Anyone else irritated by all the adverts asking for £3 a month to help………

there has been a lot of people in my area wanting me to sign up to various charities, my stock answer in person or on the phone is i would love to but i am bankrupt and my bank won't allow me to set up any direct debits. i do make a small donation to two charities by direct debit each month and mute the adverts on tv.

we don't have a tv so don't have all that but the internet seems to be full of it and also we seem to have daily things coming through the letterbox

I donate regular monthly DD to 5 charities. I usually donate for 12 months and then change to another charity.

A couple of years ago I got a phone call from a charity asking me to donate some money. I was already giving to 2 other charities. I told the guy I couldn't afford anything else. He was persistent so I asked him to choose which of the other charities I would stop helping to give to them. He couldn't answer me so I said 'bye and put the phone down.

When I lived in another country, my grandfather who been donating to the Guide Dog Association regularly. When he passed on I took over until I left. It was made more meaningful because I made friends with 2 blind chaps and it was a delight to see them with their guide dogs. I shared with them their ups and downs, and when their dogs had to retire and they got new ones (fortunately they kept their retired dogs). It was eye opening and heart warming. Fortunately I was never asked to donate extra or made to feel guilty.

Sparklefizz

Several years ago now I subscribed to the Red Cross by direct debit, and when I could no longer afford it they hounded me on the phone, by post and then I even had someone come to the house and knock on the door.

Each time the person was very persistent, made me feel incredibly guilty, I would be in tears after explaining that I couldn't afford it .... consequently I would never set up a direct debit again, and would just give a one-off semi-anonymous donation.

Same here sparklefizz. It was a well known dog charity and I paid £7.00 a month DD. They phoned asking if I would increase my DD and I said I could only afford the £7.00 monthly.
The lady made me feel incredibly guilty and just wouldn't take No for an answer. I was feeding my New Born Daughter at the time and I said, if you don't go away I will cancel my DD. She never, I put the phone down and cancelled my DD. I ended up spilting the money for two different charities. A local animal charity and children's one.

Out church asked for increased donations. It asked if we give £10 could we now give £20 each per week. (This was 5 years ago) They’d prefer a DD or standing order. Some weeks I can’t manage too much maybe a couple of pounds. I thought I was doing ok giving a couple of pounds.
We’re one of the largest congregations in the area and I know lots of work is needed and lots done. No I don’t give this amount. I give my time and what I have in my purse at the time.

We've probably donated most of our Winter Fuel Allowance to good causes, Luckygirl, I think that we don't always need the heat on all the time as we've got a house, warm clothes etc.

I agree about monetary raffles, but do buy the tickets for the local hospice one, as, in the main, I think winners re-donate their prizes.

I've won some re-donated prizes eg last year's diary (very pretty), an incomplete game set, wine which had to be poured down the sink etc ???

Lucky girl3 - The world would be a better place if more people were like you - you give your Winter Fuel Allowance to others less fortunate than yourself - bless you.

I have a friend who attends a monthly meeting with the Parkinsons Society,alongside the odd day trip out/visit to the theatre,etc - with them.Way back in the 80s,she had an elderly friend/neighbour - with Parkinsons - which is how she initially got involved with them.Needless,to say but (will anyway) her friend has long since passed away.She continues to go to the meetings - having few friends - she openly admits she only goes for a chat/cup of tea.I have no problems with this but she attends taking a taxi - paid for,there and back,by the Parkinsons Society.Trips out are subsidised by them.Is it fair that the Parkinsons Society do this ? Surely people give money in the belief it is going to support people with Parkinsons,their carers,information/research,etc.I think it is wrong of this charity to supplement people who want to attend meetings/days out for personal reasons,in no way connected to Parkinsons,particularly,those like this lady who can quite easily afford to make the payments themselves.If it weren't for the fact that I feel sorry for her,in needing to go to these meetings for company,I would have complained to the Parkinsons Society.As it is I would not now support them.When you give to a charity,you expect it to help those in need - and by all means help Parkinsons sufferers/carers with taxi fees but not someone who merely attends as a social outing.

I find it so hard - it is difficult to switch off one's feelings - these are all undoubtedly worthwhile causes - and relatively speaking we have so much.

There are charities that I regularly donate to: Action Aid, Parkinsons UK, the local hospice - the latter two were very helpful to my OH so I know they are worth donating to. And I send £5 a month to an orchestra - it is superb and has given me much pleasure, and also runs musical projects with young people.

