THE charity business is a tough one.

Hundreds of worthy organisations vie for our attention and, most importantly our money every day of our lives.

In the space of the past month alone, I have received appeals from at least ten separate charities through the post.

Each of them has a powerful story to tell. Virtually every one of them kindly encloses a pen with which I can fill in the direct debit or standing order to my bank.

Emotionally-draining television advertisements - particularly those supporting animal and children's charities - tug at the heartstrings.

Walk down any High Street or through any town centre and earnest young bib-wearing people representing national charities will ask you to spare a few minutes of your time and hope you support them through similar monthly payments from your account.

Some, it has to be said, can be more earnest - and ultimately irritating - than others and it's clear that more and more people are becoming less and less prepared to give some of the so-called charity muggers' the benefit of the doubt in the name of charity.

Of course, the tactics differ and a firm, but polite No thank you' may not work with some of the more insistent individuals.

But I do find one thing very odd.

Why is it that we allow such emotional and sometimes physical appeals - one made the mistake of blocking my path during a particularly vigorous power walk through Bournemouth recently - in our town centres, while charity collectors and Poppy sellers regularly working the same streets are not even allowed to shake their tins?