What will new law mean for 'chuggers'?

Jonathan Stayton looks at the controversial issue of "chuggers".

Walk around the North Laine or along Western Road in Brighton this summer and you will be hard pushed to miss them in their fluorescent jackets, clipboards in hand, eager to sign you up to charity direct debits.

While some view them as essential fundraisers, others consider "chuggers" to be nothing more than a nuisance, obstructing the pavement and using people's guilt as a sales tactic.

In fact last year 14% of all complaints about charity fundraising regarded chuggers, so named because they are believed to be part charity collectors, part street muggers.

Every year hundreds of thousands of us are persuaded to sign up in the street to support worthy causes.

Of the £24 million raised in 2006 by Shelter, the charity for the homeless, a quarter came from donors recruited by street fundraisers.

According to Charity Facts, which provides information about the sector, not all the money collected goes to the charity because the chuggers work for third-party agencies. It said fees of up to £60 were typical for each person signed up.

Alexandra Hose, 28, from Brighton was shopping in Western Road when she was stopped by a man selling charity keyrings.

She said: "The money paid to them to work on the streets might be better spent on the charities rather than spending £8 per hour on people doing this. I would like to see my money better spent if it's going to charity."

Miss Hose declined to give money to the man, unsure of the charity he was collecting for and because she has already set up her own standing orders to charities.

She added: "I hate the way the chuggers attack people.

"They make you feel bad when you don't give but most people have their own charities these days and will make their own informed decisions.

"Wherever you go in this city they are there. But I don't know how much effect they have trying to stop people on the streets."

Student Mikhail Patislov, 27, was stopped by the same man and gave him £2 for a heart-shaped keyring with the slogan "share a little love".

He said: "The man came up to me and asked if I'd give him £2 but my English isn't so good and I didn't understand him.

"I don't know what the charity was but I gave him the money and he was happy."

Share A Little Love is a company which makes donations for smaller community charities that might find it hard to raise money for themselves.

But of Mr Patislov's £2, less than £1.20 will find its way to worthy causes. The remainder will be split between commission for the seller, wages and administration costs.

A survey carried out by Brighton and Hove Business Forum manager, Soozie Campbell, revealed 65% of people felt their day had been ruined after chuggers approached them.

She added that shopkeepers had reported losing up to £1,000 in a single day due to the presence of the chuggers.

Brighton MP, David Lepper, said attempts for a local agreement to limit the numbers of chuggers in the city centre had fallen apart. As a result, he is calling for the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association code to become a statutory piece of legislation.

Mr Lepper said: "I have an ethical objection to people being asked for their bank details on the street.

"It's wrong to ask young people to sign up to direct debits on the street."

But Peter Yabrif, 30, a chugger for Concern Worldwide UK, said the myths were not all true.

The graduate earns £8.90 an hour and said he was proud to be working eight hours a day, five days a week, for the charity.

He said: "We all have bills to pay. This is how I've chosen to pay mine.

"If people don't want to stop then they shouldn't stop but we do get some enthusiastic people coming up to us, keen to donate.

"We never approach people looking in shop windows and try to stand away from shop fronts so as not to affect business."

Mr Yabrif asks people to commit to donating £10 a month, of which £8.50 goes to aid projects across the globe - meaning 15% is used for costs.

Chris Kiggell, of the Charity Commission, said: "If you know you want to donate money to a charity then give directly and skip the middle man to maximise your contribution."

But Mr Yabrif believes chuggers can remind people of the importance of making donations.

He added: "Thinking about contributing to charity doesn't change anything.

"But there's no point in just thinking about it, something has to be done and people have to be motivated to do it."

Frankie Fernando, owner of Share A Little Love, said: "Not all the money from the sales of our tickets and keyrings goes to the charities.

"We are not a charity ourselves and we have to pay our agents, office fees, printing, manufacturing, vehicles, petrol, advertising, telephone bills, competition prizes, office staff and taxes the same as any other business.

"The charities that we help are more than happy with what we do and the donations we make.

"Not only are we donating money and helping charities but we also creating employment for people who perhaps have found it difficult to get work elsewhere. We believe in giving everyone a chance."

Street fundraisers will be subject to a new law next year forcing them to apply for a Charity Commission permit as well as a local authority one. The legislation will give councils the power to restrict the number of chuggers operating on their streets.

What do you think about 'chuggers'? Comment below.