Beggars CAN be choosers!

No, I've not been into it, but I have heard good things about it.

Thanks, Elegran. I tried that, but obviously you have the touch and I don't . Have you tried the sandwiches?

A bit like behind the scenes for all sorts of organisations - both public and voluntary.

There's a lot more goes on behind the scenes in homeless shelters than people realise. Ever wondered who changes, washes, dries and remakes the bed daily for example? A whole army of unsung volunteers.

Here is a link, Wheniwasyourage social-bite.co.uk/

I don' think giving money to beggars solves anything. Their problems are more complex and their needs often greater than a few pounds can solve. So I prefer to donate my winter fuel allowance to charities for the homeless. I hope it does some good, longer term.

If you're visiting Glasgow, Edinburgh or Aberdeen, have a look at the sandwich shops run by Social Bite. It's a charity which feeds, trains and employs homeless people, and they make extremely good sandwiches and cakes too. I've tried to put a link to the website but without success, but you can find it on Google.

We were in Birmingham recently and noticed a charity running a soup kitchen in a street near the station in the evenings, and also giving out clothes and shoes. They were not short of customers.

Now that's interesting Maggie

By the way, it's great what is being done in some towns to help. I know several people who support the homeless in a big way in cities like Leeds and London. There's a real social conscience out there.

We have a thriving local group supporting homeless and vulnerably housed people in the area, as well as others in need of their food bank, weekly hot lunch and many other support services. It's sad that we need them, but they are very well supported and do a great job. When two beggars turned up on the high street, the group established they weren't genuine and the word quickly went round. They'd gone after a week. Sadly they'll have just taken their scam to another town.

Cash may be needed for saving for a deposit, even a room rent now requires a deposit up front how is the homeless person supposed to raise this money? Many have problems claiming benefits or getting work because they have no fixed address so a vicious cycle! Additionally food obviously helps but money is needed to buy toiletries and pay for a hair cut replace shoes or underwear etc

Yes Anya it's the same as people who make fraudulent benefit claims, they then 'spoil' it for others who are genuine and also pronide ammunition for those who want to tar everyone with the same brush. We don't have any beggars in my small market town - as I said the ones I see are in two cities where I occasionally work. I have no doubts as to the genuiness of the ones I see regularly and I find it very sad. The fact that some people take advantage is also very sad in a different way.

And that's the sad part Mary - these bogus beggars are preying on people's good will and it is the genuinely homeless and down-and-out who suffer.

We are only a small, market town. I've never seen the police try to move homeless people on (we usually have 2-3) and local people are accepting and generous. Looking back to Saturday when I started this thread, I don't remember either of these two young men being part of our regulars. Perhaps word has got round that there's easy pickings here.

All I know is that these two with their signs do a disservice to others who live on the streets.

I would never give a homeless person money, it will be probably used for drink or drugs.

No but some beggars are homeless and some homeless people beg. Over the years in two city centres I have regularly seen people, early in the morning, still asleep in shop doorways. I have seen them settling down for the night, quite early on. And some of them I've seen begging during the day. All I can think when I see them is that there is probably a very sad back story there. I believe the ones I've generally seen are genuine but I'm not going to judge - how could I or should I? They generally look utterly wretched and ill - I've read about the 'scams' and wouldn't deny they exist but I see plenty who are not in this category

" Not all beggars are homeless and not all homeless beg."

Well said.

Perhaps a pair of warm socks or a woolly hat now that winter's on the way back. Definitely not cash.

I never give anything to beggars. How will they ever make the effort to improve their lot in life if they rely on people in the street subsidizing them all the time.

I hope no one belonging to this poster is ever down on their luck or has poor mental health which makes it difficult or seemingly impossible to "improve their lot in life". I despair of such coldness

A beggar outside Beaconsfield M and S was offered a sandwich ( which, obviously, would have been bought at great expense from the store) and the kind offer was refused. Picky much?

Many of the people on the street are actually trafficked here and their traffickers have put them on to the street to earn money. I must admit, if I ever, God forbid found myself homeless and on the street I'd probably have to turn to drink so I could pass out as I would be so scared and hopeless. I think giving to the charities that help to feed, clothe and assist the homeless is a much better option than giving money to street beggars because at least then their basic human needs will be met at least.

I don't consider big issue sellers as beggars. I always buy it, and enjoy reading it.

A good book to read is 'A street cat named Bob' - an autobiographical account of a recovering drug addict who is 'adopted' by a stret cat. Its a charming book and you learn a lot about homelessness, busking and Big Issue selling.

Big issue sellers areNOT beggars. They have to buy the magazines and estimate how many thy will sell, I think they buy them for £1 and sell for £2 or something like that. Any that dont sell have to be thrown away when the next edition comes out. This is a way of getting them back on track and getting some dignity. If they are picked up in a car with others this is probably the organisers who they buy the mags from and allocate to them their 'patch,' If you are homeless (maybe a recovering alcoholic or trying to come off drugs) you are in a catch 22 situation - no fixed address = no job offers. No job means no money to rent somewhere to live. Sometimes they are helped to get back on track by being offered sheltered accommodation but still have to pay rent (maybe electricity etc too) and buy food. For job interviews they need to afford decent clothes not to mention somewhere to wash /shave/have a haircut etc. Busking is one way of 'working' for money but illegal in any places. Big Issue selling is legal (they have a licence ) and are helped to save a little (they have to manage there own money - if they buy too many or too few mags to sell they may be out of pocket.) if thy can save enough to get somewhere to live they etc they have a chance of getting a job. So I usually buy the big issue (and sometimes give a little more.) The mags are often interesting to read in any case.

I guess I would ask them if they need anything besides cash. I was sitting in a taxi in NYC once, in mid winter. The temperature had dropped to a bone chilling 11 degrees F. I saw a man jump out of limo in mid traffic and he handed his expensive looking overcoat and scarf to a homeless man who looked like he was about to pass out from the cold!

I saw an article in the local press about a young man who had been "sanctioned" becuase he was late for his appointment at the benefits office,his benefits were stopped for several weeks as "punishment" He had no option but to beg to attempt to keep a roof over his head ,some of you seem to forget that if you're down on your luck its guaranteed the DWP will come along and kick you when you're down .Countless numbers of people are sanctioned every month with no visible means of support what are they supposed to do ? Its not only feckless ,irresponsible folk who find themselves with problems

We have had a similar thread a little while ago.
I will repeat what I wrote then. A friend of mine works with a homeless charity in our city. She says that no one in the city has to sleep outdoors. There is accommodation for all.
There is a soup kitchen in the evening in the centre of the shopping area so all can be fed.
She said that there are very generous people who buy beggars food and drink but , as has already been said, there is a limit to how much one person can eat or how many coffees can be drunk.
I support the charity but don't give to beggars. It makes me feel very guilty when I say no, as I did last night.
I don't suppose that there is any way we can ever get it right.