Chuggers - "charity muggers"

Blush_01 wrote:

I take it by kids with bad skin you mean Debra Ireland? Those children don't just have bad skin, hon. They rub their fingers together and the skin comes off. They swallow and the lining of their throat gets ripped by the food or liquid they're forcing down. They suffer terribly with constipation because every time they have a bowel movement they don't just exctrete faeces but also the lining of their back passage. They can't sleep because every time they roll over their skin tears. They can never be hugged properly, because their skin will tear. They're called the butterfly children because their skin is as fragile as a butterfly's wing. I'd hardly call that "bad skin". Some sufferers survive past childhood, but it's rare. Last year two kids were born with EB in Dublin - one of them fought to survive for 8 weeks, and then died. I saw the other one twice in the same week. Between the forst and second time I saw her she had completely split the skin on the palm of her hand. Those kids live in constant agony. After a few years so much scar tissue builds up in their throats that they not only have to have their throats distended but they have to have a gastro-bag fitted. Without pain relief, because their chests are too weak to survive the anesthetic. It can take up to 6 hours each day to change the bandages on a child with EB. Those bandages cost approximately €60,000 annually. Kids with EB regularly can't walk because when they start to crawl their skin comes off so instead they try to walk. When that happens the skin comes off their feet. So by the age of one their feet are generally raw and the skin will no longer grow back.

Watch "The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off". It's a Channel 4 documentary that RTE showed at midnight a few weeks ago, and it's about EB.

"Kids with bad skin" doesn't even cover it. Do some research before you start to diss a cause you obviously know nothing about.

Yeah, I know a little about Debra Ireland, if you must know. I had a chugger lecture me on it a couple of months ago. I listened to him for 15 minutes, and at the end of his speech, emotive though it was, I was no more inclined to give him money. I actually had about four people come up to me as I was listening, asking me if I wanted to get away from him. If I recall correctly, there are only a handful of these kids in Ireland, correct?

Well, as cold as it may sound, my money will therefore save lives more efficiently if it goes to some other charity where it is used for food for starving people. The EB kids lives are not in immediate mortal danger in the same way that many of the people concern helps are.
£60,000 a year on bandages? That could feed a hell of a lot of people. Those kids may live in pain, but so do the famished, and seeing as how equal value is placed on all human life, I'd rather use money to save a greater numer of lives. You know, greater good, etc.
Actually, I think "kids with bad skin" does 'cover it' quite aptly.

"They're called the butterfly children because their skin is as fragile as a butterfly's wing."

That **** is so ****ing sensational, and if you want my advice, you should leave that kind of ****e out when you're trying to get money from people. Leave out all that guilt-trip-inducing embellishment, because it doesnt endear you to the potential donor, trust me.
Also, don't call people you don't know "hon". Ever. It's exactly that kind of condescending tone that everyone hates about chuggers.
You say you had to smile 8 hours a day for 5 days? Why? That is so idiotic, that bouncy, bubbly attitude the chuggers display. Did it ever occur to you that if you tried being a bit more serious in manner, people wouldn't take you for such phoneys?

I had these two female chuggers try to hustle me in a really underhand way the other day in blackrock. One comes up with the other and says:

chug#1: "Hey, she is really tiny isn't she?
Me: "Uh, yeah, I guess, way to rub it in though!"
chug#1: (To chug#2:) "What height are you anyway?"
chug#2: "Ummm...."
chug#1: "What height would you say she is?"
Me: "Heh, dunno, 5'3?"
chug#1: "yeah, she looks really young, doesnt she?
Me: "Emmm, yeah, I suppose so..."
chug#1: (to chug#2:) "How old are you anyway?"
chug#2: "Well, I'm 20"
chug#2: (to me:) "How old are you then?"

:rolleyes:

I said to them: "Yes, I'm 18 which means I can sign up to your DD form, but I don't have time to talk to you so I'm not going to sign."
What kind of a sly way is that to try to get people to donate to charity?


I can empathise with you in that you were harassed on the streets and there was nothing you could do about it; you're job required you to be polite at all times. But just think about the people who have the meek personalities, who are harassed by chuggers everyday. The truly callous people who don't give a **** are the ones who remain untroubled by chuggers, yet the people with manners, and with real consciences are the ones who get targeted for exploitment, and are torn up about it.
It sickens me that you got 12euro per hour to harass people on the street, when you knew full well that most of the money would not even get as far as helping the actual people in need. Well, at least you get that holier-than-thou attitude though, right?

Personally, I have never beeen "harassed" by a chugger. I have never been followed down the street by one, nor has one ever continued talking to me after I expressed that I didn't want to donate.
If you have a problem with chuggers, complaining to them about it won't help. Tell the charity. They're the ones employing chuggers.

I don't see how this method of fund-raising is hurting charities. Concern have reported that the amount of people making regular (standing order) donations has multiplied many times over as a direct result of employing chuggers. If a few million extra is "hurting" charities, I don't know how we're meant to help them. Employing chuggers is just like running a fund-raising event. There are operating costs that will come out of any donation to charity, but for the most part, whatever profit is made from the day will be used properly to help the charity's cause.

I prefer to help charities by giving my time rather than money. I volunteer, take part in fund-raising activities, and attend fund-raising events.
I don't like chuggers, but I know that they are, according to a Concern spokesman speaking on Radio 1 a few days ago, the most effective method of persuading people to commit to regular donations

Some chuggers just do not give a **** about the charity involved.
Once, one stopped me, asking me if I wanted to sign up for the DD thing.
I said "no, but here's €2 anyway"
Chugger response: "Sorry, we only accept direct debit".

I swear to God, the next time I'm heading into town, I'm going to bring in a clipboard, and should any chugger try to annoy me, I will get my clipboard out and ask them if they "have a couple of minutes" to "Save a foreskin today!" by supporting my anti-circumcision charity.

That should shut them up.

Oh, I'm bad...