Homeless at New Year

[mermaidsal]

It's the coldest winter for years, the recession means many people are struggling badly and homelessness is a major problem in this supposedly affluent and caring country. It's easy not to think about it or believe it only happens to druggies and alkies who 'ought to be able to help themselves' but that's just not the reality. The bottom can fall out of anyone's life, through domestic violence or the loss of a job for example.

If you can spare just a few pounds, ARCH is a LOCAL charity helping LOCAL people get their lives back on track. It's not big, it's not glamorous but it does really important work, please add your support if you're in a position to.

xxx
Sally

www.archnorthstaffs.org.uk/index.aspx

www.justgiving.com/archns/donate

[StokieMatt]

i really cant be bothered read all these posts in reply to this ;D

[mermaidsal]

Well, maybe a few have donated but not posted to say so...

[rhodesy]

I donated tin food to our shelter near us. The Charles Thompson Mission

Also on Christmas Day drove past a drunkard tramp and gave him some beer money

[isaaccox]

thanks for the donations.i'm just wondering what to do with my £2.47.

[soicowboy2]

Why do tramps always have such well looking dogs?

[PenkhullStokie]

Just got my dad give a 5er, although it might be a bit late as it s past new year now.

Nice to know it'll help someone out there.

[FrostySCFC]

Homelessness is a massive problem, and growing ever-rapidly. I haven't given to the above I'm afraid, but I have donated to The Wallich Clifford organisation. I had some close links with them when I lived in Cardiff.

I believe that due to Rage Against The Machine getting to number one this Christmas, this helped raise over £66,000 for Shelter.

[thekingsransom]

Dec 30, 2009 8:45:55 GMT @soicowboy2 said:

Why do tramps always have such well looking dogs?

Because they fill them full of spunk at least twice a day

[mermaidsal]

Jan 4, 2010 0:02:33 GMT @thekingsransom said:

Dec 30, 2009 8:45:55 GMT @soicowboy2 said:

Why do tramps always have such well looking dogs?

Because they fill them full of spunk at least twice a day

Only on GDB ;D

[ersaurebot 1, 000, 000 views]

Hi Sally,

This is something that has been on my mind all Christmas and anyone living in Stafford is welcome to contact me as i have organised a meeting (predominantly for churches but anyone can come) to see how we can help them.

I went out last night and found a guy sleeping rough (it was - 6) . Went back this morning, got him some breakfast and tonight he's in a caravan by church with a fan heater. He's a lovely guy, no alcohol dependancy or owt, just had a bad time of it. It can happen to anyone.

[jason]

ersaurebot - that's very kind of you, but I have to ask, would you not help someone with alcohol dependency? Do they not deserve help either? Even if they keep going back - people must still continue to help. I ask everyone, if you will - to listen to this poem spoken by jim reeves. And I tell you, as mother Teresa said, people seem to think poverty is having no food - but I tell ya it isn't. Loneliness is the worst. I guess you have to experience it to understand - but still you have no right to judge and criticize.

Here's the poem - please listen. You may just understand what it's like:

[lordeffinghamhunt]

Donate money so that they can buy a few tins of wife beater and some drugs!

Last year I was up Newcastle and there were two " Homeless people" scrounging each end of that high street which has the market on. Later I saw the very same Homeless people changing into new clean clothes and getting into a new car!

And you want me to give them money????

[Rebelliousjukebox]

Jan 6, 2010 12:35:33 GMT lordeffinghamhunt said:

Donate money so that they can buy a few tins of wife beater and some drugs!

Last year I was up Newcastle and there were two " Homeless people" scrounging each end of that high street which has the market on. Later I saw the very same Homeless people changing into new clean clothes and getting into a new car!

And you want me to give them money????

An expert on homelessness Eff?

Let's dissect what you've written here shall we:-

"Donate money so that they can buy a few tins of wife beater and some drugs!" - shock horror, they might spend it on food or a cuppa! Or yoy could buy them a sandwich and give them that.
- in any case, what Sal's proposing is donations to a local charity that provides support for homeless people, not giving money to beggars; ergo the money would not be used to buy alcohol or drugs.

