I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending
attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for their
cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their charities.

"DerbyBorn" wrote in message
2.222...

I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending
attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for their
cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their charities.




Put up a sign at the front then... No Hawkers, Poncers or Students... ****
off I have no money !


Usually works

Nthkentman wrote:
"DerbyBorn" wrote in message
2.222...

I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending
attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for
their cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of
their charities.



Put up a sign at the front then... No Hawkers, Poncers or Students...
**** off I have no money !


Usually works

You missed off the Bilbe Bashers....

--
Adam

On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 20:51:23 +0100, ARW wrote:

Nthkentman wrote:
"DerbyBorn" wrote in message
2.222...

I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending
attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for
their cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their
charities.



Put up a sign at the front then... No Hawkers, Poncers or Students...
**** off I have no money !


Usually works

You missed off the Bilbe Bashers....

I never did like Lord of the Rings, so that's OK by me...



--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
My posts (including this one) are my copyright and if @diy_forums on
Twitter wish to tweet them they can pay me £30 a post
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

wrote:
**** off I have no money !
Usually works
You missed off the Bilbe Bashers....

"I have no money or soul"

Owain

On Thursday, August 29, 2013 11:51:41 PM UTC+1, wrote:
wrote:

**** off I have no money !
Usually works

You missed off the Bilbe Bashers....

"I have no money or soul"
Owain

Jehovah's witnesses can be very persistent. 'Mmmmm, blood' turns out to be surprisingly effective

On 30/08/2013 08:50, wrote:
On Thursday, August 29, 2013 11:51:41 PM UTC+1, wrote:
wrote:

**** off I have no money !
Usually works

You missed off the Bilbe Bashers....

"I have no money or soul"
Owain

Jehovah's witnesses can be very persistent. 'Mmmmm, blood' turns out to be surprisingly effective

Although they seem to be concentrating on the younger generation around
here. I have seen lots of teenagers wandering around with JW sweatshirts.

On Fri, 30 Aug 2013 00:50:54 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Jehovah's witnesses can be very persistent.

JW's are the only cold callers we get, about once every couple of
years.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Fri, 30 Aug 2013 00:50:54 -0700, meow2222 wrote:

Jehovah's witnesses can be very persistent.

I've always found a simple "Thanks, not interested." works just fine. We
had 'em here, in the arse end of nowhere, the other week - first time for
many years, despite those years all being in town.

On Wednesday, August 28, 2013 10:04:56 PM UTC+1, DerbyBorn wrote:
I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending
attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for their
cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their charities.

On the other hand, said students are usually so desperate for the sign-up bonus they'll do almost *anything* to get you to sign. Should be easy to get an hour's lawn-mowing out of them first.

You can then cancel the direct debit before the first payment.

Owain

On Wed, 28 Aug 2013 14:40:53 -0700, spuorgelgoog wrote:

said students are usually so desperate for the sign-up bonus they'll do
almost *anything* to get you to sign.

For a moment, I thought this was the start of a comment from Adam...


--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
My posts (including this one) are my copyright and if @diy_forums on
Twitter wish to tweet them they can pay me £30 a post
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

On Wed, 28 Aug 2013 14:40:53 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Wednesday, August 28, 2013 10:04:56 PM UTC+1, DerbyBorn wrote:
I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending
attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for their
cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their charities.

On the other hand, said students are usually so desperate for the sign-up bonus
they'll do almost *anything* to get you to sign. Should be easy to get an
hour's lawn-mowing out of them first.

For lawnmowing substitute any activity an attractive student type could perform

--

On Wednesday, August 28, 2013 10:04:56 PM UTC+1, DerbyBorn wrote:
I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending

attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for their

cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their charities.

That and the chief executives' pay.

And it's often the case that the entire first year's payments (for anyone daft enough to sign up for a direct debit) goes as commission to the shysters who supply the chuggers.

In article ,
mike writes:
On Wednesday, August 28, 2013 10:04:56 PM UTC+1, DerbyBorn wrote:
I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending

attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for their

cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their charities.

That and the chief executives' pay.

And it's often the case that the entire first year's payments (for anyone daft enough to sign up for a direct debit) goes as commission to the shysters who supply the chuggers.

They get as far as "your neighbours have signed up", at which point I
say "that's good" as the door is swinging closed.

The two charities I regularly support are paid by standing order.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On Wed, 28 Aug 2013 21:04:56 +0000, DerbyBorn wrote:

I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending
attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for
their cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their
charities.

