There must be a way?
To be homeless and on the streets is is a bleak existence. There are days when nobody speaks to you… Days when people pass you by and look right through you… And days when you get too much attention from the wrong people - beaten up, moved on, arrested - but it the main days when you are feeling hungry, worthless and alone.
We had an email the other day from one of our younger readers. Isabella is 11 - but the problem of making life a bit more liveable for the homeless people that she sees on the streets has been exercising her for a while.
The Cola glasses are primed, the keyboard awaits…
And Beanie Cellars welcomes Isabella to our blog.
It seems to me that the number of
homeless on the streets is rising, especially those whose only friend is their
dog.
I came up with an idea to help
homeless people after seeing someone in Hackney with a dog and an 8 week
old puppy who had a problem with its back legs.
Mum and I gave them some advice on
where they could take the puppy to get it checked and looked
after. We don’t know what happened but I think they worked it
out. Witnessing this has made me realise how lucky I am and how
unfortunate other people are.
So I wondered what could be done to
help. And I had an idea.
My idea involves little huts with
lockers inside them, and they are called “Homlesspoints”. The things that these Homelesspoints do (but
I am going to call them HPs) is that they create little boxes with a token
entry. In those boxes are some things
that we need for everyday use. For
example if you have a dog you would need food / leads/ blankets and maybe a dog
coat. The HP would also provide some jumpers and clothes and maybe toothbrushes
and deodorant also a warm hat in winter and sunblock in summer, together with a
bottle of drink and a chocolate bar for the homeless person.
Its stuff we take for granted, especially at Christmas.
I would try to get big companies to
provide the things I need to stock the huts, and aim to get all the stuff
they will give, or are willing to sponsor, to be part of my idea.
So that they understand what I am
trying to do, I’d like to go to a board or company meeting and pitch my idea
for example for the drinks, the chocolate and the dog food. Warm clothing could come from donations.
I’m thinking that a map of the
location of the HPs could go in Tube, Bus and Railway stations, Council offices
and Job centres.
If there is nowhere for a homeless
person to get help. At least the most basic things to help tide them over would
be available. If at least you could get
hold of a token to open one of the lockers, and then access the things inside, it must make you feel a bit more human?
I’m going to write to Sadiq Khan to
try and get things started…
At least I know I’m trying to do
SOMETHING!
Thank you Isabella, some sound
common sense there, and lets hope somebody picks up and runs with it!
If you have any ideas for Isabella’s
HPs, you can DM us at @beanies_masato on Twitter.
To fund beanies, scarves and other
things for the homeless, or to buy in support of homeless outreach, you can
find us on the following link
There are also many outreach organisations who provide food and any clothing that they can to the homeless. To get things is always a struggle, so if you want to help you can find your nearest via Google.
Our Partners on Twitter will always be happy to hear from you, they include
@onebigfamilyHTH Medway and London
@llamauUK Wales
@simonotstreets Leeds
@Wolveshomeless Wolverhampton
@YorkRoadProject Woking
@SimonCommNI Northern Ireland
Blog written by Sue
Blog written by Sue
No comments:
Post a Comment