Hackenthorpe woman sleeping rough

[Bodie 11]

What a wonderful thread this is. People showing concern for others on a day when the party who don't give a **** about anybody but themselves got into power.

 

inappropriate comment in my opinion. There are plenty of political threads if you wish to voice your opinion - this isn't one of them!!

[Allen 38]

inappropriate comment in my opinion. There are plenty of political threads if you wish to voice your opinion - this isn't one of them!!

 

Well said.

[Dales 10]

Unfortunately the police are not a branch of social services. All they'll probably do is move her on and harrass her. The best outcome from that is that she swears or clouts one of them and gets arrested. At least then she'll have a bed for the night.

 

Better to phone the salvation army or social services, though it's not a given that they will be able to help her as they are overwhelmed with social problems at the moment, and are not always able to cope with the demand. (They need all the volunteers they can get.)

 

Better still would be to ask her yourself if she needs help, and do your best to give it. But be aware that she may have mental health problems so it can be a risky strategy, but we are getting to the point where there is no other help than us.

 

The police have numbers for local hostels and crash pads. The op did the right thing by contacting them in my opinion.

They have nothing to gain by 'harassing her'?

[Timeh 10]

They have nothing to gain by 'harassing her'?

 

Wont stop them though.

[kidley 48]

The police have numbers for local hostels and crash pads. The op did the right thing by contacting them in my opinion.

They have nothing to gain by 'harassing her'?

 

my bold

 

any idea why they do it then?

[jfish1936 10]

Better still would be to ask her yourself if she needs help, and do your best to give it. But be aware that she may have mental health problems so it can be a risky strategy, but we are getting to the point where there is no other help than us.

 

Once there were places of refuge, or, to translate into Latin, asylums.

We now believe it was right to close these down, make a fat profit on their real estate, and relay on "Community Mental Health [Lack of ] Care"

 

Do many homeless have "mental health problems", or is it that many with MHPs become homeless?

[Ms Macbeth 75]

It's possible that the woman may have been offered housing, but dogs are rarely (if ever) allowed in hostels and not all flats allow dogs.

[Owethemnowt 10]

A definition of just how civilised a society we have is how we treat our prison population.

 

And yet this woman is abandoned to herself.

 

With 5 years of Tory rule they were the government, remain the government, and must accept responsibility as they are 'in charge.'

 

Who else do we turn to?

 

The dog: she's sleeping rough. Makes sense to have an animal for protection, certainly from rats. At least she sleeps more soundly knowing the dog will respond and alert her to danger.

 

Does anyone begrudge her that?

 

It sounds as of some of you would.

 

Bear in mind those rough sleepers have in the past been set on fire as they sleep. A form of perverse amusement in today's society.

 

So here we are. Not London Road beggars. Nor city centre opportunists. But rather in the suburbs and homeless.

 

Once, possibly, she held down a job, had a family, a home. But as Sean so informatively tells us: 'She's an alcoholic. She did live at the flats on Dyke Vale (don't know about now) I was going through the other week and saw her and she still looked rough.'

 

Is that real concern or is it just pure compassion he expresses? Couldn't be 'don't give a toss' concern could it as he didn't even make a phone call. Doesn' sound as if much of a conscience was pricked at all. That is how our society has become; un-feeling, self-centred and self-focussed. We're offered election bribes and we take them. Next day is VE Day and we're told about the sacrifices made by ordinary people. The greatest generation ever.

 

Did they all tdohat, including losing their lives, to make Britain a place [not even safe] for female rough sleepers? What kind of un-thinking, un-caring, self-absorbed society have we morphed into?

 

Now she has rags, bags and a dog. And you complain. You actually focus more on the dog's welfare than hers! Phone the RSPCA and they'll be there like a shot. But phone the council, the police, any hospital and you'll get a pitiful response.

 

I didn't vote Tory either.

 

Milliband at least talked of 'working families' and got closer than Dave's 'bonus bankers.' But then we don't have to pay her any salary not to leave the country.

