To say please don’t give money to the Christmas market beggars

[Nutmuncher]

This will seem controversial to some but as someone living in a City centre the Christmas markets attract high numbers of beggars, addicts and alcoholics.

Please do not give them money because it simply encourages them to keep coming back every year in larger numbers. It is frustrating to say the least when you see the same faces sat in the same spots day after day and visitors take pity on them without realising they’re only perpetuating the never ending cycle.

My advice is to instead donate to your local children’s charity or food bank to give to those struggling to provide who aren’t begging or feeding an addiction.

YANBU they’re just feeding addiction. There’s a man outside our Tesco store and I saw him get up and he had been sat on piles of sandwiches, he just got up and walked away. Leaving them all behind, squashed on the floor. I don’t think they like to say no to sandwiches, but hope you’ll give money. There’s only so many hot drinks you can go through too, they’ll need the loo which stops them begging.

They need proper help of which there isn’t any and even if there is, like an alcoholic they’ll carry on if they want to. Very sad.

Agree 100%. The average person is a few paychecks away from homelessness & there isn’t enough places to house everyone. God forbid they get a few pounds benefit from an overpriced Christmas market.

I remember interview with mother of drug addict who explained how well meaning folks actually kept him in addiction because they gave him money. He bought drugs instead of food and never really hit the rock bottom he needed to go to recovery.
She didn't blame the people, just wxplained how it often works.
I donate to local charity who do good work

What I find more infuriating is the what seems to be common theme in my area of charities trying to recruit monthly donations outside shops.

They struggle to take NO for an answer and are very, very pushy.

How many of these people have you engaged with. You clearly know a lot about where they are in life though i suspect you know absolutely nothing.

You seem to have a very simplistic view of a very complex problem which coincidentally fits your agenda to keep your town free of these addicts.

Most beggars are not homeless. Very few homeless people beg. very few homeless people steal. Thieves are not all homeless.
People get confused and give money to home owners in Manchester City Centre. I even know a man whos dad gave up work to BECOME a city centre beggar and makes a good living.
Support homeless people by giving to homeless charities.

Very similar to a homeless man I give money and/or food to for him and his dog. He will not abandon his dog so homeless shelters aren't able to help him.

Who is the OP to tell me what to do? Of course I will continue to give homeless people money. Even if some of them are not genuine most of them are. I don’t give food as it feels a be bit patronising to me, even if it goes on drink and drugs at least the recipient has a choice.

Some people are very gullible as many are not homeless and it’s a racket. Buy them food/drink or Give money to charity instead.

Are you able to distinguish them?

Are we allowed to support people who aren't homeless?

There’s a well known beggar in Glasgow City centre who used to pretend to be disabled. He walked up and down Buchanan Street with his face contorted, dragging a leg behind him & making a moaning sounds while holding out a cup at people. He wore ragged clothes and sometimes only had one shoe on. I had seen him loads over the years as I worked nearby.

Imagine my surprise to see him on my train home one evening - he was miraculously cured of all disabilities, had both shoes on and was casually chatting on his phone. It was definitely the same man.

Giving directly to people on the street doesn’t always help the people in real need. I give to trusted homeless and food bank charities.

I never give money to beggars on the street because it is almost impossible to know whether it is a scam or not.

I put regular donations into the food bank crates at Tesco and I do give to Crisis and/or the Salvation Army at Christmas and Easter. That way I at least have some confidence that most of the money is going where I intend it to.

Does everyone in these positions actually go to charities/ do the charities find them? I used to give the odd few quid and twenty euro at Christmas to a man I saw fold out cardboard and stuff newspapers. He was so grateful. I remember reading how he was found dead in a doorway, they described where he used to sit and the poem he had written in front of him to get money and I cried that he never got help

How many children has save the children, actually saved?

But you’re not helping by giving to beggars, you only perpetuate the problem in doing so.

If you wish to help those in need please direct your charitable nature towards your local food bank or women’s shelter where funds will be used to deliver real ongoing support.

But do you know that they get to keep your money? Are they being pimped out? Victims of modern slavery? It's a bit naive to think they're all just down on their luck but autonomous. Addiction leads to exploitation far too often.

No-one was ‘lectured’ advised at most….

Anyone who gives money to these people is doing harm not good. every single time*

If you give money to someone who is being trafficked then you are fuelling a trade which needs to be outlawed. Every time one of these people is given money the gangmasters justify their decision to run these rackets.

Every time you give money to a drug addict you are fuelling the drugs trade. The prostitution, the county lines, and yes, the afore-mentioned trafficking. Even if that’s by giving money to a genuinely homeless addict.

It’s one thing to buy someone a meal, although even in those instances you’re running a risk, a friend of mine did some outreach with a homeless organisation through the church, and they spoke to a woman who said that yes, people buy her a McDonalds, so she puts one of her hairs in it, takes it back inside and they give her the money for it.

That one’s a grey area I grant you, but it’s still not without risk, although the justification for doing so is greater.

If you give money to a begger you are either: fuelling one person’s addiction while lining the pockets of the dealers and the traffickers, or you’re lining the pockets of the traffickers if that person turns out to be part of a ring.

If you give money to a charity then you are helping many people, without the intervention of substances or threats.

From my experience of working with homeless people, i have to disagree with your rather preachy and black and white view of the situation

Thank you for sharing this. I don't come across BI sellers often but, when I do, I usually give them £20 (and don't take the magazine because I don't actually enjoy reading it). Funnily enough, the last two or three sellers did look like Roma. What a shame it's no longer what it used to be.

I agree op.
All charities who work for the homeless advise this same response too.
It gets on my nerves when you can’t go about your business without beggars and chuggers not to mention those working for energy companies/broadband etc etc hassling you everyday.
Sorry but I’m still fuming at the idiots from EE stopping me twice in the pouring rain whilst I was trying to collect my parents prescription from Boots and answer an important phone call.
Telling me to have a nice day when I told them twice that I am not interested in their bloody products doesn’t endear them to me either.
I’ve stopped speaking to anyone who asks for money.
Dd was approached at a railway station as she was using her debit card to collect train tickets. The beggar stood directly behind her blocking her way, and asked her for money. When she told him she didn’t have any he told her she could use her bank card to withdraw cash for him. After starting to panic a member of the public approached and told him to piss off or he would deal with him. Thank the Lord for men like this.
Stop encouraging these tramps!
It isn’t fair on those of us who have to live and work amongst them!
They can go to the local charities for help. They will house and feed them.
By giving them money you are giving to people traffickers and drug dealers.

This. Every time I go to local Morrisons, there are one of 5 people begging outside. Same I-AM-HUNGRY sign a pp mentioned. Two share an I have 3 children sign. I’ve every sympathy, I’ve no idea what has brought them to this, but in our city there is a lot of voluntary help available.
Far better to buy a pick up pack in the shop or donate direct to an established charity.
In fact I wish the shop management would prevent it. A lot of people are struggling right now and really don’t need that moral pressure every time they have to shop.

Food is better than money for drugs, but they generally have enough to eat

Yes, you could be supporting trafficked people by giving them money