And whats the summer been like for you?

hot…

Beanie cellars has an ample supply of coffee today… and, I do believe some chocolate muffins have magically appeared…  Happily we have company to help us munch them, as one of our volunteers has popped in out of the rain.  

Lets see what she has to share with us today.

We often go walkabout in town, and the number of homeless people we see seems to be more every time we visit.  The new ones sit, eyes cast down and obviously scared to make contact.  But we have made some friends amongst the 'regulars', although it takes a lot of time and a gentle approach to gain their trust!

Today, we went over to speak with Mike...

Jemima spots us first, she always knows who her friends are. Tail wagging, an expectant look in her eyes, excitement growing as we draw nearer.

Our Volunteer continues…

She lies at the feet of Michael, the bond between them both is strong. Jemima gets the first hello and a huge lot of fuss before I see Michael’s face.

Michael is young, mid-twenties. He has a cherubic face and grins readily, displaying his rotted teeth. He’s often hunched over and doesn’t easily make eye contact until he knows you’re on his side. His face and hands are weather worn, more suited to an old man than the boy before me. His ripped and dirty top now familiar and almost a part of him. He sits, as ever, in the same place, his few small bags beside him and his only comfort, a ripped and tattered blue sleeping bag.

He’s softly spoken, shy and very polite. He doesn’t like asking for anything so wants to earn his keep. He borrows a friend’s iPad and plays Magic Piano in the hopes of a few pence, a sausage roll or a bottle of water.

He hasn’t done well today. 19p sits in his pot. I hand him a small carrier bag with a few essentials, ‘presents’. Of course, the most excited he gets is for the dog food and dog treats, it’s always about Jemima. He was scared today, very scared. He has no money left, he and Jemima haven’t eaten and the shops are soon closing, there will be nobody left around to notice him.

We talk, he’s a good conversationalist. In another life, he’s be the bloke everyone likes and wants to spend time with.

The last time we met, he’d told me how it had rained so much lately that he’d not coped well. Today, he spoke more about that problem.

“The rain brings out the hard nosed people, or it makes them hard nosed. Nobody wants to stop in the rain, they rush past.”

Our rainy summer has brought a lot of hunger for Michael. He told me of how there was a period of time last year when he and Jemima were “…starving, so starving”. He managed to get a little food but there wasn’t enough to share, so he gave it all to Jemima and went without. He tells me this as he is ripping off bits of his cheeseburger for Jemima, even though she has dog food and sausages. It’s become a habit, he shares with her without a second thought.

Rain and hot weather are the times he suffers most. People assume that he’s ok in the summer, that he needs nothing because it’s not cold. He’s hungry, he’s lonely, he’s in need of clean clothes and a shower. In many ways, he copes better in the winter, people are kinder. The cold weather brings out their compassion. There seems no logical reason for this.

Michael talks a lot about being invisible, about people simply not seeing him. This seems to be the hardest aspect for most homeless people. Yet, this invisibility happens whatever the weather and seemingly more so during the summer. Whenever you stop to talk to Michael, you can bring food, clothes, toiletries, whatever you do, he always thanks you for simply stopping to talk. Nobody stops in the rain, nobody glances at him during the summer.

“What would make it easier for you during summer?” I ask. I asked this same question the last time we spoke, he gave the same answer.

“Hydration.” 

He struggles, as we all do with keeping hydrated in hot weather, but trying to find water can be an impossible task. Water. A commodity we take so for granted as it drips from our taps and we spend too long in the shower or, during those summer months, simply splash it on our faces for some instant relief.

Michael, like all homeless people I’ve met, doesn’t ask for much. He doesn’t ask for new shoes or a room. He asks for water. He asks for people to see him.

I look around, bearing in mind the invisibility. I see people looking and smiling at us spread across the pavement eating and drinking. 

They are smiling at me.

Nobody makes eye contact with Michael, nobody says hello to him. They don’t see him and I don’t understand how that’s possible.

“In the summer, I can sit here for 6 hours playing this before I get a single penny or anything to eat”. He says that has happened too in the snow, but it’s almost normal during warm weather.

