Snoo! Part Two!!

[Shambles]

A nice Lady of a Certain Age gave me a lift home in the cold and dark with bags of shopping earlier. No idea who she was but she apparently recognised me. Told me all about her son being made redundant and homeless. Got a lift home though :D

 

[eDDe9]

If you see her again, tell her son to call Shelter on 0808 800 4444 (I think that's the number)

They're more about prevention, but do a world of good. Its depressing how many people I speak to when I'm fundraising who have become homeless or have family who have recently and are now sleeping on friends sofas

 

[Shambles]

Thanks, but I think it was a lesser form of homelessness where he's just dossing about between jobs from what she said, Ed. Was one of those Ladies of a Certain Age who talk about their sons like that. He's three years younger than me apparently... Now working in a pub, so she said, so sure he's surviving.

On the broader topic, homelessness is one of the worst curses a man can be afflicted with. Did a fair few months homeless (mostly sofa-surfing but a fair few nights under the stars) and it is shit beyond belief. No matter how skint I am I always buy a Big Issue - even if thet are just going to drink or shoot the profits - cos they deserve the warmth.

Also, Shelter are great. They've helped me into some form of accomodation - or at least support along the way - on numerous occasions. Good people.

 

[eDDe9]

Shelter is who I'm fundraising for at the moment. Very good work, mainly the information they provide.

I just can't sympathize with mothers with 8 children complaining the council won't upgrade them from a 4 bedroom house to a 7 bedroom house, and then having a go at me because Shelter wouldn't help her. You'd imagine this is the minority, but everyone you call during the day aren't exactly going to be at work.

 

[Aros2k]

eDDe how much do you have to prove you are homeless to get a council place? I assume being in that state would jump you up the list?

 

[Shambles]

Have always supported Shelter for some reason. Probably cos it was the main charity shop on the High Street where I lived and almost everything I owned came from there. Suppose I sorta paid for the great advice and support I received in later life by buying books and boardgames and stuff as a nipper.

Homelessness is one of the very few issues that I actually put my hand in my pocket for. No matter how skint I am, I know it could be so very much worse so easily. Can happen so quickly too - really can happen to anyone anywhere anytime. Things have a habit of running out of control once they first turn to shit.

Aros: You have to prove that you are homeless to get the extra housing points. Homeless doesn't just mean sleeping rough, sofa-surfing counts as homeless too. Basically, if you don't have a roof over your head on a nightly basis than you are homeless.

PS: You would know the High Street of which I speak, Aros. Not sure if the Shelter Shop is still there though. Doubt it.

 

[Aros2k]

Shambles I will look out for it and if it is still there I will spend a couple of quid on your behalf and mine as your post has made me realise I don't think of the problem of homelessness way too much in these desensitized times, and will try to donate when I can or look/spend in the shop if I notice it in town tomorrow

Abington street/Drapery/Gold Street? None of them are anywhere near where I live or the other Northampton member so I wouldn't guess naming the streets of the town is against the rules as I am only sourcing shop locations, but delete if it is

 

[eDDe9]

Not for profit organization, sure we can have some leeway

Feel free to ask me any questions about Shelter or the extent of homelessness at the moment. The government reckon there's only 400 homeless people on any given night, but when they recorded that, they spent one night out in London at 11pm (who'd be asleep by then?) and counted people sleeping on the street. But if they were in a shop doorway, awake, or some other bullshit they didn't get counted.

 

[Aros2k]

400!? That is way way less than I would say if you include people who sleep at friends etc. Isn't there stats for how many people register homeless at the soup kitchen for a more accurate figure at least? Counting people on the streets seems such a council rather than charity method to take!

How much can you do to get people housing? Is there different levels (ie problems such as drugs) of homelessness that can make you a more urgent case?

 

[eDDe9]

The government reckon there's 400, the charity Crisis reckons there's more than 400,000.. I'd say there's a lot more now as that 400k is well over a year old

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_a..._live/council_waiting_lists/who_gets_priority

Shelter can help with drug problems and council you through it while helping you to find a place to live


Maybe this deserves its own thread in these tough times?

 

[Aros2k]

Thanks for the link and clearing up the figures information. The difference between the two figures is both shocking and astounding, how can the government get away with denying the problem to that extent?

 

[DS_]

Thanks for the link and clearing up the figures information. The difference between the two figures is both shocking and astounding, how can the government get away with denying the problem to that extent?

The same way they do with research. Mold an ignorant population.

 

[eDDe9]

The same way they promised to end homelessness by 2012 in Scotland, then cut the budget the following year.
Although, I don't know if you saw in the news in December, but thanks to Shelter's lobbying we got the govt. to introduce a 200m mortgage rescue scheme and bring forward 550m from their '3million new homes by 2020' budget to get a load of affordable housing built sooner.

The only thing is, people buy up this cheap housing, live in it for required 6 months then sell it on with massive increases.

 

[koneko]

Snoo snoo... niceness comes along in the most surprising ways, out of the blue literally. :D

 

[Aros2k]

The same way they promised to end homelessness by 2012 in Scotland, then cut the budget the following year.
Although, I don't know if you saw in the news in December, but thanks to Shelter's lobbying we got the govt. to introduce a 200m mortgage rescue scheme and bring forward 550m from their '3million new homes by 2020' budget to get a load of affordable housing built sooner.

The only thing is, people buy up this cheap housing, live in it for required 6 months then sell it on with massive increases.

Nice. Shelter is a charity I would like to work for- I worked for energywatch but after a time realised we had no real power and were just helping people too stupid to be able to phone up Npower themselves and I don't have a lot of sympathy for people who are that stupid to be honest

 

[eDDe9]

I don't work for them, I work for a fundraising company (for profit organization) who Shelter higher to raise them funds. Every £1 they spend, we give £3 back.

There's plenty of opportunities to become a campaigner, they'll email you stuff to do with writing to your MP and the like.. as a lot of their work is campaigning and lobbying while still helping individuals/families who need direct help

 

[Aros2k]

I don't have a lot of motivation to work for free to be honest but I will spend in the shop if I see it in town, or another charity if I don't, so i'll meet you half way there :D

 

[Shambles]

Snoo snoo... niceness comes along in the most surprising ways, out of the blue literally. :D

Out of the blue snoo is a good snoo. Enjoy Kate :D:D

Aros: Twas on Abington Street. Don't think the no sourcing rule covers the Shelter Shop

Also, great munchy shops on Abington Street even if no carity shop. Tis about a minute's walk from my old home - one of my many stomping grounds :D

PS: Every little really does help - buying a book in the charity shop counts just as much as signing up with Edde. Sounds like Edde is also doing Good Work though. Good stuff, Ed

 

[eDDe9]

Aros, it would probably be sending out a template email that you can edit yourself if you wanted too, within reason.

Unfortunately, buying something in the shop or even making a £100 one-off donation doesn't count as much as signing up with me. While these donations are of course vital, they make it impossible for the charity to budget their spending as they never know when and for how much these donations will be. They'd much rather take a smaller monthly donation such as £5-10 a month, or even a £100 but set up on an annual basis.

Although this is more relevant to emergency response charities such as the Red Cross because it always takes a few days for the news to filter through when an emergency happens, then a few more days for an appeal to be launched, then a few more days for the money to come in and clear. And by then, it can be too late for so many people.

I've been brainwashed.

http://www.intelligentgiving.com/ this gives a load of unbiased and interesting information about charities, and even tells you things like how much the top dog of each charity earns.

 

[masaz]

just been out to the new stables, and there's a reallllllly big hill nearby that was absolutely covered in a fine layer of snow. looked really really pretty :D