Hungry Britain

To be fair, London is one place where there does seem to be a lot of council flats dotted about.

Riverwalk

You too, River?

rose and cactus it's very hostile, and rude, to address members as 'you lot'.

And cactus don't send me another pm - I've barred you.

jingle
My point was about some earlier posts about social class and professional job status.
I wanted to comment about the large number of very poorly paid persons. doing jobs which are generally thought of as low status.

The job examples I cited were those that are absolutely essential to the running of the country without which most of the business infrastructure would ground to a halt.

It was just my musings about pay not reflecting the relative value of the work done by these very low paid workers.

I wonder what the city of London will do when this basic workforce move away as they can no longer afford to live and work there.

I did not know foodbanks limited the bags of food to three a year. My close relative who helps run one mentioned seeing the same people regularly, I am not sure that that can be correct. How can you need it one week but not the next if you are still in difficulties?

I am still thinking about the link I posted earlier to a blog by the Children's Commissioner in Wales where children told him they got school meals in termtime but went hungry in the school holidays.
Can't re-post as I have to go NOW according to DH.

me.

My granny was always talking about the workhouse and how she was going to land up in it. I, with all the wisdom of an eight year old, would tell her there was no such thing any more. I'm not sure she believed.

Eh! I don't go that far back you know!

Elegran being 'on the parish' was the most shaming thing possible for people back then [next step the workhouse.] It was not some delightful rural idyll.What we have today imperfect as it is, is a million times better.
Also, I think from reading all the posts, that cactus lives in an area where she sees a lot of things going on [as Jingl points out in her post.]
This thread is making people very hot under the collar.

She has some valid points, but she does not accept that anyone else might have some valid points, or that the examples she has seen are not 100% of those on or needing benefits.

Many people on this thread are saying that there is a great variety in how much people really need the help that is available, and that sensitive triage is needed to decide who gets what and for how long, a very difficult thing to administer in a big industrialised country where people move about from one place to another, fall in and out of work, get ill or recover, have family to help out or have none.

Once upon a time, relief was given by the parish you were born into. If you had stayed put there, you were known to all your neighbours, who had to contribute directly to the fund that helped you, and to the officials who paid out. If you were swinging the lead, you were sussed out pretty fast. If you fell on hard times in a different parish, you were "sent home" for help, which worked until the Industrial Revolution and the concentration of a lot of workers in big towns.

Now it is all state based, so the recipients are further from the providers of the cash.

I think cactus has some valid points. Maybe she lives in an area where she see it all going on.

I should n't be criticising anyone. I have been dealt a lucky hand after a rocky start. I do remember being poor though and, to be honest, I don't think we could have managed without some state help when I wAs little. In fact I know we couldn't have.

It was Tonight at 7.30 p.m. yesterday, Lona. 'The Rise of the Working Poor'.

What was this tv programme please? It wasn't in my tv guide.

Of course it is, gillybob! A quick google indicates that food banks in different areas have varying limits on the number of hampers per family allowed - usually 3 - 6 a year. They're only supposed to help the family through a crisis.

Wasn't there a poster calledcheelu who sent that kind of nasty pm?

Surely the very reason that you access a foodbank at all is because you are desperate and limiting this to three times a year seems very unfair to me Ana I did not see the program but it is very sad that anyone needs a foodbank at all in 2014.

Back to the food banks. I was very surprised to learn from the man who ran the food bank in last night's programme that people who are referred can only access it three times a year so that they don't become dependent on it.

beginning to think this should be called 'Harpiesnet not Gransnet lol

Not only their opinion, gillybob but their own experience.

It is sad Jingle and was totally impossible for them to stay together. Unfortunately if my daughter were to move from the area she would lose her support system (family) so not be able to work at all. Also her ex lives nearby and sees his children, likes their schools etc. So wouldn't agree to a move even if DD would. Thanks for your thoughts and ideas though .

Do think you should report that PM Dragonfly

Rise above it Dragonfly1 we are all entitled to an opinion on GN the problem is that some people think "their opinion" is the only one that counts.

If someone has to resort to sending nasty messages then who is really "the bitch" ?

I agree.

Like (sensible) when says, report it to HQ.

Look back through the thread and it'll be obvious who it is.

Report it to GNHQ, Dragon. There's no need for that.