Stuff that occurs to me

All of my 'how to' posts are tagged here. The most popular posts are about blocking and private accounts on Twitter, also the science communication jobs list. None of the science or medical information I might post to this blog should be taken as medical advice (I'm not medically trained).

Think of this blog as a sort of nursery for my half-baked ideas hence 'stuff that occurs to me'.

Contact: @JoBrodie Email: jo DOT brodie AT gmail DOT com

Science in London: The 2018/19 scientific society talks in London blog post

Monday, 9 June 2025

Community Interest Companies (CICs) selling magazines, collecting donations ('chugging') at many of London's stations

The term 'chugger' means 'charity mugger' and refers to people who are either paid by a charity directly to do face to face fundraising or, more commonly, are paid by a third company to which this has been outsourced. There are plenty of complaints to be had about the methods used by chuggers, some of whom even call at people's homes, but they are at least fundraising for a genuine purpose even if they annoy lots of people while doing so.

Community Interest Companies (CICs) are different but have followed a similar pattern. They are not regulated by the Charity Commission and have much less oversight on them. Consequently there are one or two that are or have been under investigation for raising money without a permit or for harrassing members of the public to give them money. They also fall between several regulatory gaps which makes it harder for authorities to do much about them.

Here are some of the CICs I've encountered or heard about.

  • Attentive Management Ltd (14610982) - 1 negative and 2 glowing reviews on Indeed. Overheard one at Woolwich using the phrase 'for my confidence' in his opening gambit which is something I've heard the people at Farringdon say, as in 'can I ask you something for my confidence?', practising public speaking or something like that. [Edit: added on 16 July 2025]

Plus at least one which has been dissolved.

Edit 17 July 2025: Why can't anyone stop the fundraisers outside London stations? from LondonCentric https://www.londoncentric.media/p/inside-success-fundraisers-chuggers-london-railway-stations

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