Beggars, homeless, street drinkers & drug users in Sheffield!

[redruby]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that beggars are living the life of Riley and making a 'small fortune' begging. They are, however, getting enough money from nice, well meaning, concerned people to fund their addictions and thus go even further on a downward spiral. Yes, there are complex reasons for people begging on the streets but as has been said previously, who would give money to alcoholic family member or friend to buy booze? So why is giving money to a beggar (and beggar doesn't automatically=homeless) any different?

[fill]

it is very simple really

if they are selling the Big Issue then they are not begging.

 

i appreciate some of the hard of understanding cant quite comprehend that which to them would be a revelation if they were to fully grasp the meaning.

 

Yes some beggars come into sheffield in mini-buses from nearby towns and won't give to anyone i have not spoken to at length and I do agree with those that will not give to so called homeless beggars that have dogs.

 

the homeless in the uk is one of very few desereving causes i have and do give both money and my time. on principle i will not give to any charity that sends money or good abroad not whilst there are people in need in the uk.

[Anna B]

i, meanwhile, won't give money to any charity which has a CEO on a 6 figure salary. I give to smaller local charities who make every penny go as far as they can.

[Cyclone]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that beggars are living the life of Riley and making a 'small fortune' begging. They are, however, getting enough money from nice, well meaning, concerned people to fund their addictions and thus go even further on a downward spiral. Yes, there are complex reasons for people begging on the streets but as has been said previously, who would give money to alcoholic family member or friend to buy booze? So why is giving money to a beggar (and beggar doesn't automatically=homeless) any different?

 

It has been said previously. I guess you didn't bother to read this?

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-39212295

 

As a rebuttal.

 

---------- Post added 02-08-2018 at 07:21 ----------

 

is that how all drug addicts that dont go begging in town get there fixers?

 

---------- Post added 01-08-2018 at 16:51 ----------

 

a very easy comment to make, without substance

 

The link between acquisitive crime and drug addiction is incredibly well documented and strong.

It's one of the many reasons that drugs should be legalised and of course makes longcol correct.

[lesserthan1]

More love and a fairer society.

 

Give them all thirty grand each while people who need the money starve?

 

No. That's not right. These people have chosen to drink, take drugs, not work. I've had enough of the sympathy, we need to do something to tell them this isn't right.

[Halibut]

Give them all thirty grand each while people who need the money starve?

 

No. That's not right. These people have chosen to drink, take drugs, not work. I've had enough of the sympathy, we need to do something to tell them this isn't right.

 

I think you'll find that most street drinkers and beggars are quite well aware that their situation isn't something people aspire to.

[woodmally]

I think you'll find that most street drinkers and beggars are quite well aware that their situation isn't something people aspire to.

 

Do they really? People with addictions need to want help themselves and what you find is that this group doesn't. Otherwise the services and facilities available would have been able to work with them to turn their lives around.

 

Therefore we need some form of affirmative action to stop people providing money to them to enable their addictions thereby forcing them to seek help.

[paula4sheff]

Do they really? People with addictions need to want help themselves and what you find is that this group doesn't. Otherwise the services and facilities available would have been able to work with them to turn their lives around.

 

Therefore we need some form of affirmative action to stop people providing money to them to enable their addictions thereby forcing them to seek help.

 

Steps have been taken to publicize the issue via campaigns encouraging people not to give money - these were unsuccessful as people refused to accept the advice of experts and believed they knew better.

 

The most obvious thing to do therefore, in my view, would be to make giving to beggars an offence. Begging is an offence, so why not make giving to them one too? This could possibly work in conjunction with a central point in the city centre where people could give money to charities working in the drink/drug addiction sector.

 

The message that giving to beggars is part of the problem and not the solution HAS to get through, one way or the other.

[Longcol]

Steps have been taken to publicize the issue via campaigns encouraging people not to give money - these were unsuccessful as people refused to accept the advice of experts and believed they knew better.

 

 

Expert advice would seem to vary according to this recent article in the Independent.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/should-we-give-homeless-money-a8124951.html

[paula4sheff]

Expert advice would seem to vary according to this recent article in the Independent.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/should-we-give-homeless-money-a8124951.html

 

The many charities in the city, alongside BID, all agreed in Sheffield. That article is about homeless people- not beggars.

 

For some reason people are insistent that giving to beggars helps, and won't be told otherwise. Oddly, the same people often say it's terrible how many beggars there are....