I can see Michael is exhausted, he watches as the streets empty and the shops close up. It’s time to part ways until next week. A hug and a request that he looks after himself is responded to with, “I’ll be OK, I’ve got you.”

I reluctantly leave him, look forward to getting home to a cup of coffee, a comfy seat and relaxation. And of course, water. All the water I need, it’s here all year around. 

Thank you to our lovely volunteer, and thanks to Michael for sharing.

Life is hard on the streets in summer.  People don't think about what its like to sit in the heat all day and worry about getting a drink of water.  Or sit in the rain, and see the chance of a few pennies for food become an impossibility.

Here at Beanies we try to raise awareness of the problems faced by our homeless friends.  We work with outreach charities, helped by donations through our webpage.

You can find us on Twitter as @beanies_masato, or, if you would like to look at our web page, you can follow this link

http://www.masato.co.uk/collections/masato-homeless-support

Thank you for your visit!

You can't be homeless… you got a JOB!!

but you can be homeless and working…

Beanie cellars has that Friday feeling today, but it will soon wear off!

We open the door to Charlotte who, with guide dog Layla curled at her feet, has some thoughts to share with you!

Over to Charlotte...

Hello again everyone.

I'm back to talk to you about something rather odd.

How can someone be homeless but have a job?

How does that happen?

Well, I was homeless. Living in a hostel, as you know if you have read my other posts here.

I also had a job at the same time.

It was not a great job but it meant I was not on benefits. I was not stuck in the hostel all day. I had somewhere to be at a set time. I had money in my pocket.

The problem was I did not have enough money to put a deposit down on a private property or for a mortgage. So, I had to wait for social housing. But I am under 25. So I am not seen as a priority even though I had nowhere else to go. So, I was in a hostel - homeless but working.

Sadly there is a real stigma attached to being homeless, and to having a hostel as your address.  I had to keep where I was living a secret from most people at work.

When some people found out they reacted as if I was not human.  They simply didn't really understand. Some of their words were very hurtful. 

Others were kinder.  They did not react as if this was a bad thing. They did not treat me differently but respected that I was looking after myself and coping with a difficult situation whilst not letting it take over my life.

Sadly, these were the few.  The majority were simply unkind, even to the verge of bullying.

With the increasing amounts landlords and letting agencies want for deposits if you have nowhere to go. E.g. moving out of student accommodations, house burnt down, tenancy ending… etc… It is almost impossible to get that money together no matter how hard you try. 

So even though you are employed you cannot get a place to live. Then you must hope that the local authority takes pity on you and gives you a place to stay or a friend comes up with the offer of a sofa to surf. Neither are great options but it is better to keep up appearances at work than living on the streets where food, water and being able to wash becomes harder to access.

Unfortunately, it does become harder to not just keep a job when you are homeless. It also becomes harder to apply for work to get out of that situation. If you don’t have a job already when you are made homeless there are very few people who will employ someone who is homeless no matter what the reason. This is because many people believe that it is your fault you are homeless. But as we know this is not usually the case.  They often say it on the Beanies site, but we all should remember that everyone can be ONE event from loosing their home.  Job loss, bereavement, serious illness, family breakdown, debt or abuse - they can all prove the tipping point.  For each and every one of us.

So do not be surprised if you find out a co-worker is homeless, in a hostel or sofa surfing. This is because finding a place to live is hard work and very expensive and it gets harder. That is why it is called a crisis.

Be kind to them and offer up your sofa if you can. Make sure they are safe and if you hear of someone looking to rent out a spare room let them know!

Thank you Charlotte, and we do appreciate that you share your thoughts and experiences with us.

You can find Charlotte on Twitter as @blindseyeview

Here at @beanies_masato we share information about homelessness.  We try to defuse the stigma and consequent abuse attached.  And we sell stuff to support our homeless friends via our Twitter outreach partners.

You can find our current sale items on this link

http://www.masato.co.uk/collections/masato-homeless-support

Homeless? Well it's a lifestyle choice ... Isn't it?

A choice? Would you chose?

