famous, rich and homeless

23 Feb 2010

this was a prog i caught last night before switching the box off and i felt compeled to watch it

don't worry not whole prog just a bit about it
well it made me think i mean really think just how lucky i am even though it took time to get there my life has been fantastic really in the end
it started out pretty shit then found myself homeless and living rough luckily only for a few months then i got a slight leg up in the fact i got off thwe streets into a b & b then met my now hubby at the age of 17 and my life just got better and better now the point to all that babble is that watching that prog last night made me realise what a lucky escape i had
when i pass homeless on the streets it does make me stop and think and yes i do give to those begging as i know first hand that that few quid or pence in many cases can make a huge difference to your day
and i don't judge those that wish to use that money to buy their cheap cider or druhgs cause if i'm gonna be 100% honest here i wanted to get off my face the whole time too just to try and not have to face the reality of where my life was heading
as i sit here at my kitchen table watching yet more snow out of my window with game casserole cooking in my oven with my kids safe and sound in the room next to me knowing that later i will get a nice hot shower before switching on my electric blanket so i get into a nice warm bed to watch a dvd before drifting off to a very comfortable nights sleep i thank my lucky stars my life ended up the way it did as i know for fact that others that were living rough around the same time as me are either dead or still doing so
so i urge you if you get the chance to catch this prog at any time please do so as it will hopefully open some closed eyes to the plight of way too many people in this country

23 Feb 2010

Well done hunni for everything you have achieved in you life so far ... I know that you didn't start this thread for pats on the back but really, you do deserve one!!
I also cannot walk past a big issue vendor without buying one ... If I'm in a rush, I tell them that I'll get one on my way back and I always do!!
It really annoyed me the other day ... I was in Brum and was on my way to get the train home which I missed so I went and stood outside to have a fag and there was this guy selling the big issue. I have met him and spoken to him a few times before and he's a really nice guy. It appalled me to see how many people didn't even acknowledge his presence!! They just walked past as if he was the scum of the earth. He told me that he had only been in this situation for 5 months. Anyone could end up there with a run of bad luck and personally I feel that it is terrible to look down your nose at anyone ... but why kick someone when they're down ffs.
I asked this guy if he gets any help at all from the government and he said no because he is working (selling the big issue). If he was not working he would be entitled to next to nothing anyway. It's disgraceful!! He generally spends his earnings to get a roof over his head for the night and a small meal (if he makes enough). Such a shame, he's such a nice guy.
I will continue to buy the big issue (which has gone up in price this week so the vendor gets an extra 10p per copy sold) and if I already have one I will give any spare change I have.
What annoys me is when you see so many houses boarded up which could be a roof over someones head.

23 Feb 2010

Quote by Kaznkev
Well done Bouncy ,especially for retaining your compassion and empathy
Kev works with vunerable homeless and whilst part of his job is to support rehabilitation he often sayss given the life stories of those he work with he can appreciate why they choose the oblivion offered by drink and drugs.
If people could just remember every rough sleeper they see has a unique story that has led them to where they are they might have more sympathy

Major respect to Kev.
When I was younger I considered a career in a similar area. I did a month as a volunteer in a shelter in Birmingham. That was enough to tell me I wasn't cut out for the work, and that I should be grateful every day that my life has been as lucky as it has.