They aren't employed by the charities. They're employed by third party
fundraising companies. One day they'll be doing Shelter, the next the
RSPCA, the day after the MS Society or Cancer Research or
whoeverthehellelse.

And the reason those charities do it is that it works - even after the
third parties have taken their (fairly hefty) cut, it gets money in that
they couldn't otherwise get. That money goes to their work.

If you want to knock the chuggers on the head, give money directly. Don't
like that particular charity? Give to somebody else. But don't make the
charity sector as a whole work so bloody hard just to keep the lights on.

As for salaries for direct employees - they're low compared to what those
people could be earning in the real world. Yes, even chief execs. They
take that hit because they want to do some good. If charities didn't
employ people, and relied on volunteers, nothing would ever get done to
any professional standard, and the lights'd be off before the week was
out.

On 28/08/2013 23:40, Adrian wrote:
On Wed, 28 Aug 2013 21:04:56 +0000, DerbyBorn wrote:

I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending
attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for
their cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their
charities.

They aren't employed by the charities. They're employed by third party
fundraising companies. One day they'll be doing Shelter, the next the
RSPCA, the day after the MS Society or Cancer Research or
whoeverthehellelse.

And the reason those charities do it is that it works - even after the
third parties have taken their (fairly hefty) cut, it gets money in that
they couldn't otherwise get. That money goes to their work.

If you want to knock the chuggers on the head, give money directly. Don't
like that particular charity? Give to somebody else. But don't make the
charity sector as a whole work so bloody hard just to keep the lights on.

As for salaries for direct employees - they're low compared to what those
people could be earning in the real world. Yes, even chief execs. They
take that hit because they want to do some good. If charities didn't
employ people, and relied on volunteers, nothing would ever get done to
any professional standard, and the lights'd be off before the week was
out.

I have been equally p*ssed off by their marketing techniques. Not long
ago my sister died, in accordance with her wishes I made a donation to a
specific charity, I sent a cheque. I was then inundated with begging
letters both from that charity and others. I was so annoyed I wrote to
them and told them how I felt and to take me off their lists, that it
was doubtful that I would ever donate to them or the other charities
concerned again. Give them their due they sent a letter of apologies and
the mail begging stopped, from all the charities, so they must be in
cohorts. Now last year we sent a note in our Christmas cards to say that
we were sending out no more but would be making an equivalent of the
cost donation to a charity. So I am left wondering how best to do this
without getting begging letters as I would like them to be able to claim
the tax back!

On 29/08/2013 07:48, Broadback wrote:
On 28/08/2013 23:40, Adrian wrote:
On Wed, 28 Aug 2013 21:04:56 +0000, DerbyBorn wrote:

I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending
attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for
their cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their
charities.

They aren't employed by the charities. They're employed by third party
fundraising companies. One day they'll be doing Shelter, the next the
RSPCA, the day after the MS Society or Cancer Research or
whoeverthehellelse.

And such companies only have to give small proportion of what they raise
to the charity. The bonus fee per scalp chugged is so high that the
charity actually loses money if you cancel within the first year.

And the reason those charities do it is that it works - even after the
third parties have taken their (fairly hefty) cut, it gets money in that
they couldn't otherwise get. That money goes to their work.

I think I need convincing of that. RSPCA spent the best part of a
million pounds legal fees persuing some poor woman over a dodgy will not
far from me. She won first time around after a long battle, they took it
to appeal and in the end and they lost big time.

http://www.civilsociety.co.uk/govern...ll_legacy_case

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/new...ttle_of_wills/

I will never give them another penny.

If you want to knock the chuggers on the head, give money directly. Don't
like that particular charity? Give to somebody else. But don't make the
charity sector as a whole work so bloody hard just to keep the lights on.

It is sort of inevitable in the charity sector that people volunteer to
do things that need doing and wouldn't otherwise get done. This
government seeks to exploit unpaid willing dogooders to babysit
libraries and take on work that would otherwise have been paid for.

As for salaries for direct employees - they're low compared to what those
people could be earning in the real world. Yes, even chief execs. They
take that hit because they want to do some good. If charities didn't
employ people, and relied on volunteers, nothing would ever get done to
any professional standard, and the lights'd be off before the week was
out.

Not all amateurs are bad at what they do. There are a lot of small
charities doing perfectly good work locally. The big boys have got so
big now that they have pretty much become industrial fundraising
machines that spend vast amounts of money on lawyers and chuggers.

