Helping the homeless in winter.
Discussion
Hi All.
I just came across a video of bikers helping people in the US and at one point they were helping the homeless and it reminded me that especially over winter it can get seriously cold here in the UK.
What with PH being such a great forum for our members where we so often have members go out of their way to help out each other I was wondering if there was any thoughts on maybe trying to organise a PH forum meet where we could go out on an evening during winter and donate blankets, clothes and a hot meal or drink to people on the streets to warm them up?
I don't know if this post is against forum rules but thought I would put it out there regardless. Your thoughts would be much appreciated.
I just came across a video of bikers helping people in the US and at one point they were helping the homeless and it reminded me that especially over winter it can get seriously cold here in the UK.
What with PH being such a great forum for our members where we so often have members go out of their way to help out each other I was wondering if there was any thoughts on maybe trying to organise a PH forum meet where we could go out on an evening during winter and donate blankets, clothes and a hot meal or drink to people on the streets to warm them up?
I don't know if this post is against forum rules but thought I would put it out there regardless. Your thoughts would be much appreciated.
Good to hear a few voices piping up for it. 
I was thinking of London as a central point as it would give people more opportunity to join in however it doesnt have to be exclusive others could organise meet ups more local to themselves maybe so they could have say a northern meet up as well and maybe one in wales and one in deepest darkest Southwest way..
I was thinking of London as a central point as it would give people more opportunity to join in however it doesnt have to be exclusive others could organise meet ups more local to themselves maybe so they could have say a northern meet up as well and maybe one in wales and one in deepest darkest Southwest way..I work in Manchester town centre and the amount of homeless people seems to have doubled over the last couple of years 
In the winter months when ever I buy a Starbucks (not every day) on my way in to work, I buy another for one of the regular homeless guys I see and he really appreiates it. I prefer to do this than give money.
In the winter months when ever I buy a Starbucks (not every day) on my way in to work, I buy another for one of the regular homeless guys I see and he really appreiates it. I prefer to do this than give money.Recently a building in Liverpool had a slope installed in the doorway of the old bank of England building. Purposefully to stop the homeless from sleeping in it.
There was outrage and a selection of homeless were interviewed by the BBC. After the interviews they were all offered shelter by the BBC and local council. They all declined it.
I have worked / volunteered in and funded "Soup" kitchens around the country before. Purely on the basis mentioned above that "some make there own bad luck, others have none". Unfortunately i came to the conclusion that most do make there own bad luck and worse than that, make it repeatedly. Most also have a room to go back too.
That said, you cannot tar all homeless with the same brush. And I'm sure you will, and i did help some genuine cases. typically these will not be the "regulars" though.
Just don't undertake this venture as some sort of festive feel good parade.
There was outrage and a selection of homeless were interviewed by the BBC. After the interviews they were all offered shelter by the BBC and local council. They all declined it.
I have worked / volunteered in and funded "Soup" kitchens around the country before. Purely on the basis mentioned above that "some make there own bad luck, others have none". Unfortunately i came to the conclusion that most do make there own bad luck and worse than that, make it repeatedly. Most also have a room to go back too.
That said, you cannot tar all homeless with the same brush. And I'm sure you will, and i did help some genuine cases. typically these will not be the "regulars" though.
Just don't undertake this venture as some sort of festive feel good parade.
Prizam said:
I have worked / volunteered in and funded "Soup" kitchens around the country before. Purely on the basis mentioned above that "some make there own bad luck, others have none". Unfortunately i came to the conclusion that most do make there own bad luck and worse than that, make it repeatedly. Most also have a room to go back too.
This... sadly.I've done some voluntary work over the years with homeless charities, and the general feeling amongst those using the services is that the overwhelming majority of those who are, literally, on the streets, are there by their own choices. A number have been refused shelter due to their violence, addictions, criminality etc, many also see it as a tax-free benefits top-up. There is a lot of support out there for the genuine down-on-their-luck people, admittedly it may be a room in a cheap B&B paid for by the council, but with an address comes the help to restart.
