Hi all,

I am please to say I have a stall selling my crafts on Beckett Park on 23th June. The Annual Picnic and Concert will run 1 - 5. A percentage of this money goes towards buy wool to make blankets and scarves for homeless people.

Please come along if you can. I am also able to take a small number of items to hand out to pass on to people on the street or pass on to Homeless Street Angels.

Annette B

 Hi all,

It was been a busy couple of weeks so I thought I would check in with an update.

A couple of weeks ago, while the weather was still hot, me and TJ went around town handing out water. We handed out 22 bottles of water in under two hours, even only giving one bottler per person. (We had also taken some dog food with us but for once no dogs) After that amount of time walking around in the hot sun, we pulled into a café for a drink and some respite from the heat, grateful we were able to do so after talking to so many without this option.

Last Thursday I spent the day in court supporting a homeless friend (J) who had been picked up for begging. I will write a fuller account of this shortly as there is quite a bit of info.

I have started talking to a new guy (JA) outside a local shop. He asked me for change but I had no coins on me. I explained this but offered to get him something from the shop. He then asked if he gave me £3 would I be happy to get £5 cashback. As he gave me the £3 first, I admit I was touched by the act of trust and did so. As I gave him the money back I did warn him that some people may have not been so honest.

I haven’t seen D or S around for some time. I also have not seen Miss G this year. That one worries me a little more as she is normally sat in the safe place most of the summer. I know her partner died during lockdown and wonder if that has anything to do with the change. I do still see Miss S around a lot at the mo. We chat often and she likes to get a hug.

I am thinking about seeing if I can monetize this blog. If anyone has any comments about this please let me know. I don’t think you can subscribe to this blog (if this is incorrect please can someone let me know in the comments below or e mail me) but not sure yet if this is a problem or not.

I had better stop there before this becomes an essay. I need to get my crochet hook going ready for winter. I only have 2 blankets made up so far in stock and as I know from last year, people on the streets were not the only people that were crying out for these last year.

Thank you for reading.

 

My e mail for this project is beafriendlyface@yahoo.com. Please get in touch if you have spare wool or items for the project, would like to come out on a homeless run, share an experience or would like more information on this project.

Or just to say hi – it nice to know people are reading.

 

  

These powerful photos of homeless people and their pet dogs are smashing stereotypes.

https://www.bigissue.com/news/housing/these-powerful-photos-of-homeless-people-and-their-pet-dogs-are-smashing-stereotypes/

 

Prince William launches project to help end homelessness in Britain

https://news.sky.com/story/prince-william-launches-project-to-help-end-homelessness-in-britain-12909594?fbclid=IwAR2yIFPaZdaBH7xIVZONRFQmYAty2SNvCvFBn99ombhpXA0oTEbyVzfqXVc

The kindness of strangers - (an e mail I received last year)

My kids were asking for a small swimming pool and that day I decided that they had been behaving good and deserved it. No need to take the car just make it fun and walk, my oldest was 7 and my second 6 and my daughter was barely 15 months.on our way to Wilko, It was good until the way down back home, me caring a big swimming box and a bag full of items that i didn’t need from b&m, my daughter scream and wanted to be held and boys having a big fight, not unusual, i didn’t notice that i have lost my wallet and that homeless man took it and has been calling me and i didn’t hear anything because of the noise of my troupe. He followed me until home and gave me back my wallet. I was overwhelmed and unfortunately he didn’t want to take anything , offered to have a drink and he didn’t let me give him anything as a reward. 

 

Thousands of tenants lose homes to no-fault evictions as wait for Renters Reform Bill goes on.

https://www.bigissue.com/news/housing/thousands-of-tenants-lose-homes-to-no-fault-evictions-as-wait-for-renters-reform-bill-goes-on/ 

Government urged to bring in new laws to protect homeless people in heatwaves

https://www.bigissue.com/news/housing/homeless-people-heatwaves-bring-in-laws-government/