General Chat

As Newby says food banks of any kind, shelters, temp accom and so on are looking through the wrong end of the telescope. The UK economy is easily able to ensure that most of the population can be housed and be able to eat without resorting to largesse.

Instead business and govt have colluded to drive down real take home pay for pretty well anybody on under £ 150 K. At the higher end this has caused some hefty shocks as assumptions about housing and schools have had to change radically. This has driven up house prices and rents to unsupportable levels to places as diverse as the East End , Bristol and Brighton. The middle is feeling pain and anger. At the bottom people at the bottom are ground down by falling real pay, the need for frozen tax credits (a subsidy to employers), zero hours contracts, false self employment (casual labour), wanton changes to housing benefit...

Having created a perfect storm we now see low level workers paying more ni and those try and put some sticking plaster on the patient such as food banks pilloried.

That the current govt is embarked on a crusade against the working class has been made clear today by Justin Greening.

This was discussed the other day on the original thread and soup kitchens were suggested, and if memory serves me right that seemed a good fix for most people. Obviously these rations aren't 100% perfect...too high in calories....ability to cook etc etc....but clearly a good step in the right direction.

Thanks for that link PatinCyprus. Very interesting to see what is in them.

Have you seen what is in the packs, lots of boil in the bag items for a start. I don't think giving them to homeless individuals would be a good idea. A soup kitchen might help. Here's an idea what's in the packs.

http://www.mreinfo.com/international-rations/british-24-hour-ration-packs/

Mark, in your other thread I asked whether you had contacted your MP.

He/she may take up the suggestion in the light of Frank Field's comments.

Your 19:08 comment yesterday is something that I have posted about before, namely the building of bungalows suitable for older people and people who need full-time care which many pensioners need eventually.

I was thinking of the suggestion by the government that pensioners living in large houses should downsize in order to release more homes for families. However, like you, I believe older and other people still need three bedrooms for the reasons you stated (a room for a carer and another for a spouse or family visitor).

Builders usually trot out excuses that a one-floor dwelling takes up more space but there is absolutely no good reason for this as a family home needs a much larger garden anyway and the vast majority of pensioners and less-abled bodied persons would be happy with a small patch that many would try to tend themselves without needing to pay gardeners.

In our area we have few suitable bungalows. There are no three-bedroomed apartments that I know of. Anything higher than ground floor would require use of lifts - and I would never rely on them in case of breakdown, fire etc.

Builders and planners need to give their heads a shake.

BBC News item from last month about the problem:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39095061

Tescos have (finally) agreed to donate their surplus food to charities.

The programme I watched no Government funding just individuals they get help from business people .they asked were does your food go if you don't sell it. There is fruit & veg so much that is wasted .when these people take the food to Kitchens for homeless or disable people care centres they made some nourishing good food soups stews .it was interesting to watch .There are food banks in UK .but in this day & age its awful that people young & old go hungry shame on our Government

The solutions to all problems have to start somewhere.

It may be that Mark is trying to put out a raging fire with a water pistol, but it is a start.

Whilst I can't comment on the social problems in the UK as I have been absent for so long, in Oz there are similar parallels.

Food banks have sprung up and collect food from supermarkets which would otherwise go to waste.

These have been started by groups or individuals with absolutely no help from Federal or State Governments.

Water pistol maybe, but do you let the vulnerable in Society burn?

As for the Government fixing the situation, in my opinion many have actually caused it.

I have signed .& I understand the way food can be thrown away years ago before 24hr openings the store I was in closed at 8pm so all bread bakery goods & deli goods were sold at reduced prices anything that didn't sell .was thrown away morning after it was disgusting .I believe there are people who go to stores & collect food & take to centres for homeless people .one firm had a small van they now have ten vans & a large warehouse as it has taken off so much .This was on a TV programme but only certain areas in the country do it ,Excuse the pun food for thought :-)

www.aol.co.uk/.../spare-military-food-supplies-should-go-to-army-of-homeless-fra

I have a spare room ..the other one is taken up by my Mum aged 91 . kids have left home so , yes I would be happy to help someone who genuinely wants a helping hand to move away from living on the streets.
Perhaps this might be a new solution if the Government are prepared to invest in it and people are prepared to use their spare rooms ?..

The first "problem" I would think of is many of those people are older, I wouldn't want just anyone staying with my mother for instance. Who would check everyone out....no I'm not saying everyone living on the streets is going to be violent.
Who would pay for this scheme? Always goes back to the same point....money....

I am in a wheelchair and on benefits. I was fostered from birth and if it wasn't for my foster mother I don't know where I would be. some people especially those with disabilities need an extra room or 2. A live - in carer and room for a friend or a family member to stay for a few nights

<3 Caroline ...How about those living in 2/3 bed properties and not using the spare rooms take in the homeless who want help, for maybe a period of 6 weeks while they get on their feet? Perhaps the Government could find a way to pay for this board and lodgings to the people prepared to do this?

Also you should look in once in a while Newby :-D

NP Newby you obviously didn't see the thread the other day like I said :-)
Sometimes we need to look for the needle even if it is going against all the odds, every little bit helps who knows where it might lead ?

Thanks Caroline ..not been here for ages. I am not disrespecting Marks efforts at all , I admire him for trying to make a difference..I am saying that it is a needle in a haystack. Unless there is a huge reform regarding social welfare in this country the people like Mark will always be losing the battle . I hope you understand what I am trying to say.

I don't think Mark is trying to solve the problem just re-route the food.He knows it's a bigger picture I'm sure, one which even if the Government were able to solve would not happen overnight. Meanwhile, this food can be used to solve their hungry for that day so to speak.
Even a water pistol is better than nothing sometimes.

Sorry Mark but this is like using a water pistol to put out a full blown fire... It is a totally unacceptable fact that we in this country have no choice but to accept that people still live on the streets unless there are government changes in policies and considerations for the people who live in the UK , There will be no change by small measures ...take a look at the Isle of Wight and what they are trying to achieve