‘I was sleeping in laybys’ article

[dabhand]

From Crisis.org.uk

“The expert view from within the homelessness sector is of a multi-faceted and complex issue. Homelessness presents itself in a range of ways, has a complicated range of causal factors, and requires a comprehensive reform agenda for solving it. With this in mind it is easy to see why communicating the issue effectively is problematic.

It is fair to say that no single homelessness organisation or advocate has the ability to control public discourse on the issue. It is also regrettable that to date, the homelessness sector has not coordinated its communication efforts; we have been more likely to compete for media coverage or fundraising attention.”


Rather than seek to blame a particular Political Party, it seems clear to me that the general public need to get off their arses and do something about it and to speak with one voice to convince all of their local MP’s to do something. Many of us tend to ignore the issue, or maybe just put a pound in the tin to appease our conscience, why not check to see whats being done in your local area to combat homelessness and, no matter how small a contribution, see what you can do. In our local area we were able to donate clothing and blankets during the winter, not an ideal answer but at least practical for the interim. Nuff said!

 

[Floydster]

Homelessness has always existed regardless of which political party has been in power, they've all had the opportunity to eradicate it......
none have.

 

[Northernraider]

So lets make a start with you what have you done

Sorry not allowed to get political so like many threads on here theres no point replying


Ill just stick my head in the sand like everyone else and say " someone should say/do something "

Aka " im all right jack sod you"

 

[scally]

indeed but not right eh, in my local Coffee shop (a well known brand) there is a guy who had been 'down on his luck' Sofa surfing etc The manager and management team knew he was having a hard time and they gave him a chance, the guy works hard 6 days a week. They helped find accommodation for him with a housing association along with the management the staff also supported him, he now manages that branch and have to say he is looking a lot better these days and is a nice Guy.

A company that really helps people and gives them a chance is Timpsons and they do a great job in helping people back in to Society everyone deserves a chance, everyones personal biography is different and many of those who's life has been given a rough hand can turn around and become productive citizens we all respect and have a pint with.

Sadly they can also bite your hand off. Does make you cynical

 

[scally]

The one people keep voting for. 10 years of austerity , social welfare cuts , no building of affordable homes, promoting wealthy to buy properties to rent out etc etc etc .

Theres absolutely no reason for people to be sleeping in doorways etc in what was the 5th richest economy ...

But while everything for profit remains and grows it will get worse.

Even simple steps like not using self serving checkouts etc would send a message to businesses but people don't really care

Sad you brought politics into this. Suffice it to say its been going on for many, many years under all governments

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[scally]

Does that include man tits?

I got them

 

[Langtoftlad]

many years under all governments

...and all countries.
Even the accepted socially aware countries (Nordic) have a problem.

It also has to be accepted that a minority of the homeless do not want to be "homed"...

Obviously we could do better, but never eradicated.

 

[Tombola]

Sorry not allowed to get political so like many threads on here theres no point replying


Ill just stick my head in the sand like everyone else and say " someone should say/do something "

Aka " im all right jack sod you"

If everyone who blames someone else did something about it and maybe, just maybe took one person in the problem would be less.
It is a complex problem which every country in the world suffers from , hence blaming groups, society or individuals in sweeping statments never works.

I let a homless guy sleep in my MH on back for about 6 weeks a few years ago when it was the real bad winter, he was grateful, did some chores through the day (unasked) and kept the van spotless. Id be doing jobs on a weekend and hed often help, felt strange as he was quite well spoken, older than me and had held good jobs in the past. Said he woudlnt go back to that life for love nor money.
God knows where he is now, he went down south after thanking me and was gone. He had been a local regular homeless guy for many a year round here and was quite well known, but never to be seen since...maybe I upset him

 

[Ivory55]

If everyone who blames someone else did something about it and maybe, just maybe took one person in the problem would be less.
It is a complex problem which every country in the world suffers from , hence blaming groups, society or individuals in sweeping statments never works.

I let a homless guy sleep in my MH on back for about 6 weeks a few years ago when it was the real bad winter, he was grateful, did some chores through the day (unasked) and kept the van spotless. Id be doing jobs on a weekend and hed often help, felt strange as he was quite well spoken, older than me and had held good jobs in the past. Said he woudlnt go back to that life for love nor money.
God knows where he is now, he went down south after thanking me and was gone. He had been a local regular homeless guy for many a year round here and was quite well known, but never to be seen since...maybe I upset him

Should we be bothered about them, may be they had a low paying job and could not make it, because as I was told cream rises to the top.

 

[Bilbo Baggins]

Remember these van dwellers in Bristol a couple of years ago? Are they still there?

In the US, we see similar scenes in areas of most major cities. My news clipping service for "RV's" sends me newspaper stories about street evictions and new parking rules in US towns and cities nearly every day of the week.

