'Friends' target now halved

THE target by Canal & River Trust (CaRT) was to sign up 7,000 'friends' in its first year, with each friend donating at least £3 per month via direct debit, writes Allan Richards.

However, uptake below expectations has caused the target to be more than halved—It is now reduced to just 3,000.

Spoken out

A chugger (a person who approaches people for charitable donations)  has spoken out saying he would be better off on the dole, with CaRT charity fundraiser, Bob Furnell, who is self employed reporting:

"I honestly don't know why I do my work. I'm crippled, always set up my display at many many places, I always turn up, and yet I would get a lot more money on the dole, [than as a chugger for CaRT] and it is true."

The problem, it would seem, is that self employed chuggers like Bob Furnell are paid by results. If they don't think they will recruit at an allocated location then why bother to turn up? If the 'product' is difficult to sell then why bother?