Would you buy a suspended coffee?

[spats]

I've found this article relating to Starbucks recent involvement in the scheme

 

http://www.oasisuk.org/article.aspx?menuId=32637

 

But looking at the Oasis Hubs listings, I cant see any for our area

 

http://www.oasisuk.org/about/hubs

 

I'd prefer to think my money was helping the homeless in Sheffield. So for now, I think I will continue to buy a coffee for someone in Sheffield when they look like they need it. I always ask first what they would like. Sometimes I get no response (too sleepy or stoned!), sometimes I get a grunt & I've had the occasional **** off!

 

But honestly, if the suspended coffee idea is leading into charitable donation option at the point of sale I would rather donate directly to the (local) charity.

 

Lets see how it develops before we condemn the whole thing. You never know just how it will pan out with all the interest the campaign has generated.

Edited April 18, 2013 by spats

[FACEBOOK]

This idea falls down when you try and mix homeless people in retail establishments with regular customers. You simply cannot have homeless people gathering in and around local businesses. All they have to do is raise money through donations in store and then take the coffee or whatever out to the homeless people in a defined area, maybe even a pop up shop somewhere out of the way. The system of delivery has to be very simple or again, it will fail. The whole suspended coffee idea I think is nonsense and limits the donations to coffee shops. All businesses should be able to take part and accept donations in their stores, and like I say, do the homeless even want coffee? How do you even know if the people who turn up for the FREE GIVEAWAY are even homeless? Too many areas of trouble and hassle which is why it won't work and certainly won't last very long even if they promote it heavily nationwide let alone locally. It's like I'm wearing "see into the future goggles", and sadly, the rest of you are wearing rose tinted ones! I have spoken!

[Mr Bloom]

I wasn't aware I was using them in a negative way. I'm trying to help someone save their time. There is nothing more valuable than time. I had vented all this before, and as some time had passed, I asked for an update. I now see little if any progress. Focussed is determined to continue. So we shall see. I hope he proves me wrong. He won't though, I'm never wrong and shouldn't be vilified for it.

 

Do we even know what homeless people actually want to make their lives a little more tolerable? Is it a coffee, is it even food? Maybe a pair of better shoes or a jumper? I don't even know what they want. Do you? Does focussed?

 

That's a fair enough response. As I see it though, this is the idea ie coffees that appeals to FH, and it's going to benefit those in need, and people do want to buy in to it, so great. If others want to follow his inspiring lead, and put their energy in to clothes for the homeless, or food, that's brilliant.

 

There are going to be issues that need ironing out, FH has acknowledged that, and he's working on it, but repeating obstacles and not offering solutions isn't the best use of your own talents, in my opinion.

[FACEBOOK]

That's a fair enough response. As I see it though, this is the idea ie coffees that appeals to FH, and it's going to benefit those in need, and people do want to buy in to it, so great. If others want to follow his inspiring lead, and put their energy in to clothes for the homeless, or food, that's brilliant.

 

There are going to be issues that need ironing out, FH has acknowledged that, and he's working on it, but repeating obstacles and not offering solutions isn't the best use of your own talents, in my opinion.

 

It's all lip service though. It's easy for people to click like buttons on facebook and give focused a nice virtual pat on the back, where are they all to actually help him. Nowhere that's where. Who's cold calling local shops to see if they want to get involved, nobody except focussed and he's only managed to get a couple interested. No point arranging for posters to be printed if you've got no shops to put them in. Weeks have passed and Focussed has found out that in reality, he's on his own to single handedly launch a new campaign unknown to most which isn't executable.

[Mr Bloom]

It's all lip service though. It's easy for people to click like buttons on facebook and give focused a nice virtual pat on the back, where are they all to actually help him. Nowhere that's where. Who's cold calling local shops to see if they want to get involved, nobody except focussed and he's only managed to get a couple interested. No point arranging for posters to be printed if you've got no shops to put them in. Weeks have passed and Focussed has found out that in reality, he's on his own to single handedly launch a new campaign unknown to most which isn't executable.

 

He's not claiming to be Richard Branson, is he? We all have to start somewhere. He's already got further than most ideas get.

[spats]

I think the 'suspended coffee' idea has had time to be discussed and debated. All the arguments for & against have been talked through and it is clear in which direction this is all going.

The 'suspended coffee' will be a phrase which is used to promote the idea of charitable donation giving at the point of sale. (For now, it seems to be Coffee Shops that are getting involved). Asking people to 'suspend a coffee for the homeless' is more likely to illicit a positive response from patrons rather than a straightforward request for a monetary donation. (A pleasing image of a cold homeless person receiving a free hot drink gives us happy thoughts so we are more likely to give something).

The money generated will then be redirected to designated charities. Whether or not the money goes towards providing 'free coffees for the homeless' will be down to the charities themselves.

Starbucks are working with http://www.oasisuk.org/ so click on link if you want to find out more about them.

The initial notion that you could buy on credit a coffee for a homeless person to have later in the day from that establishment, 'suspended' so to speak, is not going to be possible.

