|
||||
 |
||||
|
||||
 My name is Mark and I ’ve been homeless here in London since
the 9th of February this year.My landlord decided to sell the building off that
I was living in.There were six occupied flats and we all got put out on the
streets because we were only on short term leases. At that time I found out who my real friends were and I also found out what the state of property is like in London.I went to all the different boroughs of London but only found two hotels in all those areas that still took DSS people.They were completely full and there were waiting lists so there was no chance of getting into them. So when the time came I put all my furniture into storage and lived on the streets. I had some savings from when I had worked previously.These got used immediately for food and such like things. When that ran out I met another homeless person who showed me the ropes for getting handouts and things like that.Since then I ’ve learnt the ways of the street.I ’ve got myself an Outreach Worker,a person who helps homeless people get accommodation. When I had my flat I was working casually with a removal firm.I was on benefits at the time and well.Doing that kind of work while living rough was impossible.The firm were good about the situation.They told me to get myself sorted out and gave me some time off,but seven months later I am still on the streets. The main difficulty I ’m finding at the moment is getting accommodation.I ’ve been from letting agency to letting agency asking about prices but only a few take DSS,and those properties don ’t come up very often. Since I ’ve been on the streets I have discovered why a lot of the homeless people drink and take drugs.Most people just look down their noses at you.They think that you ’re a second class citizen. I’m more focused than your average homeless person but I think that ’s down to the fact that I don ’t do drugs and I ’m teetotal.I want to get back to the life I had before.I ’m told that there is light at the end of the tunnel by the person who is working on my case,but I don ’t see that being on the streets.I just have to take one day at a time. That ’s the best you can do on the street. My average day involves finding a place to sleep that ’s safe and going to get food.I don ’t beg,I don ’t steal or anything like that.I ’ve got my own moral standards.I ’ve sank down far enough and doing things like stealing is another level down.I ’ve recently found a part time job.It ’s only three hours a week but it ’s something –the highlight of my day.My job brings a bit of discipline to my day,otherwise I ’m just wandering around aimlessly. I’ve met a lot of people on the streets. Amongst most of us there is a good camaraderie.If someone ’s hungry they get fed because people will share their food.There is a bad element as well.According to recent reports everyone in the West End is either on drink or drugs,which is not the case.A lot of homeless people do beg and take drugs,its to get them through the day.Most of them are bored out of their heads with nothing to do and nowhere to go. Personally,I ’ve never been a drinker. When I was growing up we never had booze in our house.I didn ’t have my first drink until I was sixteen years old. Drinking has never really appealed to me.I ’m not going to start now. The Government aren ’t doing enough.They say that they want to clear the streets but they have no places for the homeless.I have been told in the last week that there are no hostel places available,but on the street your going to get nicked for begging.The Government are not going about it the right way at all. The people at the RSU (Rough Sleepers Unit)need to get out on to the streets and see the situation. The voluntary organisations that do the soup runs and give food,clothes and toiletry hand-outs are fantastic. They give their time very selflessly.Without them I don ’t know how any of us would get by.We ’d have to resort to thieving.I can ’t praise them highly enough. There are soup-runs and handouts all through the day starting at about six in the morning and going on till midnight.Anyone who is homeless on the street there is no need for them to go hungry whatsoever. I don ’t have the same motivation as what I did when I was first made homeless.I think it is simply because it ’s been a long road and you get worn down.There are little things like my job that keeps me focused a bit.Not having an address makes it very difficult to step up.Without any help there is no chance for you. It would be a case of stay and rot really. |
