Beggers

[howie]

Clive - 2007-10-22 10:51 PM

 

There is a yound lady in Winchester who has been selling the Big Issue for several years. I have listened to her talking with others. She is articulate, educated and quite pretty. So why does she not get a propper job? The downside is that she associates (via the Big Issue) with others who I could only describe as drop outs, hangers on, Larger can carriers and the like. So as long as she remains within the Big Issue group she is unlikely to do any better. I see it as a means of holding people down rather than helping people up.

I left school with just one "O" level in general Science as I spent a lot of time in Hospital associated with Polio. Everything I have achieved since including my qualifications have come about due to the effort I have put in including night school etc. I have worked solidly for 43 years and progressed through industry having two jobs running in parallel for lots of the time to make ends meet, I still work part time now I have retired. I raise about four grand each year for charity (Leukaemia Research Fund) so believe I do my bit and most certainly pay my taxes. Why should I and the many others in a similar situation have to bail out those who just don,t bother and expect it to be handed to them on a plate? This is not my interpretation of "fair".

 

Rant over!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don,t believe it Clive. If you are the type who actively goes out and raises money for charity then there,s no way you would walk away from someone suffering genuine hardship.

The increasing problem with beggers can only be put down to the recent influx of eastern europeans, where if not a considered a honourable profession, does seem to be an acceptable way of earning a living. If as suggested earlier there are no laws to prevent this then the only way to put a stop to it is to simply not give.

Perhaps a donation to the various shelters to be found in the larger towns and cities would help strike the right balance between knowing your money is not going to waste and providing overnight food and sleeping accomodation for those that really need it.

[Guest peter]

Tomo3090 - 2007-10-22 12:16 AM

 

People who sell "The Issue" are NOT begging. Selling the magazine is their job. They buy so many mags off the publishers and then they sell them on. The difference between the price they buy and the price they sell is theirs to keep. They sign a contract, with rules on selling and their conduct, before becoming a seller and cannot accept just the money, THAT would be begging. All sellers wear an ID badge identifying who they are and where they are allowed to sell..The "Big Issue" charity do checks and if they are not following the rules they will lose their badge and can't sell again. If a seller is really bothering people get their badge number and complain. They are all trying to get their lives back on track and starting out from the bottom. They have dignity and are contributing to society again, why not help them?

 

Mike over 20% of the people living on the streets and homeless are ex forces. They have been abandoned by the official MOD and are helped by many charities, Salvation Army, Red Cross, British Legion etc. So perhaps it is unfair to judge without knowing the circumstances.

 

I am not nieve enough to think that some are not ripping people off, or cheating the system but you can't put everyone in that boat.

 

Well pointed out Tomo. That's the trouble with the Old Bill these days. Totally out of touch with reallity, cocooned in their nice safe pension at 55 jobs. If a few more people lost their jobs/house/family/hope for the future, they might understand what some of these poor people are going through. The Big issue sellers are just trying to get some dignity back after life has kicked them in the teeth. Think about it.......it could happen to any of us, and has to me a few times in my life. (redundancy). Don't be too quick to judge people.

[Mike Parke]

Peter, yes I think you are right inasmuch as the police of today are 'out of touch'. That is down to too much diversity & P.C. traning and not being allowed t o use their 'common sense'. I retired 10 years ago on Friday and, I regret to say, would not want to go back. To be honest, the job I left was not the job I joined which was one of the main reasons I retired when I did. I could have stayed for another 3 years but the 'magic' had gone and if you no longer feel that you want to do the job then it is best for self, family,

your particular constabulary and, most important of all, the public that you serve, that you leave.

 

Regards Mike

[CliveH]

In a local Sainsbury’s I was looking at the CD's and DVD when a hand came down on my shoulder and a voice said "I hope you are going to pay for that!"

 

After a buttock clenching moment when I thought I must have done something wrong - I realised it was a friend of mine I had known for years who is in the police.

 

He said much the same as Mike and he looks forward to his retirement in about 18 months time. He was "plain clothed" that day on the lookout for a gang of female Eastern Europeans who target elderly ladies and busy mums who put their hand bag in "easy reach".

 

A few distract whilst one goes for the purse.

 

He told me he despairs because even if he catches them they are out doing it again within a day or too.

 

As a keen motorcyclist and Classic car enthusiast he has told me in the past that he is staggered that we have so many laws against this and that but none whatsoever that seem to be enforceable against criminal gangs. His son met up with a couple of other lads in a car park – they were not doing anything but a policeman told them to move on as a meeting of three or more cars and their occupants was somehow illegal.

 

They know who they are - they just cannot seem to get them convicted.

 

And he says the paperwork is beyond belief. he says David Blunket was a total nightmare who increased paperwork about fourfold when someone was detained.

 

What is he going to do when he retires?

 

Take his MH to France/Spain/Portugal and look for somewhere to live.

 

Having been at the sharp end for many years he thinks we have it all wrong.

 

I agree with him.