No Room at the Inn (or anywhere)

DavidKlyne
DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,856 ✭✭✭
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edited December 2019 in Charities & Good Causes #1

Just a thought for all those people who have no where permanent to live and are often living on the streets. Many charities both local and nationally will be trying to help these people over the Festive period. Not only will they provide food and shelter but they will also try and support them in other ways to try and help them find a way out of their predicament. This is an all year problem but I suppose it comes into sharper focus at this time of the year. For many years I have supported Crisis (formally Crisis at Christmas) not only because I like what they do but also to support of a colleague who used to volunteer to help. There are many ways people can help and probably the most basic is the offer a coin to the local Sally Ann collection often found in your local shopping centre at this time of year, it all helps.

David

Comments

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member Posts: 2,484 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2019 #2

    I tend to donate my time and/or talents most of the year by knitting for homeless/soldiers/sailors/women's refuge/premmie babies but always drop a monetary gift in the Sally Army tin at Christmas rather than agree to regular direct debit donations.

    Merry Christmas to all, however you spend it.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2019 #3

    We make up shoe boxes full of gifts for the Sally Army, boxes contain useful stuff like soap, toothbrushes etc but also small gifts.  At our district scout carol service all the children take toys they no longer use and donate them to the Sally Army.

    One of my nieces is going to serve Christmas dinner to the homeless on Christmas Day 

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,425 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2019 #4

    I was twice in Northumberland street in Newcastle recently over the Christmas build up, (that's one of the main streets with the famous Christmas shop display) and it was full of shoppers laden with their bags.

    There was  three homeless men in their sleeping bags. I tried but I couldn't imagine what they must be feeling and thinking looking around them. I read somewhere that on of the worse things (and there must be many) is that they get ignored and go without any conversation or contact. I actually rarely have cash on me nowadays so I bought a Gregg's bacon roll and hot drink for each of them and had a little chat with all them all. I just don't realise how lucky I am I suppose.

    How there are people who have to sleep rough in 2019 is beyond me, I wouldn't mind some sort of scheme that took an extra few pounds out of my income just for them.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,425 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2019 #5

    well done to her Oneputt, that is true charity. Giving up money is one thing but sometimes to give up one's time is far far harder, especially on Christmas day. 

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,383
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    edited December 2019 #6

    Then there is also >streetlink<

    peedee

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,586 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2019 #7

    You have my respect. Well done.👍

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited December 2019 #8

    Spoke to a couple of rough sleepers outside the Brompton Oratory yesterday and told them of a freebie hot lunch being laid on by Holy Trinity Brompton( my daughter's church) around the corner. They didn't seem that fussed. Sometimes you can't help people.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited December 2019 #9

    When I was at my youngest daughter's on 20th Dec she had received a charity hamper, totally unexpected. Looking at the very useful contents they must have been valued at over £30. She is a low income single mum with two kiddies. 

    She had reboxed them into two hampers and added a few things to give to two families that she knows are struggling. Given her own circumstances I thought that very kind.

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2019 #10

    The problem is now that xmas is over ,the vast majority of people will forget about the homeless and get on with their normal lives 

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,856 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2019 #11

    I think a lot of charities raise quite a bit of money at this time of year which helps cushion their funds so they can carry on their work through the year.

    David

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2019 #12

    This might be a helpful web site if you have concerns about anyone sleeping rough. It enables your information to go forward and help someone in need.

    >STREETLINK<

  • Firedragon
    Firedragon Forum Participant Posts: 509
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    edited January 2020 #13

    My eldest daughter spent xmas day with her friends serving hot food to the homeless in Canterbury.

    Sadly these days we get beggars shipped in every morning to spend their days on the streets of our local towns, no-one knows where they come from or where they go at night, but the same faces crop up in different towns (they are obviously being spread about) and they make no attempt to talk to anyone just sit huddled in blankets with begging bowls. 

    Alison

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #14

    Alison - Good hear from you againsmile