O/T Homelessness In Morecambe and Blackpool

[kill_the_drum]

It amazes me how people are so cold towards someone who is sleeping on the streets. I did the CEO sleepout last year to raise money for homeless people and it forced me to look deeper into that world. The Vast majority are people that suffer from mental health issues or have been victims of abuse, or have fallen ill so unable to work, or are ex services that haven’t been able to integrate back into society. The drink and drugs are often the result of being homeless, not the other way around!
Having seen the ‘life’ they have to endure sleeping rough, I can tell you 100% I would also turn to drink and drugs.

[i961pie]

How can you tell the real homeless people from the professional scrounger?
The authorities now say don't give them money but offer them a hot drink or sandwich.
A couple of years ago I was in Rome and this old ''disabled'' guy was begging, I was just about to put a couple of Euros in his tin when a police car pulled up and he dropped his plate and ran like the clappers. The coppers caught him chucked him in the back of the car and started knocking 7 bells out of him.

[sidders]

It's so difficult to guess whether the "homeless" are the genuinely homeless or just scroungers or something in between. We have only our experience of life to give us a guide. Sometimes, if they do look cold and hungry, I'll give then a pound or two but I'll tell you this - if they have a dog they won't get a penny or a second glance. That old cry for sympathy by having some poor shivering mongrel on a piece of string lost it's appeal years ago when homeless charities found themselves feeding the dog too. After public complaints they cottoned on and banned dogs in their homes.

I have seen people coming out of fast food places and offering burghers and pizza to these "homeless" only for the food to be refused as they would sooner have the cash. As the food is nearly always taken, only a cynic would say the others would prefer to spend that money on drugs - wouldn't they? - as the old advert used to say, "PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY, MY DEALER NEEDS A NEW CAR"

You've never been the same bloke since you did that degree course in Compassion & Caring, have you Laxative?

[LaxtonLad]

You've never been the same bloke since you did that degree course in Compassion & Caring, have you Laxative?

1st Class pass with honours, saddoes.

[DelroyFacey22]

How can you tell the real homeless people from the professional scrounger?
The authorities now say don't give them money but offer them a hot drink or sandwich.

It's that rhetoric that has people like that lad in tears because he's fed up of people wasting money on his 7th McDonalds of the day instead of giving him some money for something he could actually use though. They are still people though, if you don't want to give them money you can always ask what they need.

[forwardmagpie]

Homelessness is going up and up due to greedy landlords.

This always makes me smile

[LaxtonLad]

It's that rhetoric that has people like that lad in tears because he's fed up of people wasting money on his 7th McDonalds of the day instead of giving him some money for something he could actually use though. They are still people though, if you don't want to give them money you can always ask what they need.

Yes, Delroy, that's an idea that never occurred to me. The only things I think of is giving them money (which I do, sometimes) or food.
I have given up the pair of gloves I was wearing, and fruit, but I have never thought to actually ask them what they need. I have read elsewhere about giving them food and hot drink and I suppose anyone who isn't actually faint with hunger would get fed up with 7 McDonalds in one day.

[crazyfists]

Well **** you too, crazy, I’m not giving to just anyone who’s dossing in a doorway and you can shove your aggressive and superior rant up your hypocritical arse.

Ha ha well you're entitled to your views but I aint no hypocrite, every time I go to town for drinks, a meal, gig etc we always give all our spare money to the homeless. Trouble is there's so many that we run out before we can get through them all. When I got my first full time wage at 18 I gave a tenner to the homeless, I'm really no hypocrite. I was aggressive though so apologies about that seriously but your type of selfish pontification about how homeless people should be living is quite frankly nonsense. This **** them attitude will be the death of this country. Don't you think you should help anyone out you can? I believe it's everyone's responsibility to look after those less fortunate if they have the means. How do you know it won't happen to you, would you like everyone to have your attitude towards you?

Also as KTD stated alot of the people have serious mental illnesses and yeah a lot of them are ex forces or people just like you and me who have had a few bad things happen to them. You shouldn't really judge them until you take the time to understand the issues they have faced but saying "No they all go home to nice houses" or " No they spend it on drink and drugs" lets you off the hook in your mind.


I don't believe I'm superior to you either Laxton, I just would like people to care about others than themselves or immediate family. Each to their own though but like I say I hope it never happens to you as it's no "lifestyle choice"

[SmiffyPie]

Astonishing. What percentage of the homeless people in England do you think your first sentence applies to? I'd be really interested to know.

So many of them have led chaotic lives since childhood that becoming that person sitting in a doorway who people walk past, step over, pee on and even attack is almost inevitable.

Have a read of this https://www.crisis.org.uk/media/2367...lls_es2012.pdf for the stark reality...

Stop having a hissy fit. My remarks are not astonishing at all. I have seen the "career" beggars at work in Chester. I have seen several of them parking around the local council estate and recognised them as regulars in town. I personally know ex-squaddies who cannot adjust and have chosen to move around the country living hand to mouth. Get off your shocked high horse and read what I said. Take in the implication of the word "may" then temper that against "many, many". I am aware that the vast majority of rough sleepers/homeless are there for a reason not of their own making but if you are not aware of the other reasons for using the homeless label you are very naive.

[jackal2]

Stop having a hissy fit. My remarks are not astonishing at all. I have seen the "career" beggars at work in Chester. I have seen several of them parking around the local council estate and recognised them as regulars in town. I personally know ex-squaddies who cannot adjust and have chosen to move around the country living hand to mouth. Get off your shocked high horse and read what I said. Take in the implication of the word "may" then temper that against "many, many". I am aware that the vast majority of rough sleepers/homeless are there for a reason not of their own making but if you are not aware of the other reasons for using the homeless label you are very naive.

I can see the point you're making, Smiffy, and there's nothing wrong with calling out the "career" beggars because they actually undermine public sympathy and generosity towards people who have genuinely fallen on hard times and have no option but to live on the streets.