Beanie cellars is often busy, our friends visit, comment, contribute... They often share thoughts and coffee with Sue over the Blog table. You may remember in our last blog Charlotte talked about attitudes..

HOMELESS - It means different things to different people. 
Sometimes there is empathy, "There but for fortune..."
But often it is 

"Worthless" "Useless" "Con men" "Working the system" "Fakes - they gotta home, begging is just a job for them" "Drunks and Druggies" "Not worth my time"...

Today Team Beanie welcome Dave Kennedy from Huddersfield Change Project 

Again we look at what 'homeless' means.  

Over to Dave...

There have been many occasions in the last year where people have messaged me or the team, or stopped us in the street, and uttered the words "They're not genuine".

Genuine. Rather than try to dissect what constitutes "Genuine" and what doesn't, here is a description, as concise as I possibly can, of what to us constitutes "Homeless".

A homeless person is quite literally someone without a home to call their own. A rough sleeper, like those we have helped at 5am in sleeping bags under bridges, doorways and in car parks in Huddersfield, is homeless.

Someone who sits on the street with a hat by their side and a bag of belongings, is Homeless. This includes if they are going "Home" to a friends house, a relation, to a crack house, to a derelict building or to a tent. It's not a home, it is somewhere to stay. 

If they are known drug addicts, alcoholics, or both, they get our help. Because they're Homeless. We don't give cash out, ever, because we can't be responsible for funding their addictions. It would be partly on our backs if they overdosed using money we gave them. But we can and do and WILL give clothing, food and essential items to them, regardless of whether they are sleeping rough or sofa surfing. They're homeless.

Someone staying at a hostel is homeless. The Hostels are excellent, they have fabulous staff and facilities and we have some excellent ones in Huddersfield. But they're a stop gap, a Halfway House where these people can stay while they are moved on to their own house or flat. But they're still homeless. 

If we see someone sitting in town during the day or evening that we know are staying at a hostel, we help them. 
Because they're Homeless.

It takes time to gain trust

People sit in the streets for all sorts of reasons. After 8 months of daily visits, conversations, trust and friendship-building, we know these people well. We ask around, we research their background, we talk to the other groups. We find out why they're there.

And in those 8 months, out of probably 35 people we have got to know on the streets in our area, 2 of them have turned out to be begging for money to fund a habit and then go home to their own place. Two. Out of 35. And even then, we help them with snacks etc and try to point them in the right direction for some help with their issues.

The other services in place have been excellent.

So have we. Because we've formed a network with the support groups available.

But, the people we deal with, they're Homeless. And, to try and encourage people NOT to ask if they're genuine or not, we use the term "Less fortunate" as well as "Homeless" in our title.

Please, remember, that unless these people have a permanent address, they are Homeless. 

If they are staying somewhere or are in the care and support system, they are still Homeless.

And that's why Huddersfield Change Project, and several other well-known on-street groups like us, are here and are needed.

And, as well as being homeless, these people are human. One of the people we help won't sit out on a Sunday because he is a Christian and he believes in the Lord's day. One of them has bed and breakfast accommodation but needs two other meals a day. One of them is put out on the streets to beg because they're female and the public sympathise more. She returns to a house every evening where she pays £2 a night to stay there. It's not a hotel or a hostel. It's a squat.

Please, think carefully before casting judgement on someone sitting or sleeping on the streets. They're there for a reason. And so are we. If you think they're funding a habit, don't give them money. Give them food, give them support. Give them a smile.

I guarantee they'll all smile back -

Because they're human.

Thank you for reading 💕💕.

Dave Kennedy is the Founder and Co-ordinator of the Huddersfield Change Project.

The Huddersfield Change Project came into being to bring direct support to people sleeping rough or living on the streets of Huddersfield. What started as a twice-weekly visit to the town has turned into a daily Outreach round, bringing drinks, snacks, meals, clothing and essentials to anyone in need. They are non-judgemental and will help anyone in need. 

You can find them on Facebook 

facebook.com/HCPKENNO

Or on Twitter as @HCPKenno

They rely entirely on Public Donations​, and are now bringing support to Manchester as well as Huddersfield, and are looking to work in other towns close by soon.