23 Feb 2010

I have a feeling this programme may be a repeat, and if it is, I may have seen some previously. Not this time around though.
When I saw the programme, my instant reaction was; "oh no, here we go, another celeb 'empathy' programme, how is this going to help anything?"
However, I do feel that there was a genuine empathy from some of the participants, and definately from the producers/makers of the programme.
I saw the stories of some rough-sleepers and hostel dwellers told ably and free of "heart-string tugging" nonsense from thier own perspectives. The bad-luck, bad-start, wrong-choice scenarios that can so easily effect any one of us, and lead us down a road that can be dehumanising at the very least.
yes, use the celebraties if needs be, get people to see how life can so easilly go "wrong" (I use that word advisedly)
What you may realise you are looking at is immense sence of survival, tenacity and a very deep and strong sence of self to enable those amongst us in this situation to not only survive, but to struggle on, and out of a very vicious and dark cycle.
I've been very lucky myself, and have heard the stories and shared the victories of quite a few people who chose to not only turn things around, but actually faught a long battle to regain a 'life' that is recognised by others against many obstacles. Not least themselves.
I'm not going to suggest this should have you all dipping in your pockets to help, I don't give regularly myself, not with any moral or ethical standpoint anyway... but I have my reasons for that (spontenaity rather than 'cause')... what I would urge you to do though is watch and listen...
the person in the doorway is no "less" than you.
lp

23 Feb 2010

I am in the habit of buying the Big Issue. The guys who sell it in Derby city centre are all genuine (as far as you can tell on the street) and I always have a brief chat. I know that sounds patronising - it isn't meant to be.
The point is, these guys aren't begging, they are working. And I got chatting to a BI supervisor and he told me he had started on the streets and he and plenty of others had worked their way off the streets. And he's dead strict about sellers being clean and sober or they get kicked off their patches.
I know we have all heard of people stealing BI's off benches and fraudelently selling them, or sellers going straight to the drug dealers. But there are far more honedst sellers than there are wrong 'uns. And I certainly wouldn't walk by someone obviously makeing an effort cos I had heard of others swinging the lead.
It's true that everyone on the streets wants to get off them, and they all have unique histories. But there seems to be a theme - they were all let down by someone/something. Maybe themselves if truth be told. But I truly can't (and don't want to frankly) imagine how horrible it must be to wander the streets and not be able to go anywhere. No home, no matter how awful, just a choice of this doorway or that.
I just wish we (the lucky ones) felt safe enough to offer our spare rooms to the people we pass on the streets. I've thought about it - and always thought that's not a safe thing to do - what a horrible world we live in sometimes.

24 Feb 2010

wow ty guys i thought i might come back to find some "they put themselves there they have no one to blame but themselves " threads but no
its good to see that others do try to feel empathy for those in that situation but i do think there are still way too many that just ignore the fact you see them walking past preteding not to see doing everything in their power to find the building on the other side of the street incredibly interesting
lp is right about the prog i was worried it would be the usual celebrity self promotion crap but they actually seemed to start to see things through the eyes of the homeless and i can honestly say it awakened some old memories for me about how it felt
i was one of the very lucky ones i didn't spend many nights actually on the streets i was mostly in a squat and quite a few nights in a shelter and being a girl got a seperate room all to myself whereas the guys slept in a dorm clutching their belongings for fear of having them stolen during their sleep
its very degrading living like that having to eat in soup kitchens, scavenging in bins at the back of supermarkets for food (and the freegans think they invented that one rolleyes

) picking up long dog ends for a smoke begging for money from strangers or even worse from friends actually that was the worse to see friends try thier hardest to avoid eye contact in the street for fear you was gonna ask for money
now i'm not looking for sympathy and you would be insulting me to give it so don't think that of me i just want people to stop and think because we all are just one pay packet away from a life on the streets
so stop. look around at what and who you have and thank your lucky stars that life is good even if it doesn't always feel that way it actually really is good be thankfull

