The Homeless

Agree. Except begging is illegal regardless of being homeless.

The old cruel to kind mantra, giving cash to beggars does not address the long term root cause of begging or homelessness. People should donate to charity instead. My opinion anyway. Neither begging nor homelessness will be helped by giving direct to a beggar.


Depends on your definition I guess. There are people that have somewhere to sleep but is not their home, such as a hostel.

There are no way 200 rough sleepers
Begging is illegal but better to target the scam merchants
 


There was a lass begging outside of the B+M store on the Wheatsheaf retail park yesterday..was a bit strange as she seemed to know a lot of people by name who were knocking about.
 
Agree. Except begging is illegal regardless of being homeless.

The old cruel to kind mantra, giving cash to beggars does not address the long term root cause of begging or homelessness. People should donate to charity instead. My opinion anyway. Neither begging nor homelessness will be helped by giving direct to a beggar.


Depends on your definition I guess. There are people that have somewhere to sleep but is not their home, such as a hostel.

There are no way 200 rough sleepers
Because of the homeless charities.

I’m not sure what your point is to be honest. Poverty is a problem, look at food bank usage

I read something last week that the average amount people have in savings in the U.K. is £150 and some ridiculously high number of people are one interest rate hike from not being able to pay their mortgage
 
There was a lass begging outside of the B+M store on the Wheatsheaf retail park yesterday..was a bit strange as she seemed to know a lot of people by name who were knocking about.
She’s usually there with a bloke , not homeless. For a while there was a younger lad with ginger hair begged there but I heard he had died a few weeks ago
 
She’s usually there with a bloke , not homeless. For a while there was a younger lad with ginger hair begged there but I heard he had died a few weeks ago

That's the first time I've seen her..she asked everyone..i mean people with kids..old people..a lass who seemed to know her went and asked if she'd eaten or if she had enough for a McDonalds..i rarely go into the town but was alarmed at the number that have appeared over there now.
 
Its a total scandal and disgrace that the many avenues of support you mention for the disadvantage, were taken away by this government. The cuts in education and services to local communities has had devastating impact for many.
For a country that is supposed to be one of the wealthiest in the world, we have got some priorities totally wrong. Quality of life and even life itself are becoming less important, as long as we have nice looking city centres for the well off to enjoy and councils and politicians to brag about.


I watched this video a few years ago and it really moved me. If only more people would listen to the voice of homeless people.

I watched the video earlier this morning. Thanks for posting it. I think one big problem is that homeless people don't have a voice. We're embarrassed by their humiliation, if we have a conscience. If we lack conscience, it seems we treat them as if they're sub human or as if they don't exist.
Paul Farley wrote a poem, based on a true event, called "Tramp in Flames". Here's a link, if you're interested:
 
That's the first time I've seen her..she asked everyone..i mean people with kids..old people..a lass who seemed to know her went and asked if she'd eaten or if she had enough for a McDonalds..i rarely go into the town but was alarmed at the number that have appeared over there now.

Aye they’ve been there a few months , she usually begs and the bloke just wanders around watching her to make sure she’s ‘grafting’
 
Because of the homeless charities.

I’m not sure what your point is to be honest. Poverty is a problem, look at food bank usage

I read something last week that the average amount people have in savings in the U.K. is £150 and some ridiculously high number of people are one interest rate hike from not being able to pay their mortgage
That's a fragile situation to be in. Walking a tightrope without any training and no safety net beneath you.
 
I watched the video earlier this morning. Thanks for posting it. I think one big problem is that homeless people don't have a voice. We're embarrassed by their humiliation, if we have a conscience. If we lack conscience, it seems we treat them as if they're sub human or as if they don't exist.
Paul Farley wrote a poem, based on a true event, called "Tramp in Flames". Here's a link, if you're interested:
Power poem that.
 
There was a lass begging outside of the B+M store on the Wheatsheaf retail park yesterday..was a bit strange as she seemed to know a lot of people by name who were knocking about.

A lot of the homeless people and Big Issue sellers in Bristol are at the same places all the time. The locals get to know them, and many locals make sure that they are looked after. In those cases, it's hardly surprising they'll know regulars by name. Our local Caffe Nero lets the Big Issue seller always outside there use one of their outdoor chairs; others make sure they get cups of tea and get some food in them. If you want to find out if someone is genuinely homeless, offer to buy them a cup of tea or a sandwich. Someone genuinely homeless will take that offer gratefully.

If you think he's bad, wait till you see his sister....

The lovely Annunziata, who is 40 years old, and apparently joined the Conservative party in 1984. At the age of 5? Looks like a certain carelessness with facts runs in the family.
 
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A lot of the homeless people and Big Issue sellers in Bristol are at the same places all the time. The locals get to know them, and many locals make sure that they are looked after. In those cases, it's hardly surprising they'll know regulars by name. Our local Caffe Nero lets the Big Issue seller always outside there use one of their outdoor chairs; others make sure they get cups of tea and get some food in them. If you want to find out if someone is genuinely homeless, offer to buy them a cup of tea or a sandwich. Someone genuinely homeless will take that offer gratefully.
I was walking with a cup of coffee once and noticed a homeless bloke so offered it to him as I passed. He spat in it and tried to give it back :lol:
 
I was walking with a cup of coffee once and noticed a homeless bloke so offered it to him as I passed. He spat in it and tried to give it back :lol:

That's how you tell the druggies and alkies from the genuine cases. There were a couple of genuine ones near us who the council tried to get an injunction on to move them on. They were so well liked, the locals opposed it for them.
 

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