William and the Big Issue

[DollyTubb]

I think this is one of the reasons the BRF are important whatever your views, their support can, and does, have a huge positive impact on issues.
www.bigissue.com/news/housing/prince-william-wants-to-give-the-next-generation-less-chance-of-being-homeless/

Screen shot from The Big Issue

Just waiting for the snarky comments to begin .

Some people just can't help themselves! But the RF do so much more than sparkly formal events. And a lot of it goes unnoticed.

It's a very important issue.

I hope he does succeed in doing something about it - though I must admit to being sceptical.

Is this a goady post? That article is 2 years old.

Well spotted. Must admit I had my doubts 😆

I live very amicably with the homeless of Victoria day in and day out (he was in Victoria). There is a large shelter nearby, I use Pimlico tube and shop at the local Sainsburys local- so I never ever leave my house without encountering someone who is homeless. They know me and I know them- like all the local residents.

Housing isn't the major issue.

He could make the offer tomorrow to pitch the tents in Buckingham Place during the summer - only half a mile away. If he could put some portaloos in Buckingham Place or St James that would be great- lack of toilet facilities during the tent season is a major issue.

Buckingham Palace and James's Palace don't belong to William. Or to the King. Neither of them has the power to authorise tents and portaloos in the palace grounds.

Clarence House would do.

They are in trust- however if the monarch wanted them I am sure that it wouldn't be an issue. The Queen allowed Boris to walk his dog in the grounds allegedly and so I sure that Charles could put a few toilets in for the homeless

Portaloos seem to be ok when it is the coronation but not when homeless women have no toilet facilities.

@MartyFunkhouser @smilesy no it's not a goady post. The article may be old news but it highlights how much the RF do behind the scenes. There are a lot of posts which diss the RF as doing very little, but you only have to dig a bit deeper to realise they do so much more. Eg Princess Anne and Riding for the Disabled. King Charles and Dumfries House. William is still championing the cause of reducing homelesness.

I understand that a day -was very much over stating the time that he was there!

It was discussed at length in the local park at the time. People were very mixed but most agreed that the issues are very complex, housing is only a part and that selling the Big Issue isn't the answer!

That's the press reporting, but regardless of the actual time the main factor is that he highlighted an urgent social problem and got it in the public domain.

It is a very complex issue and any public figure using their platform to reduce homelessness should be applauded.

As the article is 2 years old we have the benefit of hindsight. Does anyone know how homelessness has improved since? What was the impact of the actions of the royal family?

He didn't do it behind the scenes, it was reported by all of the major news outlets at the time.

Surely homelessness is a political issue and the royals should be staying out of politics. We all want an end to homelessness but it is going to be politics who decides whether or not to do anything about it.

I didn't realise it was 2 years old.

I wonder what has been achieved..

I am not sure it can simultaneously draw attention to a cause and be behind the scenes

I tend to think that his new initiative, I think it's called Homeward? is a more effective solution than selling The Big Issue. He is working with existing charities who understand their local issues.

I found it difficult to understand exactly what Homeward does in practice. The website is full of bland assertions about "forming coalitions" and "galvanising action" but is a little light on what exactly that involves

It's been going for a while but if you look at the news page, what it mostly seems to list are either William publicity or it convening some meetings. The only concrete (no pun intended) thing involves some Duchy of Cornwall housing which sounds great but very small scale (24 homes) - it's better than nothing but it's not going to fix the homelessness crisis

I know they said it's a five year project but right now I don't see signs that it will have achieved anything in particular by the end of the period.

If he really went for it with more use of the land he and his dad own, it could really be force for good.

Of course it would be great if he can make an impact on this issue but I will believe it when I see it

If he really went for it with more use of the land he and his dad own, it could really be force for good.

The Duke of Cornwall doesn't own the Duchy outright. He can't do as he pleases with it. And anything he did want to do, would be subject to the same planning laws as any other development.

Of course he would need planning permission but if he is doing these 24 homes, there's no reason he couldn't do more

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-68330944

Of course he would need planning permission but if he is doing these 24 homes, there's no reason he couldn't do more

And you don't know that he isn't or won't do more.

He has been Duke of Cornwall for less than two years.

I would be delighted if he does solve the issue.

I am just a bit sceptical

That's the nub of it, isn't it?

People want to see instant results, whereas Homeward is working to a longer timeline.

And of course homelessness isn't just about bricks and mortar. And although the people that Homewards is getting round the table could all have been working together anyhow, it seems they can't have been (or there would have been no space for the Prince to act) and the soft convening power of the RF should be used in this sort of way.

I have repeatedly said that I understand that they have set themselves a 5 year timeframe.

I just think in 5 years we will find that they held a lot of meetings and got William a lot of publicity.

But I would be incredibly happy if they solve the issue.