I have been equally p*ssed off by their marketing techniques. Not long
ago my sister died, in accordance with her wishes I made a donation to a
specific charity, I sent a cheque. I was then inundated with begging
letters both from that charity and others. I was so annoyed I wrote to
them and told them how I felt and to take me off their lists, that it
was doubtful that I would ever donate to them or the other charities
concerned again. Give them their due they sent a letter of apologies and
the mail begging stopped, from all the charities, so they must be in
cohorts. Now last year we sent a note in our Christmas cards to say that
we were sending out no more but would be making an equivalent of the
cost donation to a charity. So I am left wondering how best to do this
without getting begging letters as I would like them to be able to claim
the tax back!

If you give money in a will to certain charities they will pass your
details on to various other organisations unless you explicitly forbid
it. I wonder if contract law can be used to demand the money back in the
event that they do leak your details to other groups like this.

Be careful to tick (or not tick) the box to prevent them from passing
your details on to other third parties that want to chug you!

The ICO is worse than useless at enforcing data protection. YMMV

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 08:45:47 +0100, Martin Brown wrote:

Not all amateurs are bad at what they do.

Christ, no. Of course they're not. But they DO need professional
management, and there are a lot of other roles which volunteers CAN't be
relied on for.

There are a lot of small charities doing perfectly good work locally.

Nobody said otherwise.
Equally there are a lot of small charities whose funding would do a lot
more good if they just stopped, thought, and put the time and effort into
more co-ordinated directions.

The big boys have got so big now that they have pretty much become
industrial fundraising machines that spend vast amounts of money on
lawyers and chuggers.

Would a small local charity be able to do the work of Medecins Sans
Frontiers or Macmillan?

Be careful to tick (or not tick) the box to prevent them from passing
your details on to other third parties that want to chug you!

Doesn't that apply to ALL such forms, no matter who from?

In article ,
Adrian wrote:
On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 08:45:47 +0100, Martin Brown wrote:

Not all amateurs are bad at what they do.

Christ, no. Of course they're not. But they DO need professional
management, and there are a lot of other roles which volunteers CAN't be
relied on for.

However, there are plenty of retired professionals who can provide the
needed expertise.

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.18

On 29/08/13 08:45, Martin Brown wrote:
If you give money in a will to certain charities they will pass your
details on to various other organisations unless you explicitly forbid
it. I wonder if contract law can be used to demand the money back in the
event that they do leak your details to other groups like this.

I've worked in charities and every one that I know of is scrupulous
about compliance with the data protection laws. None of the big
charities will risk it. The lists that charities use are exclusively
opt-in. They cannot and will not add you to a list without your
permission. But if you give that permission once it is very difficult to
get off of the lists.


Be careful to tick (or not tick) the box to prevent them from passing
your details on to other third parties that want to chug you!

Indeed.


The ICO is worse than useless at enforcing data protection. YMMV

The ICO rarely has to get involved.

--
Bernard Peek

On 29/08/2013 11:37, Bernard Peek wrote:

I've worked in charities and every one that I know of is scrupulous
about compliance with the data protection laws.

And most of the large national charities just sell your name and address on!

--
mailto:news{at}admac(dot}myzen{dot}co{dot}uk

On Wednesday, August 28, 2013 11:40:36 PM UTC+1, Adrian wrote:

They aren't employed by the charities. They're employed by third party
fundraising companies. One day they'll be doing Shelter, the next the RSPCA,
the day after the MS Society or Cancer Research or whoeverthehellelse.

Ah... I didn't know that. That might explain why I once saw a car full of people park up at the end of our road and get out and put on Cancer Research t-shirts. Not before all taking their last puffs on their cigarettes before chucking them down the drain though.

It really bothered me as I felt it gave the wrong message and certainly put me off donating anything to the cause. I did raise my concerns to one of them who subsequently knocked on my door and they very embarassed. I also sent some feedback to the charity and they were very apologetic; whether they did anything about it I don't know.

In article ,
Mathew Newton writes
On Wednesday, August 28, 2013 11:40:36 PM UTC+1, Adrian wrote:

They aren't employed by the charities. They're employed by third party
fundraising companies. One day they'll be doing Shelter, the next the RSPCA,
the day after the MS Society or Cancer Research or whoeverthehellelse.

Ah... I didn't know that. That might explain why I once saw a car full of people park
up at the end of our road and get out and put on Cancer Research t-shirts. Not
before all taking their last puffs on their cigarettes before chucking them down the
drain though.

I have recounted a similar experience on here before, the perfect end to
it was when the doorstepping bint forgot the name of the charity she was
chugging for despite having the name and logo writ large across her
chest (T-shirt that is, not bare chest for the easily excited).
--
fred
it's a ba-na-na . . . .

