General Chat

Hi Barb,,,,,,,xxxxx Thanks for the two quid ! lol

Only pulling your leg mate xx

Ray x

Very, very, good comment, Rita. I do have one, or two, stories down those lines, too. One of them, in particular, made me very angry.

Meri x

It beggars belief all the ones who sit there with their little doggies, which stare back at you with their sad little eyes.

Yes, I always give money to beggars, I always buy a Big Issue and I gave an old gypsy, who has been trying to sell lucky heather in our town for over forty years, a ten pound note the other day. She spat on it, for luck, jumped up and down with glee, stuffed it in her pocket with her poor, chapped, arthritic hands, and asked me if I had any shopping coupons to spare.

Mum, said my son, she saw you coming. So she did, and she'll see me coming next time, too, and if she's lucky, she might get another ten quid. As she said to me 'It's always the poor that feeds the poor'. She may be right, for all I know, bless her.

Meri x

I WAS UP LONDON YESTERDAY WITH SAM
A BEGGAR ASKED FOR MONEY FORMA A COFFEE

SO



I GAVE HIM MY COFFEE


YOU SHOULD OF SEEN THE LOOK ON HIS FACE

Yes SueMaid thanks, I am much more like my old self.

LWH

Hello, Hazel. Are you feelng better?

Sue x

Yes, I agree with everything that has been said thus far. Difficult to know what to do for the best. I would prefer to give the benefit of any doubt.

Remembering the words of a Joan Baez song: "There but for fortune go you or I".

LWH

Barb share my tissues, l think most of us on here would have a story to tell about this subject, and no the police can't help them , they just tell them to move on, where do they move on to ?????

Oh Mummo leaky eyes again, that poor soul, I think I feel worse now than I did yesterday...x

Eyes dry now Jax...xx

I think you're right the police wouldn't be able to do much, there's no law to say people can't live on the streets is there? and as I said he wasn't begging he was just stood there, just makes me very sad, that's all I can say really...thanks for all your imput, once I get something in my head I have to share it.

Thanks all xx

Another leeky eyes here also, bless all of you for caring (there for the grace of god, etc.) I think you can tell the difference between the real needy or the scroungers, l do try and give when l think someone really does need help but when l lived up north there was a man selling the big issue who drove a car and then used to go to the local supermaket and buy steak etc and this was someone who is homeless !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also my OH had a workmate who fell down on his luck and ended up homeless, that poor boy (19) really did suffer then we heard or saw nothing of him for ages next we heard that he had died all alone with just a blanket wrapped round him, may he rest in peace and no he didn't do anything wrong just lost his job and could get no help.

Im really not sure what the police can do or are willing to do to help then to be honest. From what ive seen when ive been to Swansea all they do is tell the homeless to move.

Sorry for making your eyes leak xx

Gleny's I think you are right, we have lots of beggars who sit there and don't look very beggarly at all and I'm always tempted to say get a job, and I don't give them anything, but there is a difference when someone is obviously not well and obviously well down on his luck, we should be able to help these people and if nothing else not have them sleeping in the streets shouldn't we?

It has really upset me seeing this poor man, and knowing I could have and should have done more....

Thanks for your comments everyone

Jax that brought a tear to my eyes, and like Jen said its Catch 22 but next time I'm in town I'll look for this poor man and see if I can help...there must be someone out there looking for him surely...

What would the police do for him, anything at all??

This sort of thing makes me so angry, in that there are genuinely needy people on the street, but also people on the street who are not needy at all, and fancy "trying it on" for "a few more quid" (not my words .......).

Believe me, we have examples of the latter in our town. Regarding the former, it saddens me no end about these poor people, and we help when we can.
x

Hi Barbara
How sad is it that we have to feel guilty about not giving more .....
Its a catch 22 situation for some of these homeless can't get job without an address can't get somewhere to live because they haven't got work
It is heart breaking to see these poor people walking the streets
as we don't know their circumstances we can only do what our hearts tell us think its called having compassion
Jenxx
edit Just read Jax 's reply I now have leaky eyes :((

There was a WPC directing cars away from a street that has just opened to taxi's and buses only, everyone ignoring the signs as usual, I thought about approaching her and saying something about this poor man, but then thought what would they do, maybe take him in, and let him out in a few days and he would be no better off.

Poor man, he's somebody's son isn't he..

Barb I also feel very bad when I see homeless people and although I give what I can afford at the time it always leaves me with a feeling I should of done more.

Last year I took my daughter to see a show in Cardiff on the way back to collect the car there was a young lad blue with cold all he had on was scruffy clothes a thin coat and a blanket, we gave him some money and walked up to the car as we were driving out we saw him again and I just started crying, I couldnt get the thought that this lad was only around my eldests age and should be in a loving home but for some reason wasnt. So with my husbands permission I got out the car, grabbed my OH big winter coat, the fleece blanket we keep in the car and some more money and walked over and handed them to the lad, he asked me was I sure and he had tears streaming down his face as I did , I wished him luck and walked away.

Ive since carried on giving to people when I can and know not all are genuine but the look on that lads face when I gave him what I did will always stay with me.

I guess what im trying to say by telling you all this (sorry for waffling) no matter how much you give they are very grateful for what they get and to know that there are some people out there that do care.

Jax xx

Don't know what to say, Barb. I do know that I have also given money to homeless people - and being laughed at by family. My daughter won't give money but will go and buy a cup of coffee or soup for the person. I've also bought a meat pie for someone who said they were hungry. I think we must always be aware that even homeless people have dignity and should be treated as such.

Sue xx

Barb, inevitably when I go to big towns I see someone sleeping in the subway or similar.. last time I was in Chester for a few days, a young man was down there, freezing foggy morning, I always stop and give what I can, usually that was not more than a pound, but for once i had enough to give a bit more, enough to buy a couple of meals ...the way I look at is ,what you gave would buy something hot to drink and food, so may have saved his life you never know.

I always feel I should ask whether I can help more, lol, take them home with me as it were. but then you can't do that , hopefully a little kindness will help someone feel more hopeful and maybe get them into the route some can take back 'up'...perhaps as many do, via selling the Big Issue (which I always buy) one person able to do that means one less in need on the street

Bless you for caring :)

Rose xx