 

Hold your hand up who voted them back in. I don't want a society where homeless women, amongst the most vulnerable in society, sleep rough in the suburbs. I really don't want a society where some of you think as superficially as you do. Politicians patronise you because you are incapable of understanding an issue, yet they credit you with the opposite. The level of concern expressed on here, the depth of understanding is like asking a class of 6 year olds what they'd do. Clearly, our education system does fail almost everyone. I don't remember alcohol education on the curriculum.

 

So why improve the system when as it is - it can be so effortlessly manipulated to the benefit of the few. After all, our lives are so satisfying we need to drink ourselves into oblivion each weekend either in public and camera or privately; where only the weekly rattle of blue bins signals the problem that lurks in the suburbs behind the nets.

 

Well done Dave ................. 5 more years and lots more tears for fears. And tonight ' the useless alkie ' will remain on the pavement un-loved, un-cared for and un-remembered. By us. I have one vote and I used it. I have one voice and I exercised it. I demand change and democracy failed me.

 

Change the world anyone?

Edited May 9, 2015 by Owethemnowt

[seanovshef12 10]

Once, possibly, she held down a job, had a family, a home. But as Sean so informatively tells us: 'She's an alcoholic. She did live at the flats on Dyke Vale (don't know about now) I was going through the other week and saw her and she still looked rough.'

 

Is that real concern or is it just pure compassion he expresses? Couldn't be 'don't give a toss' concern could it as he didn't even make a phone call. Doesn' sound as if much of a conscience was pricked at all. That is how our society has become; un-feeling, self-centred and self-focussed. We're offered election bribes and we take them. Next day is VE Day and we're told about the sacrifices made by ordinary people. The greatest generation ever.

 

Owethemnowt - Actually, she has lived there a long time, before Scowerdons was knocked down. She has been an alcoholic for years, so that's no help to herself. A big percentage of homeless people have once had a home/family/job but lost that at some point and that is the people who I would like to help. I'm not saying been homeless is right, there shouldn't be people living on the streets but MANY alcoholics bring it onto themselves, putting alcohol before any other things.

[Anna B 1,414]

When democracy fails, how do you change the world?

[shanes teeth 10]

Owethemnowt - Actually, she has lived there a long time, before Scowerdons was knocked down. She has been an alcoholic for years, so that's no help to herself. A big percentage of homeless people have once had a home/family/job but lost that at some point and that is the people who I would like to help. I'm not saying been homeless is right, there shouldn't be people living on the streets but MANY alcoholics bring it onto themselves, putting alcohol before any other things.

 

Yeh,why not tell her to just forget all those terrible things that may have happened to her in the past that have lead her into alcohol abuse,pull herself together,stop drinking and buy a house.

[Ms Macbeth 75]

Yeh,why not tell her to just forget all those terrible things that may have happened to her in the past that have lead her into alcohol abuse,pull herself together,stop drinking and buy a house.

 

Because none of that will help. Its the sad truth that even with lots of positive support and intervention a small number of people do not manage to settle in any sort of 'normal' environment, and end up on the streets.

 

Ben's centre supports street drinkers: https://benscentre.wordpress.com/

Archer project supports anyone who is homeless: http://www.archerproject.org.uk/

Phoenix Futures: http://www.phoenix-futures.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Sheffield-Supported-Housing-Leaflet-FINAL-Read-Only.pdf

 

Just three of the organisations in Sheffield. There are others, like Roundabout which helps young homeless people. However, its likely that the lady in question knows about at least some of the organisations, and is possibly known to them. Unless she really wants help, and can be persuaded to accept it, then sadly its unlikely her life will change.

 

Owethemnowt, I worked with homeless people when we had a Labour government (I retired before the Coalition were in government) and there were similar problems then . At the time there were some who benefited from help, and others who would get on track for a while, then end up back on the street. There isn't a straightforward 'one cure fits all' I'm afraid.

 

The council, in fact all of South Yorkshire councils have implemented a 'No Second Night Out' strategy which aims to help rough sleepers off the streets quickly. If you know of someone who could benefit, perhaps getting in touch on their behalf would be a good thing.

 

https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/in-your-area/housing-services/homelesshousingoptions/roughsleepers.html