Thank you Dave, some things that we shouldn't forget.


You can buy things to support homeless outreach at our 
Twitter site, where we are @beanies_masato
Or via our page at

http://www.masato.co.uk/collections/masato-homeless-support

This article appeared previously on the HCPKenno Facebook site in June 2017
Picture posed by non-homeless model.

HOMELESS ISN'T INVISIBLE...

Or does that depend on where you look?

The lights are on in Beanie Cellars, and the rain is lashing down outside.  So much for flaming June!

But no matter… because the coffee is on, and our guest Blogger Charlotte is here to share some thoughts.

With Layla the guide dog curled around her feet, Charlotte begins -

Homeless Isn’t Invisible?

Hello everyone…

So, last time I was writing here I was living in a hostel. I am lucky enough to say currently I have managed to get a flat from a local housing association. Though it is only just starting to feel like home. I still don’t have carpets or curtains  yet, but I am working on these things.

We had to deal with damp that affected my asthma when we first moved in which was not fun. It resulted in two trips to A&E. Glad that is sorted now!

Even though I am no longer homeless I do not stop seeing the world around me. Having a permanent address does not change what I went through. Or to some extent it doesn't change how people treat me. 

We all know someone who has fallen on hard times. We are all just one, or if we are lucky two, pay checks away from not being able to pay the rent or our mortgage. Lots of things can lead to being homeless. Loss of job, trying to escape an abusive relationship, leaving care, illness or injury, debt, and many more things. 

Very few people chose to be homeless. I know I did not chose to not be able to afford rent and food, or to have to leave university due to being hospitalised.

Homelessness certainly is not invisible.  Every day when you walk through any town you will see people sleeping on the streets or begging. 

Do you look away? OR do you look for them? Check to see if the same ones are in the same places every day? Do you smile at them or offer them water? 

Or, like so many people,  do you pretend these homeless people are not there? You are the ones that decide if you see them. If you chose to look or not, in your heart you still know they are there.

Then there are the homeless who don’t look homeless, the ones you can not easily see. 

But if you walk by your local food bank you will see them. 

Hiding - in plain sight.

On Sundays there is a food hand out near me that due to the volume of people that need it in my city has to be run under a bridge. I know near this bridge are two hostels. But you could walk right past this throng of people and not notice them if you wanted. That will not make them go away though. 

You can pretend these people brought it on themselves, or they are not there. But you know you are lying to yourself. 

We all see them, but most of us do nothing. 

In doing nothing do we say this situation is okay? 

Only by ignoring them are we allowing them to be invisible, it is our choice not a true fact that makes any of us invisible or shunned. 

As you read this the person you talked to at work may be sofa surfing or even living in a hostel. That person that sat next to you at the doctors or on the bus may have nowhere to sleep tonight. 

They, WE - are everywhere.  All human.  All the same. 

Yet we, the luckier ones, we chose who we can and can not speak to based on our address or lack thereof.

So next time you are walking in a big town or city, don’t keep your headphones in or play on your phone. Look around you and count the number of people sleeping rough. See if it is the same everyday. Smile at them and ask if they are okay. In the heat we have had if you have a spare bottle of water hand it to them.

When you are next at work or on the bus look around you. Can you tell who is homeless and who is not? There is no difference. 

Most of us will not be able to tell the difference. Because there is no difference, we are all just human. 

So do not judge them. Do not ignore them, do not let your self believe that this is okay. Take notice and take account for your actions. They are not invisible any more then you are. 

They are no less important then you are.

Homeless isn’t worthless…

Homeless isn’t invisible…

Homeless isn’t a choice.

Thank you Charlotte.  One of the things we hear most often from our homeless friends is that they feel ignored and isolated, less than human.  And that can't be right.

You can follow Charlotte and Layla on Twitter where she is @blindseyeview

If you would like to get more involved, do something to help our homeless friends perhaps, then connect with us on Twitter at @beanies_masato

If you would like to buy something to add to outreach funds checkout

http://www.masato.co.uk/collections/masato-homeless-support