Not chuggers – proud to be Christian Aid collectors
IN RESPONSE to Deputy Gavin St Pier's front page comments of 23 May, I would like to say how upset and disappointed I was to read these ill thought-out tweets. ('Christian Aid door appeal ''is chugging''') Clearly a man in his position in the States will know that fatuous remarks made on social media will be noticed by the media and islanders alike. Fortunately the people of Guernsey know that the volunteers knocking on their doors are not chuggers ('paid charity muggers') but are their friends, neighbours and church members. In my experience as a long-term collector I have had a few people decide they do not want to give a donation, but they have always been polite and nice about it, stating it is not for them. That is their right and has always been met with a smile and a thank you as the Christian Aid collecting guidelines dictate.
Michelle Champion (Christian Aid's local Guernsey coordinator) states:
'In the year to March 2015 we spent 15% of our total expenditure on fundraising enabling us to raise a further £6 for every pound invested. We spent 1% on governance of the charity thus ensuring that 84% of funds raised were spent on our charitable purposes. This includes humanitarian relief, longer-term development programmes helping communities not just survive but thrive and activities that bring about the structural change that frees people from poverty.'
As you can see this is far short of the 'best part of 30%' claimed by Deputy St Pier and is vital in its work of changing unfair global rules that keep the poor in poverty.
As a collector my son won the Grammar School Sixth Form leavers' cup for Work in his Community and I am pleased it has taught him and many young people how to help others he will never meet and lift them out of poverty.
Christian Aid volunteers are a valued and cherished part of the charity's work and if the said States member does not want to donate to the charity then that is his right, but try doing it like your local islanders, with a polite 'no thank you' and a friendly smile.
MRS S BOUGH,
Christian Aid Volunteer.