On 28/08/2013 22:04, DerbyBorn wrote:
I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending
attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for their
cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their charities.


The "just £3 a month" thing annoys me. If you sign up for that, you
will be pestered by phone calls asking if you could increase it to £5,
then £10, then £15.....

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

The Medway Handyman wrote:
The "just £3 a month" thing annoys me. If you sign up for that, you
will be pestered by phone calls asking if you could increase it to £5,
then £10, then £15.....

I gave a £3 donation by text to one major charity appeal. Then got them
persistently ringing up wanting to tell me about the great work they're
doing (and ask for more). Which probably cost more than £3 for the time and
mobile calls.

OTOH there are plenty of smaller charities that have £0 publicity budget and
work by word of mouth only... who find themselves being squeezed by the big
players having these kind of tactics.

Theo

The Medway Handyman wrote on Aug 29, 2013:

On 28/08/2013 22:04, DerbyBorn wrote:
I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending
attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for their
cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their charities.


The "just £3 a month" thing annoys me. If you sign up for that, you
will be pestered by phone calls asking if you could increase it to £5,
then £10, then £15.....



10 years ago I was diagnosed with a malignant tumour in my sinuses which was
cured (touch wood) by a course of radiotherapy. I signed up shortly after for
£2 a month to Cancer Research - a pittance, I know, but...

I've had one or two phone calls since then, and a few letters asking to
increase it but I would hardly call it being pestered.

--
Mike Lane
UK North Yorkshire
mike_lane at mac dot com

On 02/09/2013 22:48, Mike Lane wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote on Aug 29, 2013:

On 28/08/2013 22:04, DerbyBorn wrote:
I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending
attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for their
cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their charities.


The "just £3 a month" thing annoys me. If you sign up for that, you
will be pestered by phone calls asking if you could increase it to £5,
then £10, then £15.....



10 years ago I was diagnosed with a malignant tumour in my sinuses which was
cured (touch wood) by a course of radiotherapy. I signed up shortly after for
£2 a month to Cancer Research - a pittance, I know, but...

I've had one or two phone calls since then, and a few letters asking to
increase it but I would hardly call it being pestered.

The most recent one with us was the NSPCC.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Wednesday 28 August 2013 22:04 DerbyBorn wrote in uk.d-i-y:

I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending
attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for
their cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their
charities.

It's basically "flirty fishing" - a technique used by cults.

Go figure...

--
Tim Watts Personal Blog: http://squiddy.blog.dionic.net/

http://www.sensorly.com/ Crowd mapping of 2G/3G/4G mobile signal coverage

Reading this on the web? See:
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Usenet

Tim Watts wrote:
On Wednesday 28 August 2013 22:04 DerbyBorn wrote in uk.d-i-y:

I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending
attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for
their cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their
charities.

It's basically "flirty fishing" - a technique used by cults.

Go figure...

The last time a charity that I support phoned me asking for more money,
I politely explained to the pleasant sounding lady that I was already
giving as much as I could afford, and if they called again, I would
cancel my subscription to them.

I also found out that the charity had spent in excess of twenty grand
setting up the phone calls.

I've heard nothing since.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 09:38:28 +0100, John Williamson wrote:

I also found out that the charity had spent in excess of twenty grand
setting up the phone calls.

Yes, all to ring you for a fiver.

Does it matter how much they spend, so long as the end result gets more
in?

Is it better if they spend £500 and £1k, or if they spend £20k and raise
£50k?

On 29/08/2013 09:49, Adrian wrote:
On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 09:38:28 +0100, John Williamson wrote:

I also found out that the charity had spent in excess of twenty grand
setting up the phone calls.

Yes, all to ring you for a fiver.

Does it matter how much they spend, so long as the end result gets more
in?

Is it better if they spend £500 and £1k, or if they spend £20k and raise
£50k?

Except that the logical extension of that argument is that it is better
for the charity to spend £100,000 and raise £120,000 than it is for it
to spend £1,000 and only raise £20,000 because what ends up as cash for
the charity to spend on good causes is greater. £20,000 as against £19,000.

However the other £99,000 has still been raised from supporters even
though it has been paid out as costs and so it is money that is no
longer available for donation to other charities.

Adrian wrote:
On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 09:38:28 +0100, John Williamson wrote:

I also found out that the charity had spent in excess of twenty grand
setting up the phone calls.

Yes, all to ring you for a fiver.

Does it matter how much they spend, so long as the end result gets more
in?

Is it better if they spend £500 and £1k, or if they spend £20k and raise
£50k?

