I come in Peace

The high street in Chiswick is fairly long with wide pavements so it attracts lots of charity organisations pitching their shtick at the pram shielded mums of Nappy Valley. The mostly young, always keen volunteers work very hard to elicit a modicum of the emotion from you that they so passionately display for whatever cause it is they support. Some want money, others want you to sign a petition and still others are just looking for you to give of your time as they have. Most often the only people that even try to approach me are the Big Issue hawkers. but then they stop everyone. The other volunteers take one look at me with my double wide and double trouble and quickly asses that I will likely not be interested in their request for my time. They couldn't be more right. Don't get me wrong, I completely and totally support their right to be there and to be honest if I didn't have my hands full, I'd be happy to stop and have a natter.

Before we moved, I was walking up the high street one day with my typical look of purpose and aim when I was approached by a Green Peace volunteer. I politely smiled and declined to engage. My rebuff was ignored and the young man, stood in front of my pram so that I couldn't maneuver around him. He began to pitch me on the evils of Global Warming in what seemed like an effort for financial support. I stood there pretending to listen, but in reality I was fuming. I was already running late for a doctors appointment for the twins and didn't even have time to stop and get coffee (the horror). When he finished I paused for a moment and then asked if he was done. Yes, he said, I am. Well then, I began, you won't mind stepping aside and letting me continue on my way. You see, I continued, I have single handedly contributed to the worlds over population problem which as I am sure you know is a major contributor to global warming. I will go out on a limb and guess that I am not your target audience, but then one with any common sense would have known that wouldn't they? If you'll kindly excuse me, I'll be on my way.

First rule in PR: Know your audience.