21/07/10
After years of refusing to use the word, PFRA has decided to endorse the use of ‘chugger’ in appropriate circumstances. This follows results of social media monitoring that suggests use of the word has grown considerably only during the past two years, but on two-thirds of occasions it is being used in a neutral way with little malicious intent.
PFRA’s head of communications Ian MacQuillin says: “To many fundraisers, the word ‘chugger’ – a contraction of ‘charity’ and ‘mugger’ – is and always will be a contemptible slur on the integrity of hardworking people trying to do a difficult job for good causes.
“However, it is now clear to us that many people do not use it as an insult and, if we want to engage with them and talk to them about street F2F fundraising, we need to be able to do so in language they use and understand.
“Our view is that it matters less how people refer to street fundraisers; what’s more important is that they have a good understanding about how street fundraising operates and why charities use it.
“With so many more people now using the word ‘chugger’, PFRA believes we will be fighting a losing battle if we maintain our prohibition on its use.”
However, PFRA will only use ‘chugger’ in appropriate situations – in response to and engaging with people who are using it as a descriptive, non-pejorative term. PFRA will not be adopting ‘chugger’ as our default term for a street F2F fundraiser.
For the past two years, PFRA has adopted the word 'chugger' through Children's charity I CAN's adopt a word scheme.
Detail reasons for our decision to endorse the word 'chugger' are available in the relevant PFRA position statement.