According to Urban Dictionary charity shaming is…

To coerce, force, pressure or intimidate another person to donate to a cause that one has personally deemed worthy

Because, well, that wouldn’t be right, would it? To try and bully or shame somebody into either donating to or taking part in a charity event. But, sadly, it’s more and more prevalent and no more so than at work at the moment.

It’s November so that means Movember is taking place. For two weeks now, at the weekly team meeting, those people not taking part (myself included) have been called out and mocked for not doing so. and let’s not forget, growing a moustache (hardly a difficult thing – many taking place already have them and just simply shave the day before it starts) does not raise the money – donations do (and I do donate to them every year, albeit anonymously).

Every year, I find myself hassled about donating to the companies charities of choice, whether Macmillan or Children in Need.

It’s fine to promote a charitable event – pass around a sponsorship form, or whatever, but don’t give people a hard time if they’re not interested. Not only does that NOT sway people but also puts them off getting involved in future.

But charity is a personal choice. Just because I’m not putting money into your bucket at this time doesn’t mean I’m a mean-spirited humbug who has no interested in giving to charity (but I could be – that’s my decision). It just means that, right now, I don’t want to give to that particular charity.

In a world where intolerance seems to becoming the norm, let’s not turn people against the simple act of giving to charity. Please.