18/01/12
International aid charities have criticised Islington Council’s suggestion that they should be prevented from fundraising in the London borough so that people will direct their money to local causes instead.
Craig Mullaly deputy director of fundraising at EveryChild, has written a blog post for the Daily Telegraph in which he describes how donors recruited through F2F donate a quarter of the charity’s voluntary income.
Craig says: “If EveryChild didn’t send fundraisers, or as many people disparagingly call them ‘chuggers’, on to the streets of London, we wouldn’t be able to protect so many of the 24 million children growing up vulnerable and alone in the developing world.
“It’s as simple as that. It might sound melodramatic but it’s true."
Referring to the council’s suggestion that national and international charities should be prevented from fundraising in the borough so residents would give to local charities instead, Craig says such a move would “jeopardise the care that we provide to the children across the globe who rely on us.
“We believe that the public should be allowed to choose where they donate their money for themselves.”
Danielle Atkinson's defence of F2F was the letter of the week in Third Sector on January 17.
Danielle, who is head of digital and individual giving at Merlin, writes: “Thanks to the dedicated work of our street fundraising team and the generosity of our supporters, children in Liberia are being vaccinated against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetantus, and young women in Afghanistan are being trained to become midwives.
“So my message to Islington’s councilors is that chuggers save lives. You don’t have to give them your money, but please don’t stop their life-saving work.”
Richard Dixon, director of public affairs at Dublin-based aid charity Concern Worldwide (which fundraises in London is a PFRA member), has also appeared on Irish radio to explain his charity’s need fundraise locally for fund overseas projects.
PHOTO: Mulu (blue jumper) lives with her grandmother and seven siblings in a tiny two-room mud house in Ethiopia. She attends a non-formal school, supported by EveryChild, which provides her with books, pens and educational support. ©David Brunetti/EveryChild