"Last year I was up Newcastle and there were two " Homeless people" scrounging each end of that high street which has the market on. Later I saw the very same Homeless people changing into new clean clothes and getting into a new car!" - based on ONE case of fraudulent begging you appear to have seen you assume that ALL rough sleepers/beggars are fraudulent.


"And you want me to give them money????" No, it is being suggested that people might consider donating money to a homelessness charity you idiot, not to any individual.

You have plumbed new depths of unthinking prejudice, but I suppose it is to be expected from you - good job there are others who can think of people less fortunate than them, and who show some compassion.

[ersaurebot 1, 000, 000 views]

Jan 5, 2010 16:57:50 GMT jason said:

ersaurebot - that's very kind of you, but I have to ask, would you not help someone with alcohol dependency? Do they not deserve help either? Even if they keep going back - people must still continue to help. I ask everyone, if you will - to listen to this poem spoken by jim reeves. And I tell you, as mother Teresa said, people seem to think poverty is having no food - but I tell ya it isn't. Loneliness is the worst. I guess you have to experience it to understand - but still you have no right to judge and criticize.

Here's the poem - please listen. You may just understand what it's like:

scfc - why do you try and read summit into what i said that is clearly not there, i was merely trying to break the common stereotype that anyone who is on the streets is dependant on alcohol or drugs.

The fact that he isnt means that, actually, a long term solution shouldnt be that dificult to find and thats the tradgedy.

Of course everyone deserves a helping hand though, regardless of your situation and regardless of your past.

Let he who is with no son, chuck the first stone at him

[mistersausage]

Well said sal ... Arch do an excellent job and in my old job I used to work closely with them. They really do make a difference to people who have very little or nothing at all.

[Rebelliousjukebox]

Jan 8, 2010 20:12:32 GMT @mistersausage said:

Well said sal ... Arch do an excellent job and in my old job I used to work closely with them. They really do make a difference to people who have very little or nothing at all.

I also used to work closely with them in my previous job and wholeheartedly endorse these comments

[myleftboot]

I used to do a lot of volunteering for Arch and had a big hand in organising their "sponsored sleep out" around 2 churches a few years ago.

A brilliant charity who do great work in both homelessness and domestic violence.

[Dr. Doofenshmirtz]

Why dont they just make igloo's out of the ice? homeless problem sorted, move over gordon brown, you're my bitch now

[jamlander]

Well here's a stange one Sal, I come on to this board to find what you've done to the Lord Eff thread only to find that there's a thread of interest on a local homeless charity which I've been pondering over for a couple of weeks - thanks for the info.

And surprise, surprise it's got Lord Effs approval - is this why you've really banned him?

[jason]

Jan 8, 2010 14:26:02 GMT ersaurebot 1, 000, 000 views said:

Jan 5, 2010 16:57:50 GMT jason said:

ersaurebot - that's very kind of you, but I have to ask, would you not help someone with alcohol dependency? Do they not deserve help either? Even if they keep going back - people must still continue to help. I ask everyone, if you will - to listen to this poem spoken by jim reeves. And I tell you, as mother Teresa said, people seem to think poverty is having no food - but I tell ya it isn't. Loneliness is the worst. I guess you have to experience it to understand - but still you have no right to judge and criticize.

Here's the poem - please listen. You may just understand what it's like:

scfc - why do you try and read summit into what i said that is clearly not there, i was merely trying to break the common stereotype that anyone who is on the streets is dependant on alcohol or drugs.

The fact that he isnt means that, actually, a long term solution shouldnt be that dificult to find and thats the tradgedy.

Of course everyone deserves a helping hand though, regardless of your situation and regardless of your past.

Let he who is with no son, chuck the first stone at him

I only asked. I never made an assumption.

And it's: "let he who is without sin, cast the first stone"

"I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

[mermaidsal]

Hey don't argue, donate!!

[mermaidsal]

Unpinning this now, but that's not because homelessness will suddenly go away. And Arch will still be there and in need of support. Please don't forget this is a problem all year, this year, next year and sadly for plenty of years to come.

Thanks everyone who helped, directly or indirectly, and thanks RJB for your help setting this up.

xxx