Beggars, homeless, street drinkers & drug users in Sheffield!

[spats 10]

I can't see how it could be profitable to sit outside a shop all day in Sheffield asking for money. What do people think they take cos most people seem to walk straight past without a second glance.

Well....I've been doing some outdoor fundraising recently & the beggars who are in the same area as me seem to do very well for themselves. They actually take each other on to sit in the best spot. In about an hour they usually have enough cash to go & buy alcohol. They also have regular donations of coffee and food. One even put some of HIS collection into my bucket! And then he offered to share a donation of a subway that he'd been given with me!

But on a not so positive note...I also overheard two other regular beggars discussing what they were going to steal from the local shops when they'd finished

[Stranza 10]

Well....I've been doing some outdoor fundraising recently & the beggars who are in the same area as me seem to do very well for themselves. They actually take each other on to sit in the best spot. In about an hour they usually have enough cash to go & buy alcohol. They also have regular donations of coffee and food. One even put some of HIS collection into my bucket! And then he offered to share a donation of a subway that he'd been given with me!

But on a not so positive note...I also overheard two other regular beggars discussing what they were going to steal from the local shops when they'd finished

 

This is the issue.

 

Begging is their 'Job' and overtime is shoplifting.

It puts me in mind of Indian rubbish workers who scavenge the land fill.

 

None of us would do it as a choice, ok to survive but we wouldn't choose it.

 

When you have no permanent address and existing issues there is no chance to get a job, they don't have access to the basics.

A PP said the beggars lived on Victoria Street. That sounds great but I would bet my boots that they aren't living on Victoria st at all and that they are in the assisted living housing that comes with social workers and housing officers and people to try and assist managing a home, which is in the temporary acc on Victoria st. Three months isn't permanent or stable.

[Guest makapaka]

Well....I've been doing some outdoor fundraising recently & the beggars who are in the same area as me seem to do very well for themselves. They actually take each other on to sit in the best spot. In about an hour they usually have enough cash to go & buy alcohol. They also have regular donations of coffee and food. One even put some of HIS collection into my bucket! And then he offered to share a donation of a subway that he'd been given with me!

But on a not so positive note...I also overheard two other regular beggars discussing what they were going to steal from the local shops when they'd finished

 

Sounds great. An hour sat outside and you can buy some booze.

 

AND donations of coffee and food.

 

I'd be surprised if people aren't jacking their jobs in now to make a start tomorrow. How do you get the extra cash to run the van?

[Puggie 10]

Sounds great. An hour sat outside and you can buy some booze.

 

That's insensitive. Most healthy, happy, and connected people in society do not choose to become disheveled and emaciated, sat on a street corner begging for change.

 

Show a little empathy. The next time walk past a beggar just remember that person is someone's brother or sister, son or daughter - a fellow citizen.

[scrapper 10]

thats the point ,about 80percent of them do not look disheveld there just drunks or junkies,believe me i grew up with 2 of them who beg in town,and i no one more from years ago ,ones a complete drunk but far from scruffy and the other 2 are junkies have been for years,one of those his in a wheelchair with 1 leg through drugs,anyway has they say wen go tell them were to go or ignore them has i do,,, have a nice day,,,

[Guest makapaka]

That's insensitive. Most healthy, happy, and connected people in society do not choose to become disheveled and emaciated, sat on a street corner begging for change.

 

Show a little empathy. The next time walk past a beggar just remember that person is someone's brother or sister, son or daughter - a fellow citizen.

 

I think you should read the rest of my post and the post I was replying to.

[WarPig 75]

I know of some beggars that can get over £100 on a Saturday night, before going home. Thats mortgage money to most.

[BHRemovals 10]

many actually live in council homes.

[damo 10]

The majority of those in the city centre have homes to go to especially the two eastern european woman that frequent Chapel walk who even enough to pay for monthly bus passes.

 

I've also witnessed a few homeless people being dontated food only to chuck it away or refuse it as they want money.

 

The shops in the city centre are fighting a losing battle against them too as they will come in shoplift and leg it knowing full well the police won't do anything.

[Puggie 10]

​Warpig - the corporate citizen might choose to spend £100 on a financial product or other luxuries, but that's not an option available to those disconnected from society and ravaged with addiction. It's not an option available to those who feel like the odds are stacked against them; that life has an agenda and they've been given no part to play.

 

We can continue to bury our heads in the sand and carry on with our failed approach to the issue, or alternatively we park our prejudices to one side and examine the overwhelming body of evidence that says we are actively making a bad situation worse.​

[Stranza 10]

A tip I was given is 'socks' no one can begrudge that.

 

Next time you buy some buy extra, only people in real need accept socks.

[WarPig 75]

​Warpig - the corporate citizen might choose to spend £100 on a financial product or other luxuries, but that's not an option available to those disconnected from society and ravaged with addiction. It's not an option available to those who feel like the odds are stacked against them; that life has an agenda and they've been given no part to play.

 

We can continue to bury our heads in the sand and carry on with our failed approach to the issue, or alternatively we park our prejudices to one side and examine the overwhelming body of evidence that says we are actively making a bad situation worse.​

 

Or we can accept that some are conning the public into believing they are homeless, when they are not. £400/month for 4 nights of begging is good going, on top of any benefits they are getting. More fool the public I say.