On today’s Right Hook, George will be talking about the new proposals set to impact Ireland’s chuggers, the ‘charity muggers’ who’ve been smilingly trying to sign us up to direct debits for years.
To hear how George has been avoiding them, tune in live at 4.30pm: http://www.newstalk.com/player/
But new restrictions might not be the only obstacle getting in the way of the chugger, whose days might well be numbered if a new UK trial pays off.
Cancer Research UK, which operates nearly 600 charity shops all across Britain, is pioneering a new way to take in money from the public by contactless payments. Attached to the storefronts of its high-street outlets in Brighton, Kensington, Guildford and Marylebone are sensors against which passers-by can press their ATM card to donate a fixed fee of £2 (€2.70).
Whenever anyone makes the transaction, which Cancer Research UK hopes will ultimately replace chugging altogether, a video plays explainer exactly how the money will be distributed in the battle to cure cancer.
Since its emergence as a way for charities to raise much-needed money, chuggers have become figures of hate and derision for their heavy-handed and predatory occupying of public spaces. An Irish Twitter account, @Chuggerwatch, even goes so far as to warn followers where the fluorescent bib-wearing fundraisers are located, so that they can be avoided.
This Cancer Research scheme, which ran 24 hours a day, ended on February 13th, and the body is currently analysing whether or not it should be implemented across more stores.
The charity says it will continue to support well-established forms of encouraging members of the public to support it, such as collection boxes, but that innovative ways to fundraise are always part of its plan.
“We believe that contactless technology has the ability to drive substantial income for Cancer Research UK in the medium to long term,” Paul Clarke, Cancer Research’s director of innovation, told the Mirror.
“We also see this as a great opportunity to use our highly visible shops in 570 locations across the country as a new marketing channel, using interactive creative that really engages with our supporters old and new,” he added.
