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[CLKD]

 

[breeze]

I put charity bags straight in the bin.

If I want to donate I take my stuff to a shop myself.

Simple.

[CLKD]

Someone started a thread about food banks ;-)

[Pennyfarthing]

By coincidence I've just been watching TV progs  which I recorded. One was Fake Britain and it covered fake clothes collection banks. Never knew there were such things but apparently there are loads and I think I'm right in saying that old clothes are now fetching £700 a ton so there's massive money in it an it all goes into the pocket of unscrupulous people and NOT to charities.

If you use these banks make sure they have charities name, charity number and phone number on. The fake ones they showed just had "Kids Go Green" on them and there is no such charity.

[CLKD]

It doesn't make much different PF, some of the bags have apparently legal 'logos' but when Himself looks on the net, they are run by Eastern Europeans who jump from idea to idea, closing one name B4 opening the next.  Clothes are put out in the plastic sacks, picked up and sent to Europe - the Charities mentioned on the sacks either don't exist or get very little or nothing from the pick up.

Which is why we tend in recent years to take stuff to UK Charity Shops although I do need to ask where they bags of stuff not sold goes to: as well as the homeless charity in our closest large town, collect by the Church here.

I didn't know about the food bank until November - apparently it's been used for 10 years 

[nearly50]

I leave the house at 7am and quite often see a couple of women managing to squeeze their hands into the charity clothes bins at the end of the street to get piles of stuff, so that puts me off donating to them.

[Pennyfarthing]

Bags were regularly stolen in the early hours where I lived before. I once put a bag out for Cystic Fibrosis and it had gone when I got up. I then saw the CF van coming up the road some hours later.  The thing is lots of people couldn't care less. They're just relieved to have an opportunity to get rid of junk without making much effort, so as long as the bag disappears ....

You're right. I've seen it round here too. 

[CLKD]

Several years ago, sacks would be lifted into white vans, sorted by the travellers, stuff they didn't want dumped in lay-bys  .  Then the Council had to clear it all up which then went to land-fill 

[CLKD]

I went onto the web-site of our local homeless centre that we take stuff to - they had a really good response pre-C.mas with lots of clothing, bedding, soap etc. donated, so much so that they don't want any more donations until mid-Feb. except male and female underwear. 

Apparently street sleepers are on the rise again.  Some Hostels won't take those with dog/s which is a bit short sighted  .

[CLKD]

Last night there was an article on the news, asking the public to contact 'shelters' if they see people sleeping rough.

How can emergency rooms be provided in cold weather but not the rest of the year?  We support the Trussel Trust {I think it's called} as well as the local homeless support group in Northampton.  With clothing, food, thick socks etc..  There are lots of people 'under the arches' in M Keynes in tents .......... I read on the national news about a woman who was peed on and then had a bucket of cold water poured over her  in a doorway.

1 thing I think would help are emergency foil blankets.  I carry a few with me to hand out, put on top of the cardboard and wrapped round the person then covered with a blanket will help.  They cost between a quid and a fiver.  Can be used several times.  Some people really can't cope with being with other people in a 'closed' situation  preferring to hide away in a deep pile of blankets. 

Sanitary towels are a real problem for rough sleepers.  Lack of money to buy every month ......... I had very heavy, clotty periods: 10 days bleed, 10 days off ............. 

[JaneinPen]

There is a link for “Say no to a second night” for the homeless.  It is http://www.streetlink.org.uk/ They also have a mobile app

[CLKD]

 

apparently it's the time of year for public 'sleep outs' 

I often think of those in box city what ever the weather 

[Taz2]

There is a link for “Say no to a second night” for the homeless.  It is http://www.streetlink.org.uk/ They also have a mobile app

Thanks for the link Herdwick.

CLKD - do you know where you get your foil blankets from? They do vary in cost. Asking for my son who lives in the middle of a city so often chats to rough sleepers on his way home.

Taz x

[Daisydot]

Hi Taz2 amazon have a very good selection at reasonable prices xx

[CLKD]

Walking/camping outlets.  They do vary from a quid to about a fiver.  I was going to ask during the year about buying in bulk, the same with sanitary protection; once this snow goes I'm off to the supermarket to see if they will give me a 'deal'.  Girls are desperate in some places, even those that aren't sleeping rough!

The idea with the foil blankets is to put a layer of cardboard on the pavement, put the blanket open on top so that it will wrap around the person B4 putting blankets on top.  To make a cacoon - if that makes sense.  Stops the cold seeping upwards as well as trapping warmth against the body.  There are usually 'instructions' on the packets.

Tnx Daisydot