find it a nuisance.  I go to town, or even along the road outside the church, for a reason ... and being 'chugged' is not it.

Perhaps all this serves as reminder to take some time to sit down and review my planned charitable giving, and to think how choose which causes to give to 'spontaneously' via street collections, as well as which, if any, special fundraisers I want to be part of this year.  I used to quite like 'flag days' as they were then called when I was a child... I guess they felt more friendly than the strategic pounces of the chuggers of today.