Manchester Trip, Sad plus an eye opener

On a slightly sad note within my trip to Manchester I came along a lady who is called Vicki, if you can imagine a lady who looks about 68 but is only 52 years old, no family no loved ones, nothing but a small amount of savings and living on the street,Now this lady wont except any financial help off the government, so how will she survive once her small amount of savings has gone? her legs are so swollen they look so painful, now you need to understand this lady was not an alcoholic like most living on the streets, far from it, she had only been on the streets for a couple of months, wont take any help that is offered, I asked Vicki did she want to earn herself £5, and do you know what she said? she said "what do you want me to do pick up litter" I said no I just want to take some black and white photos of you. But how sad is that this lady thought nothing of her self, thought she was only good enough to pick up litter, a frail lady with no love for herself no self belief no nothing. Your probably thinking well why am I wanting to write about this lady. Well the answer to that is obvious to let you all know that next time you walk passed a homeless person, just stop and ask how they are have a little chat with them because it could so easily be you, and I know if it was me I would want someone to make me smile if only for a few minutes, and Vicki did, she did smile if only for a short while my conversation brought a different expression than the very sad one she had minutes before i spoke to her. Vicki wont take any help she has been offered it by the homeless unit, the social department but she refuses to take it. But what I cant understand is these higher people know that the people who have pride and don't want to except the help offered, that maybe if they did it in such a way as to maybe not give it on a plate, so people like Vicki don't feel like a charity case, why not say something like maybe "well Vicki if you would like to help us out I don't know somewhere maybe in a homeless unit with some cleaning or washing up" just something so Vicki feels like she is doing it for herself, then we will give you a roof over your head and food, then maybe she and others would not feel like nothing but would be doing for themselves via the help full people, I think it is about time these people got the help they need, but more important is to get the help the way they want the help! after all no one wants charity no one wants to think of themselves as useless and in need, not people with pride anyway. I have pride and I know if I to was stuck I wouldn't ask for help because I like Vicki am proud, a lady with pride should not be forgotten. But unfortunately I and others don't think Vicki will be with us this time next year, her legs are so swollen to the extent they are raw with ant bites and look very infected. My heart really goes out to this lady it really does, imagine it just for one minute, No family,no friends no meaning to live, just nothing but you and one bag on a cold street, really how would you feel if you were a person with pride like Vicki, I know what the word is ALONE very alone. why cant something better be done for these people with pride after all pride is not a bad thing to have, or is it? it's not doing Vicki any favours at the moment.
I've seen quite a few homeless people over the years in various places, Liverpool, Manchester, Scotland, London and the Isle of Man, I’ve stopped to talk to a few, but my few minutes with Vicki was different I don’t know why I cant explain it, it just was, my heart went out to this lady but I don’t know why because she was not really any different to other homeless people that I’ve met, except her PRIDE.

Look out on life with amazement, not shock. The variety, the diversity, the manner of every person, the beauty amidst the drudgery, the contrasts, the opportunities, the heroism in the lives of ordinary people, your gifts, your talents, your friends - even just one friend - is all awesome. Live in awe, and entertain wonder, and you will be knocking on the door of true love. Don't kill it with cynicism or criticism, don't sabotage your life with moaning and complaining. Open the eyes in your head and the eye in your intellect and choose to see the stunning, awesome, diverse beauty of life happening around you right now. Meet it with your heart and you will enrich and be enriched in one single moment.

Stated on the Crisis website about homeless women:

http://www.crisis.org.uk/

How do homeless women survive?

• Homeless women are particularly isolated and cut off from services and assistance. • Crisis research shows that whilst 60 per cent of homeless women have slept rough, only 12 per cent had engaged with street outreach teams. 40 per cent of homeless women reported having been excluded from a service and 10 per cent were not using any service. 20 per cent had become homeless to escape violence from someone they knew yet less than a third of woman were accepted for housing by local authorities.

Why do people become (and stay) homeless?

• People become and stay homeless for a whole range of complex and overlapping reasons and in turn solving homelessness is about much more than putting a roof over people’s heads. Homeless people are amongst the most vulnerable and socially excluded in our society and many homeless people face a number of issues, in addition to but often compounded by, their homelessness. And the isolation and destructive nature of homelessness means that homeless people find it difficult to access the help they need.• The main cause of homelessness is relationship breakdown with family and partners. 1 in 4 ex-homeless people also find themselves unable to sustain a tenancy – loneliness & isolation are main causes, often compounded by lack of choice about where they can live • The lack of work is a major cause and consequence of homelessness, eroding skills and self-esteem and acting as a practical obstacle to finding and keeping a home. Only two per cent of homeless people are in full-time employment and 12 per cent work part-time. Over 50 per cent of homeless people have been unemployed for three years or more. Yet 77 per cent of homeless people would like to work now and most have worked at some point in the past.
Homeless people are 13 times more likely to be a victim of violence – much of it perpetrated by the general public.

The following is in the Isle of Man:

Homeless shelter to open during winter months
HOMELESS SHELTER: The Department of Health and Social Security plan to convert Kingswood House, Harris Terrace, Douglas, the former drug and alcohol day centre and clinic, into a temporary shelter for a maximum of eight beds plus a staff bed for six months has been approved.
Is it really enough??

A TEMPORARY homeless shelter is set to open this winter.
The Department of Health and Social Security applied (07/1920) in October for permission to convert Kingswood House, Harris Terrace, Douglas, the former drug and alcohol day centre and clinic into a temporary shelter for a maximum of eight beds plus a staff bed, for six months. Government planners approved the move but it was delayed after residents appealed.