As this particular charity wants/ needs to raise millions, I'm not
fussed. I had actually told them not to ring me on my membership form,
many years ago, hence my comments to the caller.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

On 29/08/13 10:09, John Williamson wrote:

As this particular charity wants/ needs to raise millions, I'm not
fussed. I had actually told them not to ring me on my membership form,
many years ago, hence my comments to the caller.

The databases that charities use are all checked against the Telephone
Preference Service. Registering will stop most organisations from
contacting you. It doesn't stop organisations that already have some
sort of business relationship with you. It doesn't stop people calling
from outside the UK either.


--
Bernard Peek

On 28/08/2013 22:04, DerbyBorn wrote:
I am so ****ed off with charities such as "Shelter", RSPCA" sending
attractive student types asking me to sign up with a direct debit for their
cause. It really is having a negative affect on my view of their charities.


I once purchased some raffle tickets and am now on the British Legion
Poppy Appeal mailing list. Over the past 4 years the amount of begging
junk mail shots that I've been on the receiving end of must have cost
£100s. The net result is that I no longer support this charity.

--
mailto:news{at}admac(dot}myzen{dot}co{dot}uk

alan wrote:
I once purchased some raffle tickets and am now on the British Legion
Poppy Appeal mailing list. Over the past 4 years the amount of begging
junk mail shots that I've been on the receiving end of must have cost
£100s. The net result is that I no longer support this charity.

To drag this back on-topic, I bought something from CPC costing £2
(with free postage). The deluge of offer brochures has now started...

Theo

On 30 Aug 2013 00:39:59 +0100 (BST), Theo Markettos wrote:

To drag this back on-topic, I bought something from CPC costing £2
(with free postage). The deluge of offer brochures has now started...

Take of the glossy covers and the pages are good for lighting the
fire. Saves having to buy a newspaper. B-)

--
Cheers
Dave.

In message , Theo Markettos
writes
alan wrote:
I once purchased some raffle tickets and am now on the British Legion
Poppy Appeal mailing list. Over the past 4 years the amount of begging
junk mail shots that I've been on the receiving end of must have cost
£100s. The net result is that I no longer support this charity.

To drag this back on-topic, I bought something from CPC costing £2
(with free postage). The deluge of offer brochures has now started...

Likewise.

--
Tim Lamb

Theo Markettos :
alan wrote:
I once purchased some raffle tickets and am now on the British Legion
Poppy Appeal mailing list. Over the past 4 years the amount of begging
junk mail shots that I've been on the receiving end of must have cost
£100s. The net result is that I no longer support this charity.

To drag this back on-topic, I bought something from CPC costing £2
(with free postage). The deluge of offer brochures has now started...

I've not ordered from CPC for, I suppose, or year or so. I've just
realised that the deluge has stopped.

--
Mike Barnes

On 30/08/2013 10:13, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Fri, 30 Aug 2013 00:39:59 +0100, Theo Markettos wrote:

alan wrote:
I once purchased some raffle tickets and am now on the British Legion
Poppy Appeal mailing list. Over the past 4 years the amount of begging
junk mail shots that I've been on the receiving end of must have cost
£100s. The net result is that I no longer support this charity.

To drag this back on-topic, I bought something from CPC costing £2 (with
free postage). The deluge of offer brochures has now started...

Theo

After recently buying a couple of packs of mineral supplements from
Healthspan, I have received 8 100+ page glossy brochures in the post ...

Try re-labelling the brochures as *not known at this address, please
return to sender*.
Does anyone know if this tactic will or has worked? Will the sender get
charged for all of the returned mail?

On 30/08/2013 10:51, Bod wrote:
On 30/08/2013 10:13, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Fri, 30 Aug 2013 00:39:59 +0100, Theo Markettos wrote:

alan wrote:
I once purchased some raffle tickets and am now on the British Legion
Poppy Appeal mailing list. Over the past 4 years the amount of begging
junk mail shots that I've been on the receiving end of must have cost
£100s. The net result is that I no longer support this charity.

To drag this back on-topic, I bought something from CPC costing £2 (with
free postage). The deluge of offer brochures has now started...

Theo

After recently buying a couple of packs of mineral supplements from
Healthspan, I have received 8 100+ page glossy brochures in the post ...

Try re-labelling the brochures as *not known at this address, please
return to sender*.
Does anyone know if this tactic will or has worked? Will the sender get
charged for all of the returned mail?

If that doesn't work, why not simply relabel the brochures with the
senders address (obviously without a stamp). Even if that doesn't work,
at least you've used a post box to get rid of em instead of cluttering
up your own rubbish bin :-)