Well, there’s no doubt that a fair few people are on their uppers but at the same time, there are those that abuse the kindness of others and that puts suspicion at least in the minds of others which can have a negative impact on those that are asked to help. A few personal observations and experiences: A couple of years ago there was nothing I really wanted so all I asked my wife for Christmas was to spend what she would have spent on me on items for a local food bank. It’s not just food they need - they take other stuff such as toilet rolls, toothpaste, women’s sanitary products etc etc. We went and bought a couple of trolleys full of stuff from Sainsbury (the food bank had a list of items needed on their website) and I took them down there. They were grateful but I couldn’t help noticing that a woman who was loading up her bags with stuff when I arrived was outside talking on a mobile and smoking a fag when I left. Also, outside our Sainsbury’s is a foreign speaking girl/woman selling Big Issue magazines. She’s been doing it regularly for at least the last 4 years and probably for three of those she has been talking non stop on her iPhone. Another example, on my trip to work on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday when I don’t start until 12.30, I catch the 11.30 train which is relatively empty on the District line. It’s one of those trains where it is totally open from one end to the other - no separate carriages if you know what I mean. At least two of those three days, a man in his early twenties walks through the train from one end to the other with a hand written sign which he waves in your face. He doesn’t talk. The sign says he cannot find work and needs money for food. The thing is, he always wears a designer track suit and a pristine pair of white trainers. He is at it week in, week out. How can someone claim to be needing food when they are apparently fit, heathy and are wearing designer clobber? On my way home around 3.00 I have seen others coming back from London direction dressed like tramps drinking beer from cans and feasting, yes feasting, on pre-packed sandwiches, pies, sausage rolls that they have either bought or had given to them apparently on their way home after a days 'work' with holdall’s full of coins. The dirty bastards leave the train strewn with food, food wrappers and cans. I could go on but you get the idea of what I see on a weekly basis. I don’t think what I see is much different from what others see - at least in London and on the outskirts. It's examples like this that people are seeing day in, day out. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a truly starving person.
