'Braving the clipboard canyon'

Clipboard-wielding collectors are a common sight on street corners in most UK cities.

Councils are often powerless to control them them because they do not collect actual money, instead asking for pledges or direct debit details.

Charities say the practice is an important source of income for them.

One such charity, Shelter, has used them to raise �6m in the last three years.

So, are they noble charity collectors or a nuisance? Tell us what you think.

The following comments reflect the balance of views we have received:

I walk down Manchester's most clipboard ridden street twice a day on my way to and from work. The trick to avoid the half-dozen charity collectors is to wear visible headphones. Only the nineteen Big Issue sellers hassle me now.
Nick, Manchester, UK

I'd rather give money to charities that don't waste it employing muppets to annoy the hell out of me on my lunch break.
Anon

'Chuggers' (Charity Muggers) are well established in central london. The only way to, at least try to, avoid them is to spot them in the distance then keep your head down and keep walking. I donate to charity (via Charities Aid Foundation as well as my 'personal' charities) and I don't want to be hassled by 'chuggers' to give more. I wonder whether charities do benefit from them - or if there are less invasive ways of appealing for money?
Martin, London, UK

Tottenham Court Road here in the West End has to be the UK clipboard capital! I counted no less than 6 in 20 metres the other day.
Barry Wilbourn, London, England

I live in Nottingham and had cause recently to visit Warwick on business. What a huge difference, there were no beggars, legal or illegal and no big issue sellers. And their version of Market Square was nicely kept and clean. What has happened in this once nice city??
Gordon Sinclair, Nottingham, UK

I go out of my way to avoid charity workers Kelly, Derbyshire

The clipboard collectors are one more intrusion on peacful shopping trip along with buskers, beggars, Big Issue sellers. There should be designated days when none of the above should be allowed on the streets so those who do not want to be hasseled can shop in peace.
Ian Sallis,

As horrrible as it is to say, I go out of my way to avoid charity workers, who make you feel guilty if you can't afford to give money to their charity. I'm a student, and I always feel obligated to give over money which I need for important things, like being able to eat. There are enough advertisiments on the television which enables people to have the choice to give money without facing huge moral dilemmas in public streets. I try my hardest, but I can't support every charity that taps me on the shoulder.
Kelly, derbyshire

Working in the CIty Centre I get asked 3-4 times a day (apart from being harrassed by beggars) and I'm completely fed up with it. There are too many of them. Especially at lunchtime when you're trying to quickly get some lunch. Then later when going home they're all over the main bus stop routes. Please stop licensing any more and preferably start reducing the numbers of them.
Anon

I work in Nottingham and these people drive me mad. If it isn't clipboard people then it's Big Issue. I'm not blind I can see them - surely if I wanted to give them money I'd go over to them, there's no need for them to harrass me??! Why don't they just set up a stand?
Amanda Hall, UK

They are a huge pain! I work in Reigate & spend most lunch times dodging from one collector to another. I appreciate that they are collecting for good causes but often it's the same faces collecting for different charities. Watchdog did a report on them a couple of years ago & apparently the collectors are on commission. I give monthly to two charities but that was my own decision & I contacted them.
GLT, UK