But something else has grown out of it which sounds like a very plausible & effective way of generating vital donations for a number of good causes.

Please don't keep knocking Focused. Not many people have the gall to get up & do something positive like this.

It may not be what it set out to be, but I have to say it is a good idea (now!). It just took a while to get there is all!

Just think of all the fun we forumers can have moaning on new threads about the 'coffee charity chuggers'

Edited April 19, 2013 by spats

[Dromedary]

I think you have all been hypnotised.

[spats]

I think you have all been hypnotised.

 

:hihi::hihi:

 

Watch out. Could be you next......

 

---------- Post added 23-04-2013 at 14:54 ----------

 

A small update for anyone who is interested. The Starbucks on Ecclesall Road is now up & running with their Suspended Coffees. It's been ongoing for about a week. Not much promotional material around to advertise it though. Only a small A4 sized poster on the notice board (at the collection point). Barista told me none had yet been purchased.

The Starbucks opposite the Cathedral are also doing them. There was no publicity information anywhere about it in this branch and the Barista didn't really know much about it when I asked. The Supervisor was clued up however, but didn't seem particularly in awe of it. Mainly because the coffees/money generated wasn't being distributed to the Sheffield homeless. She said it was going to be sent centrally to London.

In both branches, there was more promotional focus on the new reusable travel cups than there was on Suspended Coffees.

Edited April 23, 2013 by spats

[focusedhypno]

I think there are far better ways to help the homeless especially if run by someone as committed as yourself.

 

It would be incredibly helpful of you Facebook if you could be specific about what those better ways are! There really are many better ways of helping homeless people. A really great way to help a homeless person would be to give them a house but I'm not in a position to do this unfortunately. I think that just because there are better ways to do something does not mean those other ways shouldn't be bothered with at all though!

 

Once again, I have never said that suspended coffee in Sheffield is up and running, as you have acknowledged yourself, so to then question how many coffees have been given away when you know this seems a little strange to me.

The number of places expressing an interest is increasing all the time. Harland Cafe is keen to join in too which is great news.

 

---------- Post added 24-04-2013 at 10:03 ----------

 

I wasn't aware I was using them in a negative way. I'm trying to help someone save their time. There is nothing more valuable than time. I had vented all this before, and as some time had passed, I asked for an update. I now see little if any progress. Focussed is determined to continue. So we shall see. I hope he proves me wrong. He won't though, I'm never wrong and shouldn't be vilified for it.

 

Do we even know what homeless people actually want to make their lives a little more tolerable? Is it a coffee, is it even food? Maybe a pair of better shoes or a jumper? I don't even know what they want. Do you? Does focussed?

 

You have come across quite negative on several occasions it has to be said Facebook! You have also appeared to gloat and to be very ignorant as well as egotistical...but I have tried to let all that pass and answer the points you raise, even if you do ignore my responses half of the time!

 

I have a pretty good idea of what the homeless people I have spoken to in the past have wanted but I don't assume that because one homeless person wants a cup of coffee that they all do because they are all individuals.

 

Many homeless people need things in the short term (like a cuppa, a pair of warm socks or a new jacket) as well as the long term (a safe place to sleep, the prospect of being a part of society in some form). Not all want this kind of thing but many do.

 

---------- Post added 24-04-2013 at 10:05 ----------

 

Lets see how it develops before we condemn the whole thing. You never know just how it will pan out with all the interest the campaign has generated.

 

Thanks Spats! Keep your fingers crossed!

 

---------- Post added 24-04-2013 at 10:10 ----------

 

That's a fair enough response. As I see it though, this is the idea ie coffees that appeals to FH, and it's going to benefit those in need, and people do want to buy in to it, so great. If others want to follow his inspiring lead, and put their energy in to clothes for the homeless, or food, that's brilliant.

 

There are going to be issues that need ironing out, FH has acknowledged that, and he's working on it, but repeating obstacles and not offering solutions isn't the best use of your own talents, in my opinion.

 

Thanks for your comments Mr Bloom! If there is the potential of this scheme being pulled off and some good being done then why the hell shouldn't we at least try to make it happen??

 

ps. You aren't THE Mr Bloom are you? I'm a big fan of your TV show!

 

---------- Post added 24-04-2013 at 10:45 ----------

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22267613 Good piece on Suspended Coffee on the BBC website

[Super Hans]

The number of places expressing an interest is increasing all the time. Harland Cafe is keen to join in too which is great news.

 

Listen, anybody with any sense recognises that it's a stupid idea, even Starbucks themselves have admitted this with their half arsed attempt to appease people such as yourself and introduce their own version of 'suspended coffee'.

 

No doubt you'll still not be happy with this and wont be content until you have a genuine tramp sat next to you in Starbucks with a coffee you have just paid for, but it's not going to happen unless you bring him off the streets yourself and buy him the coffee there and then.

 

It's a stupid idea, it's never going to happen, it's never going to work and Starbucks have brushed it under the rug because they don't want to entertain such a nonsense idea.