The other day
when passing through King’s Cross Station, I spotted a man in a
hospital gown and full clown make-up who was collecting money for charity.
Or so he said.
Problem is, that
was all he said: “I’m collecting
money for charity”. He didn’t feel it
was necessary to tell us which one. Apparently, wearing a zany
outfit at odds with his location was the only validation needed. No need for
signs or identity badges. No need to even announce which organization he was
collecting for.
That's not playing fair (other than the obvious fair / clown connection).
I’m sure that in
their early days, the National Socialist Party were a little strapped for cash.
I bet the BNP have been known to organise the odd raffle or two to increase
their funds.
That doesn’t mean
I would want to contribute.
Collecting money
on the street is sometimes a bit of a grey area. It can be a good way of
raising awareness of a cause (and of taking a little bit of instant small
change) – but it can also force the contributor into a corner. It’s particularly
bad when you’re stopped by someone who’s desperate to sign you up for a
long-term commitment.
If I have the
time, I’ll stop and listen. If it’s a cause I support, I’ll give a little
something there and then (the other day I was stopped by a man collecting money
to rehome stray dogs; I was instantly befriended by his schnauzer – not a
euphemism – and had to make a small donation).
Sometimes I can’t
afford to – and if that’s the case, I’ll often ask if there is a website I can
visit, to check out more information and potentially donate in the future.
Sometimes they
can get a little stroppy: “It’s only £10 a month; surely you can afford that?”.
The point is, I often can’t; being self-employed doesn’t come with the luxury
of knowing what you’ll have in the bank from one month to the next. There’s no
need to try and guilt-trip me into it – and make me add another thing to the
list of monthly payments I need to account for.
If I like the
charity, I’m entitled to take my time before making a commitment. I’m also not
very keen to give away my bank account details on the street.
I’m not saying
there was anything wrong with King’s Cross' would-be Patch Adams – but I don’t
think it’s enough to expect people to donate for a non-specific cause just on the
strength of a novelty outfit.
Now, where's
the nearest place I can source a skull-cap and a bucket?