What to do about....

I just support one charity and have no problem throwing out items that I have not requested. I think it is very wrong of charities to send things out and I would not support a charity that does. I have emailed companies and asked to be removed from a mailing list. The British Heart foundation were still sending things to the man who moved out of our house over 20 years ago. This shows a total lack of efficiency and waste of valuable resources. I had notified them that he is no longer here. If they must send rubbish out, they should check if there is a response and if not, remove the person from their list.

It's difficult I agree. They should save the money as I'm sure most of the stuff is wasted. I usually throw it out. Friends have tried writing to ask them to stop sending stuff , but to no avail. We choose to whom we donate, and although most causes are worthy , we should not be emotionally blackmailed into sending donations just because they choose to send us a pen or some labels

I do like the pens, though. I actually use them!

I agree, it's very wasteful and a form of emotional blackmail.

It's emotional blackmail Anno, and I'm sure you know how to respond to that!
In the past I have used anything which I regarded as sufficiently tasteful (ie very little), and binned the rest.
Now I'm retired I might have the time to actually write to the charity and say what I think of them wasting donated money in this way. No doubt some marketing genius has told them it's a cost effective way of fundraising, but most people seem to find it a complete turn-off.

Crossed posts, ana

Yes - I too hate this emotional blackmail. I make my donation to the charity of my choice and just pocket the freebies from the others. What else can you do? We are bombarded with human misery of many sorts - we cannot solve it all.

I refuse to be blackmailed too. I also receive raffle tickets to sell. I used to return them, fearing that I would be accused of selling them and pocketing the proceeds, but still they come, so I now bin them.

It is indeed emotional blackmail. I bin it.

What they are relying on are the people who will donate as they would feel guilty just throwing it in the bin.

What annoys me about these charities is their disregard for people's circumstances. Some people who can least afford to donate to charity will feel guilty about not helping others.

I have decided to use the freepost envelope - intended for donations - and post the goods back to them.

Good one, anno

My mother, now deceased, received raffle tickets to sell via the post. She was in her late 70s and at the beginnings of Alzheimer's.

When I visited her later that day she was distraught, feeling she wasn't up to doing this but would be letting them down if she didn't sell them. I phoned them and gave off about their system.

I agree it is emotional blackmail. I have a number of charities I donate to and refuse to be blackmailed into donating to others. I have a limited amount I can give to charity and prefer to support local charities rather than the larger national ones.

I use what I like and chuck the rest. I suppose this sort of thing must work or they wouldn't keep doing it. In the last couple of weeks I have had letters and 'gifts' from at least 6 different charities. Certainly emotional black mail.

I use what is useful, pens, mat etc and chuck the rest, there is no responsibility to respond to unsolicited mail. I give what I consider reasonable to local charities and that is enough.

Another one that bins what I don't want.

Similar topic, every year I get a phone call for a charity that I was persuaded about 8 yrs ago to sell raffle tickets for I've never done it since. but still they call. Can we send you.....bla bla take no for an answer for pities sake !!

I feel guilty if I keep the pens etc but I already make a monthly donation to two charities and buy raffle tickets from one of them twice a year. Today however i have received a communication from Marie Curie nurses with no gifts, just a little card in the shape of a stocking on which to pop three pound coins and send back in a prepaid envelope, which I shall do.

That's a good idea Anno, to use the free post to send the stuff back. Like everyone else, I loathe this approach to fund raising. I wonder what the cost analysis is, presumably, it must raise some cash or they wouldn't do it.

I'm out of touch with tax rules, but aren't the costs of sending out all this 'advertising/promotion' stuff set against the tax bill? Therefore they may as well do it and it doesn't matter if it works or not. IYSWIM

I just write 'Return to sender, Unsolicited goods' on the package and put them back in the letter box. I have no sympathy whatsoever for charities, or any other organisation or person, for that matter, that indulges in moral blackmail. If my returning their goods costs them money, they have only themselves to blame for indulging in such underhand tactics. It is despicable.

Whether I donate to other charities or not is completely irrelevant.

I used to be sent raffle tickets to sell in aid of RNIB- great charity- and while I was still at work that was no problem. Then I had a couple of years of buying them all myself and eventually had to tell the nice woman on the phone to stop sending them as a) I had run out of "customers" and b) my own income was considerably reduced. I felt as if I was kicking kittens. I have a couple of standing orders for other charities andwhile I realise that the cost of a coffee a week would be worth donating where do I stop? It bothers me that money is spent on this sort of fund raising but the charities will have buit in "wastage" to their calculations so don't feel too guilty.

I've just sent the Barnardos stuff back in the prepaid envelope. Like the rest of you, I am fed up with all this stuff and appalled at the waste of money.

I would worry that the Marie Curie envelope would be recognised by the unscrupulous and targeted in the system as it contains money, which could not be traced if it did not arrive.

I have been the victim of several items of 'lost' post, in the past. I would give my money directly via bank or in a collecting box. Just a thought. x

A very pertinent one J52

Soutra - it is the RNIB that I buy raffle tickets for twice a year. I always buy them myself as I don't like to bother people. I have been retired for 5 years but still feel obliged to buy them, although I buy fewer now. I also pay them £4 a month and to be honest I felt pressured into doing this (a good expression of yours 'kicking kittens') if I refused. However, they have phoned me several times trying to get me to increase my donation, saying things like 'have you any idea how it must feel not to be able to see'. Well, no I haven't but I am giving what I can afford. I have also paid £10 per month to the NSPCC for many years and in all that time I have never been sent raffle tickets or anything else or had any 'pressure' phone calls.