General Chat

i had a chat with a Big Issue seller today. He lives in a tatty old caravan, and lost his job two years ago. He had a crane license which has expired, and used to be in charge of health and safety on sites. Since his redundancy things have gone from bad to worse. Luckily he was offered the caravan to use. Yes he is still eligible to sell Big Issue, it is for the homeless and vulnerably housed. He falls into the latter category.

He did say that sales have risen slightly since the programme, so chances are perhaps donations to the various homeless charities have perhaps increased a little too.

Nice bloke, just down on his luck.

I'm not dragging you into an argument, nor did I infer that Glasgow had more drunks than anywhere else.

I was actually agreeing with you in that Bruce DID spend his first earnings on beer. He also realised the error of his ways as the programme went on and came face to face with the realities of drinking when he was in the drunks hostel in Glasgow.

When he was standing by the unmarked graves of all those who had died in that hostel, I think that hit him hardest.

Rosie Boycott knew she would be facing a huge temptation, but yes Bruce Jones, did go to the pub before he went to Glasgow. I was in no way inferring Glasgow has any more drunks than anywhere else, just that Bruce should've thought about how had come to lose his job, before he ran down the homeless, who he thought should get off their butts and get a job. How easy it that for them???

I refuse to be dragged into an argument about an opinion I have. After all, it's only a tv programme.

I didn't think too much of the way John Bird spoke to some of them, but it got his point across without frills. He's been there, he knows what he's talking about, he knows what it is to be down on your uppers and sleeping on the streets. And he feels very strongly about it.


Yes Bruce Jones did go straight to the pub, but that was before he spent time at the drunks hostel in Glasgow. That really brought it home to him, and I believe he did say he would take a long hard look at his own drinking. I feel he went on the longest journey out of all of them.

Would you have been as scathing of Rosie Boycott if she had weakened jsut a little bit and had a drink? It could easily have happened, and what would have become of her then?

That's why, although annoyed with his attitude, the Marquess of Blandford should not IMO be completely put down for his actions. He's been in prison, he's been an addict, he's brought it all on himself and knows it. BUT he still has to face his own demons, and that is why I think he simply couldn't cope with it all.

I DID WATCH IT, AND FOUND BRUCE JONES SO CONTRADICTING HIMSELF.
HE SEEMED TO FORGET THAT HE LOST HIS JOB ON CORRIE THROUGH HIS DRINKING, AND HE SPOKE ABOUT THE HOMELESS DRINKING, BUT WHEN HE GOT SOME MONEY, WHAT DID HE DO???
YES THAT'S RIGHT, HE WENT STRAIGHT TO THE PUB!!!!!!

ROSIE BOYCOTT WAS EXCELLENT AS WAS HARDEEP AND ANNABEL.
BUT THE MARQUIS WAS A PAIN IN THE PROVERBIAL.

THOUROUGHLY ENJOYED THE PROGRAMME THOUGH.
JUST SHOWS THAT HOMELESSNESS CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE, ESPECIALLY IN THIS ECONOMIC CLIMATE, WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR HOMES.
WHAT ANNOYS ME IS THAT THE BIG ISSUE WAS, AND SHOULD STILL BE SOLD ONLY BY PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS, NOT THOSE WHO HAVE HOMES, AND SEE IT AS AN EASIER WAY TO MAKE MONEY THAN WORKING FOR IT.

OUR LOCAL SELLER HAS NEVER BEEN HOMELESS, AND HAS SOLD THE BIG ISSUE FOR MANY YEARS.

I DO FEEL FOR THE GENUINE SELLERS, BUT IT IS SO HARD THESE DAYS FOR EVERYONE FINANCIALLY, THAT THEY SUFFER AT THE HANDS OF THE SO-CALLED HOMELESS.
EVERY HOMELESS PERSON HAS THEIR OWN STORY, AND THOSE WHO LIVE ON THE STREETS, ARE VERY BRAVE.

I FOR ONE THANK THE LORD I HAVE A ROOF OVER MY HEAD.

IF JOHN BIRD HAD SPOKEN TO ME THE WAY HE SPOKE TO THEM, I WOULD'VE WALKED AWAY. WHAT GIVES HIM THE RIGHT TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE LIKE THAT??

NO DOUBT SOME OF YOU WILL DISAGREE WITH ME. LOL!!

To me, above all, came the reminder that all the homeless people are human beings, who each have a story of their own?

We dont' know if an alcoholic is on the streets as a result of his alcoholism, of if his alcoholism is a result of his being on the street, a sort of escapism from the fear.

Hearing one person who was formerly a rent boy, who on sleeping in shop doorways, regularly gets urinated on by passers by from the clubs.

The woman who was broken hearted at how her own mother stood back and ignored the fact that her father was sexually abusing her, so she had to get out.

I read in the Big Issue recently that many homeless would rather spend their nights in shop doorways than in hostels, it's less dangerous in a shop doorway. Big Issue sellers have been killed, or mugged for their money. Many homeless are beaten up by drunken yobs for no other reason than that they are there. Can you imagine living with that fear, and still believe they are there by choice?

thats it! total blank on his name....I know i could have googled it, but didn't! lol!

Bruce seemed to find it so difficult - his reaction to the prospect of being paired up with a sex worker or substance user was total terror!

It was the Marquiss of Blandford. Yes he did cop out after a couple of nights cheating. But I think he wasn't really ready to face his own demons, when you look at his past life.

Bruce Jones' experience got to me the most. He went into this with the view that all homeless people are idle bums. He came out the other end almost a broken man, having seen for himself that is not the case.

Even Hardeep Singh Kholi, who has given to homeless charities for years, has had to admit, he gives so he doesn't have to think about it.

Maybe if more of us 'thought about it' and acknowledged that it is a very real issue that deserves our attention, the issue itself would not be so big.

I ,along with OH watched this and we both thought it was very good and enlightening. I was surprised how it touched Bruce Jones so much.
The guy who legged it after two nights was the Marquis of Blandford. He should open the doors of his house, Blenheim Palace ,Woodstock, Oxfordshire to people like this. I am sure if he goes into Oxford city centre, he will see plenty. He doesn't deserve such a beautiful house, and is not made of the stuff of his ancestors eg the Duke of Wellington and Winston Churchill. Just my humble opinion
Julia in Derbyshire

I did! the women that Rosie Boycott met, when she was paired up with the young woman really got to me. They are my age, and my life couldn't be more different. I've worked with people who are homeless, or have mental health and substance misuse issues for years, but this was quite differnet, gave me a different perspective, not sure that i'd do anything differently, but i think it helped understand.....Annabel Crofts experiance was quite telling. She was terrified so much of the time, and I think that must be what its like for the young people I knew when they first find themselves in this position. I did worry about how they programe was going to work, and how they would portray people,etc, but think it was ok, am always wary of Celebs doing X, Y or Z....on tv shows. But I think with the exception of the guy (whose name escapes me.....) who left after spending two nights (maybe) in a hotel, it was interesting vewing.....IMO

Did anyone watch this last week? How did you feel afterwards? Has it changed your view of the plight of the homeless? How did it make you feel?