I joined a group on Facebook following my personal experiences with these chuggers. It is called "Charity Muggers Hatred Society". Although I felt that the term hatred was strong, I felt it would be responsible to air my feelings towards their tactics. Shortly after I made my first post, I received a message from one of these chuggers threatening violence.

I responded calmly and eloquently. I was quite interested to see how they defend their profession. He did raise a few interesting points. They claim they are paid less than £3 an hour ("after expenses" — which probably fuels their 4×4s and caviar), work 12-hour days, are regularly abused by passers-by, and the job helps them get through university. He also says chuggers enjoy their jobs. He seemed approachable until he surprisingly claimed he violently mugged people to obtain their money.

Following from his original comment on "The Wall" on the group page, others followed. Though some points were raised in support of their work, most comments were contained within appalling personal insults and ridiculous tirades of abuse directed towards me. I’ve started to report these.

Some of the more interesting comments were:

He who deafens his ear to the call of the poor, when he himself cries … he shall not be heard.

In my eyes … – you are simply a prick – I could come up with well argued points like the lovely Hannah below me but I simply think they would be lost on you. You seem to have the intelligence of a bar stool but, unlike said bar stool, you have no use.

The only reason people don’t like "chuggers" is because they clearly like the fact they’re ignorant to the world’s problems. and we are trying to make them acknowledge the fact that actually the world is in a spot of bother and we could help being in a rich first world country and all.

What makes me angry more than most is the fact that they imply I don’t care about the world’s problems, either because I disagree with their methods, or because I don’t want to donate to their charity. This is the basis on which they take your money. And I have told them in my grand response exactly how they work:

The National AIDS Trust is one charity that I fully support. It does good work in both prevention of the spread of HIV and in the treatment of those infected with the virus.

If I were like you, I would give you the impression that you are a bad person for not donating. You obviously don’t care about the countless millions on this planet that are afflicted by AIDS, including its victims and their relatives if you don’t donate. Of course it’s obvious that you should donate. Not necessarily because it makes you feel good, or that it would do any good to anyone. But rather you feel compelled to do so, so that I don’t think you are uncaring and dismissive.

Of course what would be better is if you gave the money on your own accord, and I hope you do. Not because of me, but because you endorse their work. I don’t want to donate because some pushy high-and-mighty jumped-up little arse decides I have to on the basis they are standing there with a clipboard.

All I’ve had so far in response is a speculative comment designed to provoke an angry response.

The truth is, they don’t care. There could be a refugee in Sudan walking by; it could be an impoverished pensioner; it could be someone with an inoperable brain tumour, but they would still ask them for money for their charity. It’s not about raising money for charity — it can’t be. If they really cared about their charity, they would do something more productive, like volunteer work, or research, or donating themselves, or fundraising with less invasive methods. Don’t feel guilty not giving money to these people. If you support a charity, donate to them by all means. These people will only serve to embarrass and humiliate you, and take money that would be better spent by giving to a charity that you support and will find more fulfilling doing so.

Lesson of the Day

Chuggers — those poor souls — don’t be rude to them, and don’t simply ignore them, but don’t give in to them either.

About a year ago, I was at home revising for my exams when the doorbell rang. A man with a clipboard said he wanted to ask me a few questions. I didn’t have a problem with that – I tend to enjoy being "quizzed". However, it soon became apparent that he was working on behalf of a charity, asking me questions about deafness in children. He would drop in the odd fact to highlight issues with deaf children. It transpired he was there to get people to donate regularly to this particular charity, the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS).

Despite pleading my financial status (I am a student after all) he never relented. I really should have slammed the door in his face, but unfortunately I am quite diminuitive. So I agreed to pay £5 a month. He took my bank details (which, of course, I was extremely uncomfortable with, despite taking his identification to be legitimate), and stopped short of completing it. He asked me to raise my donation to £6.50 a month. I was astounded in short. So much so… that I agreed. I forget the exact reason he gave for me doing this, I believe it had something to do with them reclaiming tax on my donation.

Furthermore, two months ago, I got a phonecall from NDCS, thanking me for my continuing support. However, this quickly turned to a demand for me to raise my donation further. The woman was quite short and shrift, and after fending her off for nearly 15 minutes, I am fairly sure she abruptly halted and said "well I’m on commission so thank you for your time, bye".

I’m cancelling the direct debit this month. I don’t feel any better for having donated that money. In fact, it doesn’t feel like a donation – it feels like a mugging. So I don’t get the usual satisfaction of donating to charity. So I’m only going to donate to charities that I immediately support.

Lesson of the Day

Give to those charities that you truly support by all means. Don’t let people blackmail you into dividing your loyalties at the cost of your self-esteem and dignity.