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The Bristol van dwellers were given another spot, out of town, with no neighbours. There seems to be just as many, and the site looks awful. But as the saying goes 'out of sight, out of mind.'

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[CazPaul]

That debate could go on forever but the national debt has increased about 5 fold during this austerity. Not to mention the destruction of manufacturing , steel , mining , ship building etc done by conservative prior to the labour you speak of.

All sound bites ...now its the fishing and farming being killed off.

When will people just admit the fact the Tory party only cares about the very wealthy and they always will.

So any attempt then at sympathy for the poor etc is wasted.


Clap for nhs but give them 1% pay rise at least here in scotland they gave 4% ....

If you've never watched the film im daniel blake it gives a very good insight to the way things are now




Another thing ill never understand is why england thinks there are only 2 political parties ....if you don't like labour or tory then heres an idea ....try someone else ...maybe the greens or summit

It’s 1% more than they have given support workers and care workers Tam, the forgotten heroes some of whom moved into the homes for weeks last year.

Totally forgotten now financially. You’ve done a good job now go away.

 

[Boris7]

I used to employ a guy who lived in a caravan long term, his name was Reject, people often felt sorry for him, but he was very happy with it, he finally met a lady and they decided to buy a house. So they bought a 5 bed detached for which he paid cash, he then put his caravan behind the double garage and lives in it.

He‘s loaded and just doesn’t like houses.

I also know a guy who full times in a MotorHome and hates it, his life took a wrong turn and following a divorce and unemployment due to covid he had no choice, but our industry is coming back and he has plans

 

[Northernraider]

Sad you brought politics into this. Suffice it to say its been going on for many, many years under all governments

Its political..therfore impossible not to bring politics in to it.

All about priorities , look after the rich as they provide better incentives , sod the poor they are an inconvenience.

Lets face it if it wasn't for charities most would be dead .

Food banks , shelters etc

 

[Northernraider]

It’s 1% more than they have given support workers and care workers Tam, the forgotten heroes some of whom moved into the homes for weeks last year.

Totally forgotten now financially. You’ve done a good job now go away.

Yep ...i agree

 

[Larby]

Who needs a lay-by ?

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[Tombola]

because as I was told cream rises to the top

Ill ignore your silly reference to the other post you got shot down in.

maybe thats what happened...but also remember this, he didnt have a pot t piss in and never "stole" anything from me, so that also shoots that point down too that you made about low earning people more lilkely to be thieves

 

[Ivory55]

maybe thats what happened...but also remember this, he didnt have a pot t piss in and never "stole" anything

As far as you know, but then you would say that. Haha

 

[Northernraider]

The Bristol van dwellers were given another spot, out of town, with no neighbours. There seems to be just as many, and the site looks awful. But as the saying goes 'out of sight, out of mind.'

I suppose another way of looking at it is every bit of land in the uk is owned by someone....only problem is at somepoint in history someone decided just to take that land and claim it as theres. So theres technically few places those not wishing to live like everyone else can go.

Now we can argue the rights and wrongs of that all day ....but people dont choose to be born ...they just are and from birth they are forced and programmed to conform to a society they may not wish to be part of but other than suicide really dont have much choice. I personally think thats unfair. Theres a lot of good people out there that simply want to live a different life from those always chasing money , working till they die , never getting anywhere etc .

The older i get the more i feel this way myself. Ive no desire to ever live in a house again ...but i also cant afford to pay ridiculously high campsite fees nor do i want to live on a campsite as it has exactly the same problems living in a house does.

I dont fully agree with the all property is theft statement but i think its crap that centuries ago you could go be a hermit if you chose but these days you would be hard pushed to be left in peace.

We had a guy living in an old tent in a woods near here for a good couple of years ....then the council removed him last summer ...

No idea where he is now ...but he was doing no harm whatsoever.

 

[Northernraider]

Ill ignore your silly reference to the other post you got shot down in.

maybe thats what happened...but also remember this, he didnt have a pot t piss in and never "stole" anything from me, so that also shoots that point down too that you made about low earning people more lilkely to be thieves

Its sadly the way it is ....poor = lowlife in many people's eyes



Ive more time for people with nothing than flash gits who think they deserve respect. And that goes for every celebrity there ever exsisted , royalty , millionaires etc etc ...no time for any of them

 

[Hirsch]

That debate could go on forever but the national debt has increased about 5 fold during this austerity. Not to mention the destruction of manufacturing , steel , mining , ship building etc done by conservative prior to the labour you speak of.

All sound bites ...now its the fishing and farming being killed off.

When will people just admit the fact the Tory party only cares about the very wealthy and they always will.

So any attempt then at sympathy for the poor etc is wasted.


