About this homeless person?

[MrsCK]

I met someone at the village pub last week. We got chatting about books and seemed to click. I hugged him goodbye and he assured me I'd see him again. We had really good conversation.
I live in a very small high house price village. I'm under 30 with a mortgage and have a naice house down a private lane.
I found out when this man left that he lives in the meadow opposite me in a tent. Has done for a couple of years.
I feel so conflicted. I feel guilty that I have so much to someone who has so little. I feel like I should help...but how and should I? I guess I feel privileged and that sits uncomfortably with me. So aibu to approach him or leave some hot food in his tent?

How about see if you can find out more about him first?
Perhaps he chooses to live like that? I know someone who lives in an old bus by choice.
If it's not by choice, does he work? If not, I'm sure he'd appreciate a job more than a hot meal here and there. It's that whole 'teach a man to fish' thing.
I've spoken to a few of the homeless around my city and they all have a lot of pride which I was (very wrong for thinking this) surprised at. I feel terrible when I realised how wrong my assumptions had been.

Ask him what would help him most. Then listen to him.

I buy meals for the homeless people I come across in day to day life and always ask them what they'd like rather then just grabbing anything and assuming they'll be grateful. They always seem touched I asked. I think it makes it more balanced than just dishing out charity if that makes sense.

Who owns the meadow, how is he permitted to live there?

I think that would be a bit presumptuous and rather humiliating for both of you if it turned out he was some sort of eccentric hippy millionaire who owned the meadow and half the village and lived there by choice. Find out some more about him first. Then, if he needs and wants help, you will be in a better position to know what form that help should take.

Why don't you just get to know him? It could be terribly humiliating for him if he finds out to think of him as some charity case. Maybe he likes living in a tent? Maybe he doesn't but trying to rescue him without even finding out about him would be extremely rude and patronising.

Just get to know him more, like with any other person you might meet in a pub. You could be great friends.

I know someone who lives in a tent on his own land. He was refused planning to build a house but was told if the land was inhabited in a temporary structure for xx number of years they would allow him to build on it.

Perhaps it's the same for the chap you met? You should get to know him better before offering any kind of help though.

Thanks all. It's private land and it is the type of village where someone could own a lot or even some of it so it's entirely possible. I'll befriend him and see :)

This sounds like the start of a good book!