I also donate my winter fuel allowance to a charity for the homeless. I can manage without the allowance and somehow I find it hard to keep it when others are out in the cold - quite literally.

There do seem to be so many adverts for charities now - a veritable blizzard. I am not irritated by them - more concerned by the level of need which defies imagination.

I never give to Children in Need, as I feel I do not know where it goes.

I agree about monetary raffles, but do buy the tickets for the local hospice one, as, in the main, I think winners re-donate their prizes.

If they don’t ask they don’t get usually!

I used to sign up for direct debits to a few charities ...BUT no longer use them, most are cancelled mainly because they keep asking for MORE ...ok we all know charities are struggling but so are a lot of us ....we have no access to further money from a government pension ,,,,I even get requests from Help the Aged and I am AGED myself ....so in future I shall help myself !! I do give to the Salvation Army as I always like to think they are an umbrella charity who help the homeless, families in need, etc ....but just today in Norwich market place I was approached by no less than four Big Issue sellers, people collecting money in buckets for the homeless, another woman shaking a tin for something else...someone selling something looking like books (I never went close enough to find out what they were !) They achieve their objective in making me feel guilty if I don;t give.........but I don;t give in ! IF as is often usual (but not this year > don't why why ? the Salvation Army are around playing carols ...such a shame they have not been seen this year ....I do not have any DDs or SOs for them, but I give when I see them collecting, or I buy something from their charity shops and always pay more than is being asked ...my way of contributing !

I only put money in a charity box now. I was hounded by the Anthony Nolan trust after I stopped donating to them. I used to DD to a different charity every year

an Aussie disaster fund
a rich country and most people have insurance.
The UK government sent help (not just money) as well, I understand.

I did donate to a small charity which was helping koalas saved from the devastating bush fires.

I found out, while chatting to an elderly neighbour, that she was putting clothing that she still used into every 'charity' bag that was pushed through her door. She said that she felt guilty if she didn't donate something, but was running out of clothes. She was shocked when I pointed out the very small message on the bags stating what a minimal amount was actually going to the so-called charities. No more donations from her!
I agree that there are too many pushy tv adverts, trying to play on peoples' consciences. Many of these charities don't just have contingency funds, but millions stashed in the bank. My daughter was shocked when a large chunk of the money donated to an Aussie disaster fund, to help a community which has been devastated hadn't been paid out. The charity put it aside for future use, though the donors had specifically wanted to help that town.

I did a Race for Life once, for cancer research. And did my bit.

A few weeks later I was getting phone calls for more donations from them and then they called on my door. I advised that I had done a Race for Life run and had done my bit.

Oh they said, that's good. But you can still donate.

I said I give to charities - to whomever I wish, out of choice, not because they are asking.

Oh, they said, just a direct debit of x amount a month.

I said I don't want to commit myself to x amount. I want to give to whichever charity I wish and out of the goodness of my heart.

Ah, but it's not much that you would be committing to.

In the end I had to close the door because they just didn't want to accept a 'no'. I was really angry because of their audacity to persist.

Yes it's disgraceful. Another example of emotional blackmail coming at us via the media.
JUST the same as 'wear your mask to protect others', and 'save the NHS'.........I'm guessing most of us have paid into the NHS all our lives, and we've already done our bit to 'save' it.
Sheer propaganda

EllanVannin - these charity have the prizes we win donated in the first place at no cost to them

If you ring and offer £3 they ask for £12.

I give to five charities monthly. I do feel guilty when I see the daytime adverts, but I’ll need to drop others to take on new ones. I dislike the cuddly toy ‘ incentives ‘.

Poppyred, I have not answered your initial question.....

I don't often watch daytime TV but being ill I have had the box on in the afternoon and have been amazed at the onslaught of heartrending advertisements.

To me the prize goes to the charity to support Pangolins, you know those well-known (probable) instigators of Covid. Am speechless!

I would say do some research and choose your charities carefully.

I've just seen a charity asking for £3 per month to save bears.
The way they are treated is heartbreaking but I would investigate just how the donations are used and how much gets through to the actual rescue workers and the sanctuary.

Yes. I change channels as soon as they come on. There's a Unicef ad on this thread. Salvation Army have already sent us a ridiculous amount of stuff.

I would be more likely to subscribe to a family planning charity, then there wouldn't need to be so many requests to feed starving children. All children are entitled to be loved, fed, clothed, housed and educated.