Homeless news

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Another homeless man has died in our town. This must never happen again
Michael Gething was a gentle, quiet human being. His death in Totnes makes us realise the importance of looking after others
John Macadie
guardian.co.uk,
6 December 2012

The community of Totnes will today come together to carry the coffin of Michael Gething through this south Devon town in the old Devonshire style. Gething, 42, died in front of the Methodist church where he was sleeping rough. Until the inquest results are published, it is thought he died of hypothermia. His sleeping bag was soaking wet, his clothes were soaked, and it went to -2C that night. He is the fourth homeless person to die in the town since 2010.

Gething came to the town about 18 months ago. I knew him because he regularly came into our coffee bar, The Red Wizard, and bought coffee or food. If he had no money, we would still give him food and drink. As payment, he would take some rubbish to the recycling centre; he enjoyed an exchange. My wife Eve and our daughter Sildy were very fond of him and spent time talking to him. He was a human being first and foremost, rather than a homeless person. They respected him for his values and outlook on life. On one occasion, he mentioned to Eve that he had dreamed the night before he had walked in front of a bus. He told her he could never actually walk in front of a bus because it would affect the driver and the passengers for the rest of their lives, and what if a child were to see it?

He told many of the traders he did not think he would live through this winter. He was right. He was offered a flat in Dartmouth, which he looked at but decided not to take. His reasoning was that he wanted to stay and live in Totnes. And anyway, why should he, someone who had never been into Dartmouth before, get a home when someone already there deserved it more?

Gething grew up in Plymouth. He was 6ft 4in, and a gentle, quiet and calm man. He had been living in Cornwall, was made homeless, and came to Plymouth to see his dad. He slept for a while on the streets of Plymouth and was beaten up one night. He had been told there was a Salvation Army hostel in Exeter, so he caught the bus there. On the way he stopped at Totnes, got off the bus to go into the public toilet, and then decided to walk around. He liked the town, the people, and their attitude to him. He felt immediately at home and stayed.

But there was nowhere for him to live other than on the streets. There is no homeless hostel in Totnes. Even if there had been one, it might have been the answer on a nightly basis when things were bad – but this is only a short term remedy, nothing else. I feel the first step in helping people is to provide support and encouragement to those in need so they can help themselves on the path to a better life. This obviously means more money spent on counsellors, social services, skills and training.

Here in Totnes we pride ourselves on being a caring and sharing community. Well, Gething's death and the deaths of three others on our streets proves we were wrong. There is no shame in admitting this, but let's realise that it will be shameful if we let the same thing happen over and over again. We must now take a caring-sharing attitude within our community again. Go back to older values, when we chose to ensure that others in the community were safe and healthy as a norm.

All of us must ensure that homelessness and poverty is eradicated from our communities. Sildy is arranging swap nights for clothes, shoes, books, collectables, etc in our cafe to encourage people to part with items for nothing and for others to receive something for nothing. We had already started a skills swap, where people exchanged skills. Other places have started a food larder: food is collected from retail outlets, farms and donations, and then given away at central points in town. Food not just the homeless, but for all those who face financial hardship.

Yet the most important challenge is that we begin to respect and tolerate others, that we keep an eye out when we become aware of someone who has needs caused by age, disability or hardship. We all have something in common. We have all been born to die. We all share the same beginning and the same end.

The town undertaker, Rupert Callender, and his wife Claire have organised Gething's funeral free of charge. And the townsfolk are coming together to carry his coffin up the hill to Follaton cemetery. It will be hard work carrying it all the way up there, so we will need the help of many local residents. It is a way for people to come together and show respect and solidarity, and to make it clear that we aren't prepared to let this happen again on the streets on Totnes.

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Madeley Meets... Squatters
Richard Madeley investigates various forms of squatting and looks at the impact they have.

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[Brown Sauce]

Police swoop on the homeless taking sleeping bags and food parcels in co-ordinated raids in Redbridge

Thursday, May 23, 2013
9:00 AM

Adam Jaskowiak had his sleeping bag taken by Redbridge Police

Police swooped on the homeless, grabbing sleeping bags and food parcels donated by the public, in co-ordinated raids around the borough. Adam Jaskowiak was one of the men targeted and said he pleaded with police to be able to keep his things but was ignored. He was sleeping with eight other people finding shelter for the night in the former Ilford Baths in High Road, Ilford. All of their belongings were bundled into a police car leaving the men, one in his 60s, stunned.

A police chief told the Recorder the operation was carried out to “reduce the negative impact of rough sleepers”. But Mr Jaskowiak, 34, said: “They were just taking the sleeping bags and chucking out everything. I asked to keep it and the food, but they said ‘no’. “I just grabbed as many of my things as possible and put them into a bag and ran.” He was given the sleeping bag by the Salvation Army, Clements Road, Ilford, over the winter months after becoming homeless when his friend died. John Clifton, 26, corps officer at the Salvation Army, said: “I’m shocked and disgusted. Why would you take the only form of shelter someone has from them? We have tried to find out why they were taken and if we can get them back.”

After the raid happened on Thursday, the men went to the Refugee and Migrant Forum of East London, High Road, Ilford, for help. Chief executive Rita Chadha said: “I am appalled because there’s no logic in this – it’s not as though if they take someone’s sleeping bag they will automatically walk into a house. “It’s not a lifestyle choice and becoming homeless can happen to anyone.” She also said the action will damage relations between the police and those sleeping on the streets.

Ilford Ch Insp John Fish said: “The public rely on police to reduce the negative impact of rough sleepers, this includes the need for us to assist in the removal of temporary structures, tents, and bedding from public spaces and other inappropriate locations.”



http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/crime-court/police_swoop_on_the_homeless_taking_sleeping_bags_and_food_parcels_in_co_ordinated_raids_in_redbridge_1_2206446

hateful mean spirited cunts.

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cunts indeed - that has to be classed as theft. How could it be anything else?

[Skylace]

It boggles the mind. It sounds to me that it's simple bullying tactics. They are hoping that they will make it more difficult for these homeless people in a hope that they will move to another town/area.

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[Brown Sauce]

Not specifically a homeless issue, but ties in with the above post

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