Famous, Rich and Homeless

[expatinscotland]

Anyone watching?

Hey Fishie, I work for a homelessness charity as well. Are you from Centrepoint then? I actually thought the programme was pretty good. I hope people saw it and it made them think, just for a minute.

Well, it's changed me.
Only watched the second half and I didn't recognise any of the people (although I guess I would have if I'd heard the intro).

I will admit to barely noting homeless people anymore. That's really bad. I don't think I'll ever do it again. The whole prog was obv v artificial but the point that well motivated, sucessful, bright people (with the exception of Lord Wankalot) felt so defeated, so quickly and couldn't eg get served in a cafe was very well made. And the Glaswegian man, he just seemed so 'up together' it didn't seem possible that he could have been homeless for so long.

Anyway my question, Colma & Fishie, is what is the best way to help these people. Eg if passing should you give some money, food or what?

I grew up in a city that had a problem with 'crusties' lots of homeless because it was an affluent touristy town. They used to make themselves vomit and were very abusive, quite scary. One of my classmates got mugged by some of them. There were also some rather suspicious big issue sellers. That problem has gone know but it didn't make you that keen to give them money! I do find eg a very drunken male quite intimidating though.

I have made friends with the local BI sellers in our local towns, particularly the guy Matthew who sells in Diss who my son adores. DS always looks out for him and shares his sweets with him!! I know to buy from them only if they have their official badge.

i think the big issue sellers are worthy, if you can afford it.

often i think, there but for the grace of god... or if not me, then some one i know.

hello coolma, no not cpt, but not sure i want to out myself completely

re how to help people. well i suppose really the best way is to give to charities which will help them.

and i suppose the woman who gave rosie boycott £40 was right, rosie was destitute and really needed that money. but it was an artificial set-up because they were actively avoiding services. we'll see what happens tonight.

I watched this with my 11 year old and it did open our eyes a bit - I was glad he (extremely over privileged living in a lovely bubble)got to see even a little bit of how some people live.

It did make me feel ashamed at passing people by, but I still have an issue with giving people money that they may well spend on drugs and booze (as most of the homeless people on the programme seemed to do) - so I still don't know what the best thing to do is - give food???

I think part 2 tonight looks at hostels etc

I don't usually watch stuff like this but started to watch it by accident and found it compelling.

It makes me feel very very ashamed that we live in a society that allows people to live like this. It's an absolute disgrace.

It also highlights the ever growing divide between the haves and have nots.

Many of us are vulnerable to homelessness. I personally feel quite vulnerable as despite having a relatively well paid job I do privately rent since divorcing, will be unlikely to be able to get a mortgage again for various reasons.

I would love to be able to give the dcs a permanent home.

On a wider note applying the free market to housing imo just doesn't work. The lack of affordable housing is also a disgrace. The property market does have winners but also has very many losers. You can be as careful as you like but things can still go very wrong.

I have always thought this since being a teenager and my experiences have borne this out.

The charity I work for is a day centre where we offer basic amenities like showers, toilets, breakfasts, advice, clothes just somewhere people who have been spat at and ignored all night can get a smile - we are part funded by the local councils but need an extra £130,000 PER YEAR to just keep our doors open. I would love for everyone in our town just to donate £5, that would keep us going for a good couple of years!
I was as bad as everyone else before I started working there, but it is so true what was said on the programme - we are all (well most of us!) a couple of steps away ourselves. I could go on for ages, but best stop now!

I've quite often spoken to homeless people when I've been out at night (and had a few drinks). One night I was very drunk, missed the last train from London Bridge to get home and was wandering around outside the station to find a bus or some way of getting home. I was lighting a cig as I walked past a homeless man and he asked me for one, I kind of threw it at him as I went by, and he called out for a light as well. I went back and he asked me why I threw the fag at him like he was a piece of dirt, and I apologised for that. Anyway, I ended up chatting to him for a bit, told him I was trying to get home etc and he offered me a place to stay in the squat he was living in down the road.
The whole experience humbled me a bit.

will be watching tonight with interest to see how it affects these 'celebs'

I've always been sure when someone asks for a fag that I give them one . I see it as the karma of fags: you give them freely, they'll come to your freely in your hour of need.

Im watching again!!

at last! a service.

Bruce does not seem to understand the concept of addiction! And seems to think it's all about him

this happened in the last series too. the visitors want to deliver an instant solution.

this bruce bloke is a bit ghastly.

I was really moved by the young man who liked the fact that strangers gave him a 'nudge' to check he was still alive.
We all walk past those rough sleepers dont we?

That was a poignant moment for me too MrsMcC - how DO we know if they're alive or sleeping?

woah!!

gosh. a john bird has rather blown his halo.

I will never forget the breakfast I had in New York with DH years ago. We sat at a breakfast bar and a guy came and sat next to us.

After I eaten my breakfast he asked me if he could eat my leftovers I didn't know what to say, I was so stunned that he asked me that. I said yes and DH left him some money.

I walked away from that cafe feeling so uneasy. In hindsight what I would have liked to have done is said no, he couldn't have my leftovers but he could have a proper breakfast of his own. We shouldn't have just thrown money at him but we should have given him some time and bought him a cooked breakfast.

I'll never forget him, I cried all the way to the public library.

dh used to make a policy of buying a meal a day for beggars - in india - wonder if anyone would do so for the homeless over here.

hey there are services you know. this programme just isn't showing them.

they spent hours and hours filming in my organisation and haven't shown any of it.

i am not surprised but it is a very very articifial picture of street homelessness.

Why is it superficial Fishie? What goes on that we aren't seeing?

there are outreach workers on the streets, places to get training and employment help, birth certicates sent for, benefits advisors, mental health and substance misuse support, things to do, food, showers, laundry.......

but i do applaud this programme for showing the reality of homelessness and giving homeless people a (limited) voice.

what did John Bird say that made them kick off? DD was stirring upstairs so missed that bit!

he told annabel to fuck off.