24 Feb 2010

Quote by Ms_Whips
i saw the first episode of this when it was first aired. i was looking forward to seeing it to see how they would deal with the challenges. there was a lord such-n-such who was a complete arse and stayed in hotels and got angry at the program makers for finding him out. he made a mockery of what the program was trying to do. i did think that some of the celebs were trying to take it seriously while others were very lame considering they were only going it for such a short time compaired to the people who have no choice.
i buy the big issue, i've also given the money to my son and he has gone and bought it too. i think though that alot of people were jaded about giving as at one time (in doncaster) alot of people were begging as a job. i'd heard them talking about it on the buses, best places to go, how much they had got, tricks of the trade and so on. these people weren't homeless, just taking advantage of people's kindness. in the end i stopped givening money. instead i would buy them food and a coffee, or food for their begging tool, a sad looking dog. it still beats me why anyone who can not feed themself would have a dog but i suppose if they had the dog already when they became homeless but again, in doncaster, there was a spate of people begging with dogs.
i'm not going to judge anyone for drinking or taking drugs, sometimes anything to escape and all that. but i would hate to think i had funded it. i'm also amazed at how many smoke who beg too. you'd think food and shelter would be more important. again this is why i started giving food and a hot drink instead.
anyone can end up in a situation that renders them homeless and anyone who can survive it and change their situation has my deepest respect. i also agree that lottery money should not go to the arts, let the toffs fund their own entertainment. it could be much better used for hostels and revamping run down houses for the homeless. they can do it for the imagrants, why not our own people?
whips

quite often the dog is a stray and person and dog kinda adopt each other kindred spirit type stuff and most deffinately a companion situation as it is a very lonely existance trust me
as for the begging as a job those people need to be strung up by their little toes n flogged it makes a mockery of those that have no choice and i have to admit i could pick out someone who was genuine from a fake its all in the ingrained dirt and the eyes there is no mistaking the eyes
and i totally agree with the lottery funding we need lots more shelters and soup kitchens and charities to help the homeless help themselves out of that situation,they don't want it handing to them on a plate but to be given a bit of hope that you can escape it would make all the difference and yes i do know there r quite a few that don't want to change that like the annonimity of the life on the streets but there are so many many more that would give anything to have a fresh start at life
and great to see you back whips btw missed ya hun kiss

24 Feb 2010

Quote by Ms_Whips
i saw the first episode of this when it was first aired. i was looking forward to seeing it to see how they would deal with the challenges. there was a lord such-n-such who was a complete arse and stayed in hotels and got angry at the program makers for finding him out. he made a mockery of what the program was trying to do. i did think that some of the celebs were trying to take it seriously while others were very lame considering they were only going it for such a short time compaired to the people who have no choice.
i buy the big issue, i've also given the money to my son and he has gone and bought it too. i think though that alot of people were jaded about giving as at one time (in doncaster) alot of people were begging as a job. i'd heard them talking about it on the buses, best places to go, how much they had got, tricks of the trade and so on. these people weren't homeless, just taking advantage of people's kindness. in the end i stopped givening money. instead i would buy them food and a coffee, or food for their begging tool, a sad looking dog. it still beats me why anyone who can not feed themself would have a dog but i suppose if they had the dog already when they became homeless but again, in doncaster, there was a spate of people begging with dogs.
i'm not going to judge anyone for drinking or taking drugs, sometimes anything to escape and all that. but i would hate to think i had funded it. i'm also amazed at how many smoke who beg too. you'd think food and shelter would be more important. again this is why i started giving food and a hot drink instead.
anyone can end up in a situation that renders them homeless and anyone who can survive it and change their situation has my deepest respect. i also agree that lottery money should not go to the arts, let the toffs fund their own entertainment. it could be much better used for hostels and revamping run down houses for the homeless. they can do it for the imagrants, why not our own people?
whips

uummmm, i can see how a genuine person and a stray hook up together, comfort and maybe added warmth for each other on a cold night. it's such a shame though that others took advantage of what they had seen. the people i am talking about called themselves 'newage travellers' and live in a disused quary not far from where i live. they are not homeless and infact the site is a registered site too so a legal address. these were the ones who were begging instead of working and had the dogs as begging tools. untill i got to know them by site from being on the bus i was fooled. they were filthy but by choice. if i wasn't sure that's when i'd give for the dog.
and thanks kiss

whips
no thats just wrong tell u wat hun how bout i string um up n u do the flogging whip

27 Feb 2010

un-heard of, poor and live in humble circumstances.
Plim lol