The sad truth is that some people just do not want help, and are there because they are content with sitting in shop doorways collecting £30 a day in loose change to keep them in roll-ups and special brew. They just couldn't live in a house on their own, and a few that have been housed in the South Cheshire area where I helped out, ended up being evicted for trashing the place and anti-social behaviour.
I volunteer at a local night shelter. I think your plan might need a bit of tweaking - you'd generally be working against what the local shelters are trying to do, which is to get people inside, into specific shelters where they can, if they want have a place to stay overnight.
Not all places have these, and not all people want to stay in a shelter. There's specific reasons some dont, and would rather take their chances in doorways or other areas, but on the whole the groups that try to help also try to provide a known and accessible place for people to go to.
Helping at one of those shelters might be a better use of your time?
Not all places have these, and not all people want to stay in a shelter. There's specific reasons some dont, and would rather take their chances in doorways or other areas, but on the whole the groups that try to help also try to provide a known and accessible place for people to go to.
Helping at one of those shelters might be a better use of your time?
andy-xr said:
I volunteer at a local night shelter. I think your plan might need a bit of tweaking - you'd generally be working against what the local shelters are trying to do, which is to get people inside, into specific shelters where they can, if they want have a place to stay overnight.
Not all places have these, and not all people want to stay in a shelter. There's specific reasons some dont, and would rather take their chances in doorways or other areas, but on the whole the groups that try to help also try to provide a known and accessible place for people to go to.
Helping at one of those shelters might be a better use of your time?
I was thinking the same. Would it not be better to donate those items to homeless charities who can distribute to the people that need them and are willing to accept help. I suspect helping out with your time where the charities need it will be a better resource to them. Not all places have these, and not all people want to stay in a shelter. There's specific reasons some dont, and would rather take their chances in doorways or other areas, but on the whole the groups that try to help also try to provide a known and accessible place for people to go to.
Helping at one of those shelters might be a better use of your time?
Challo said:
andy-xr said:
I volunteer at a local night shelter. I think your plan might need a bit of tweaking - you'd generally be working against what the local shelters are trying to do, which is to get people inside, into specific shelters where they can, if they want have a place to stay overnight.
Not all places have these, and not all people want to stay in a shelter. There's specific reasons some dont, and would rather take their chances in doorways or other areas, but on the whole the groups that try to help also try to provide a known and accessible place for people to go to.
Helping at one of those shelters might be a better use of your time?
I was thinking the same. Would it not be better to donate those items to homeless charities who can distribute to the people that need them and are willing to accept help. I suspect helping out with your time where the charities need it will be a better resource to them. Not all places have these, and not all people want to stay in a shelter. There's specific reasons some dont, and would rather take their chances in doorways or other areas, but on the whole the groups that try to help also try to provide a known and accessible place for people to go to.
Helping at one of those shelters might be a better use of your time?
I am pretty open minded about there where and how.
I like others point blank refuse to give money to people on the street as in most cases I feel they are there by their own hand but at the same time providing a hot meal or warm clothes won't kill me.
I will contact some groups over the next day or two and see what could be done to help them help others and see if there is a way we can turn it into a PH meet and help thing?
If you go to the south west corner of Lincoln's inn fields there are soup kitchens there every evening.
You could speak to them and ask the best way to help.
We used to keep an emergency stock of canned food at work in case of a zombie apocalypse, whoever it got close to expiry we'd give it to them.
Alternatively speak to the Salvation Army....
Back when I had a flash car I used to feel quite conspicuous driving through the area so I'm not sure how well a meet/donate-a-thon would work, however well intentioned.
You could speak to them and ask the best way to help.
We used to keep an emergency stock of canned food at work in case of a zombie apocalypse, whoever it got close to expiry we'd give it to them.
Alternatively speak to the Salvation Army....
Back when I had a flash car I used to feel quite conspicuous driving through the area so I'm not sure how well a meet/donate-a-thon would work, however well intentioned.