Clap for nhs but give them 1% pay rise at least here in scotland they gave 4% ....

If you've never watched the film im daniel blake it gives a very good insight to the way things are now




Another thing ill never understand is why england thinks there are only 2 political parties ....if you don't like labour or tory then heres an idea ....try someone else ...maybe the greens or summit

'I Daniel Blake' is a great film

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[Tea Bag]

Hi.
Local Parish councils. Hand full of people turn up once a month,20 mins public question/answers.No taking notes or recording allowed. Get involved there......................................................... Bet you soon stop going. But as said,if the whole of the people in the villages combined turned up,as happened once,the 20 min rule had to be extended and things got sorted. NO GOOD complaining from the outside,if you feel so strongly about it " Join in"
Tea Bag.

 

[Grummyb]

I genuinely believe some of these people chose to live in converted buses and vans and the like, some even chose to be homeless a lot will have mental health issues and I guess lots will be drug and or alcohol dependent and no matter what government gets in these people will always be here

 

[Northernraider]

'I Daniel Blake' is a great film

It is but its incredibly sad and unfortunately incredibly true

 

[Langtoftlad]

Even 'common land' is owned by somebody, and there's no right to camp.
However, every licensed, taxed & insured vehicle is allowed to park - except where proscribed.
Apparently there is nearly a quarter of a million miles of roads in the UK, so it should be possible for a van lifer to park somewhere for a day or so...
The problems arise when they want to park somewhere specific or not move on after a couple of days.
But we can't all have everything we want.

 

[Northernraider]

I genuinely believe some of these people chose to live in converted buses and vans and the like, some even chose to be homeless a lot will have mental health issues and I guess lots will be drug and or alcohol dependent and no matter what government gets in these people will always be here

They do


I choose to live in mine ...im not homeless im houseless and despite not sounding it ive never been happier. I don't miss a house or stressful job in the slightest.


But just because many choose to ...many others don't ...they simply have few other choices.

Many homeless are there because they were abused or have illnesses and cope easier on their own ...some are just discusted with society in general...or have no trust of it

Ill ignore your silly reference to the other post you got shot down in.

maybe thats what happened...but also remember this, he didnt have a pot t piss in and never "stole" anything from me, so that also shoots that point down too that you made about low earning people more lilkely to be thieves

This always makes me think .....as i too have been guilty of doing this. ...its worth a read

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[Floydster]

Should we be bothered about them, may be they had a low paying job and could not make it, because as I was told cream rises to the top.

There is a saying

"There but for the grace of god go I"

You never know what is waiting for you around the corner, you may think you're earning a good living, in good health, enjoying life and in a happy relationship, when out of the blue your job, health or relationship may all go pear shaped.
.
That could lead to mental health issues, lack of money, ability to work. Which could mean that you could become homeless and have to find other accommodation.

Don't anyone think "that couldn't happen to me", because believe me it very easily can.

You'll also find that several homeless are ex-service, unable to fit into 'civvy st' or may be suffering with mental health or ptsd issues.
They were good enough to serve for queen and country!

So don't be too quick to judge as you don't know what story lies behind anyones situation.

I think we "should be bothered about them" because anyone of us could become one of "them".

 

[Tombola]

This always makes me think .....as i too have been guilty of doing this. ...its worth a read

after my own heart, goes along the lines of buy local if you can when you can.

Similar to when (Im sure lots of us) go out and bout in our vans, when finding local maybe home made produce, I and lots of others try and spend.

It back fired one day, we were driving through an estate on holiday n the car with the kids once many moons ago in USA...and various "garage sales" had been going on over the weeks.
I jumped out with my 3 boys after seeing a young lad sat out front of his garage with all his toys and general gear spread out from the emptyish garage....., I wandered round and thought yeah, how much for these 2 kids bikes pal, (thinking they could use them for the week and then take em back to the kid to sell again)
The kids shouts Daaaad, out he comes, oh no he said we are just having a tidy up

haaaaaaaaa...comon lads

 

[Tombola]

I choose to live in mine ...im not homeless im houseless and despite not sounding it ive never been happier. I don't miss a house or stressful job in the slightest.

perfect ! doing what suits

 

[Tombola]

There is a saying

"There but for the grace of god go I"

You never know what is waiting for you around the corner, you may think you're earning a good living, in good health, enjoying life and in a happy relationship, when out of the blue your job, health or relationship may all go pear shaped.

dont take what he said as gospel, he was just having a little dig at me about another thread, Im sure he doesnt mean it (maybe)

 

[Hirsch]

It is but its incredibly sad and unfortunately incredibly true

Agree. I cannot get started on this subject. I'll be back in Coventry. And Coventry really is grim. A lot worse than Hull.

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