I've been avoiding starting a thread about this, but what we saw in Norwich on Saturday is haunting me and I wanted some viewpoints from Mudcat.
It was minus 7 degrees on Friday night, and still only minus 4 on Saturday morning. We were frozen when we arrived in the city by car, but we needed a bit of a walk, so wandered around looking in shops. The day rapidly got very depressing. We passed so many beggars sitting on the icy pavement, with a tiny pile of coins in a hat or a tin. They looked half dead. Outside BHS (closed now,thanks to Mr Greedy Green) was a large pile of sleeping bags and blankets under the portico, where the shapes of various bodies could be discerned, presumably asleep.
The worst was a poor, poor, skinny old lady crouched with her knees up to her chin against a corner of a building. She looked asleep (or unconscious) and her 'clothes' were the worst rags I have ever seen. We were in tears. My husband suggested the large thick tartan car blanket we keep in the boot, so we hurried back to the multi-storey to fetch it, and on the way got a hot cup of coffee and some sandwiches from a nearby shop. We wrapped her up, apologising for waking her, and put the coffee and sarnies into her hands. But it was her eyes which finished me off. Just utter despair and hopelessness. My husband tucked a tenner under her sleeve, and we left, not knowing what else we could do.
I can't get this poor creature out of my mind. I even dreamed about her! How on earth is it that folk like this suffer with apparently no help, in this day and age? I contribute in a small way to the Salvation Army and the St Martin's Homeless Project in Norwich, but we haven't a lot of spare cash, as we help our African family in Ivory Coast. Why doesn't the State do anything? Why aren't there systems in place for these people?
What finally pierced my heart was the sheer number of people strolling past totally ignoring her or just staring and commenting, apparently unmoved.
What can be done?