Edited by DJFish on Monday 28th November 16:25
DJFish said:
If you go to the south west corner of Lincoln's inn fields there are soup kitchens there every evening.
You could speak to them and ask the best way to help.
We used to keep an emergency stock of canned food at work in case of a zombie apocalypse, whoever it got close to expiry we'd give it to them.
Alternatively speak to the Salvation Army....
Back when I had a flash car I used to feel quite conspicuous driving through the area so I'm not sure how well a meet/donate-a-thon would work, however well intentioned.
Wasnt thinking of it as a flash car meet though that angle I suppose should be considered...Maybe we could make it a shed meet up. Everyone comes in their best? worst? shed.. Gulzar I suspect would need to be excluded as his shed would probably be a Panemera with millions of swarovski diamonds on it or something :-)You could speak to them and ask the best way to help.
We used to keep an emergency stock of canned food at work in case of a zombie apocalypse, whoever it got close to expiry we'd give it to them.
Alternatively speak to the Salvation Army....
Back when I had a flash car I used to feel quite conspicuous driving through the area so I'm not sure how well a meet/donate-a-thon would work, however well intentioned.
Edited by DJFish on Monday 28th November 16:25
If numbers are not too huge maybe we could go for a saturday afternoon drive. Drop the stuff or help out somewhere and then go for drinks/dinner (drinks will require designated drivers obviously)
I'd be happy to donate some cash if you get something set up for your area so I'll bookmark this thread, but can't do anything practical anywhere near me as there are no genuine homeless people in my region. Our local authority has around 200 empty homes for rent at any one time which none of the 'homeless' people are interested in.
It's a difficult one isn't it? I give some money to Crisis and I'd like to think that it did genuinely make life a little bit better for someone who has almost nothing.
My understanding of shelters is that there are often a lot of addicts and other potentially violent types staying there, and that the other homeless people actually feel safer not staying there.
The wife (and me) will often buy a cup of coffee and a sandwich for someone down on their luck, but deep down I think that's almost like buying out your own conscience.
My understanding of shelters is that there are often a lot of addicts and other potentially violent types staying there, and that the other homeless people actually feel safer not staying there.
The wife (and me) will often buy a cup of coffee and a sandwich for someone down on their luck, but deep down I think that's almost like buying out your own conscience.
Next mid-sized town along the coast from us has 7 homeless people. And 4 soup kitchens, causing problems by competing for the best spot. One soup kitchen in particular insists on plonking itself in a particularly scenic spot (in a town that relies on tourists for a hefty proportion of its employment) when round the corner would be just as effective. The kitchens, of course, also attract the housed and - it can be argued - by removing the need to pay for nutrition increases their customers' consumption of alcohol and drugs.
Our town of 150,000 people has about 8 homeless, most of whom I know by name. The majority are virtually unhousable, as mental ill health / drug / alcohol addiction / prediliction for Anti Social Behaviour means that they are evicted or lose their tenancy fairly promptly. Housing are desperate to do something with the especially vulnerable among them, but they have to engage. Not easy.
Probably the real housing crisis is the invisible one - teenagers sofa surfing, families in utterly sub standard housing, whether council emergency or rentals for six month periods. Appalling impact on children's physical health and emotional wellbeing.
Our mortgage payments on a four bedroom house are lower than the rental of a studio flat. Hell, we could rent a bedroom out for more than our mortgage.
Our town of 150,000 people has about 8 homeless, most of whom I know by name. The majority are virtually unhousable, as mental ill health / drug / alcohol addiction / prediliction for Anti Social Behaviour means that they are evicted or lose their tenancy fairly promptly. Housing are desperate to do something with the especially vulnerable among them, but they have to engage. Not easy.
Probably the real housing crisis is the invisible one - teenagers sofa surfing, families in utterly sub standard housing, whether council emergency or rentals for six month periods. Appalling impact on children's physical health and emotional wellbeing.
Our mortgage payments on a four bedroom house are lower than the rental of a studio flat. Hell, we could rent a bedroom out for more than our mortgage.
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