Giving to a person begging on the Underground

I'm prepared to believe the incident happened as described, but I don't believe the 'social worker' was in fact a genuine social worker. Firstly because she would have known her behaviour was unprofessional and very probably a sackable offence, and secondly because if the beggar was indeed one of her clients he would surely have recognised her and moved on to the next carriage.
The young mother was teaching her children compassion, a wonderful and valuable lesson to the young. Let them grow up before they learn cynicism.

Plus there are rogue workers in every profession.

Buskers are not beggars? I didnt know that.

I've never thought of buskers as beggars They're offering a service that we can pay for or not. Admittedly the quality of that service varies from place to place. The buskers in Leeds centre are so good, I can only think they have to get through an audition process before they're allowed to perform

Maggiemaybe - Absolutely!

In which case, why do buskers ask for money? I cant see that it is expensive to stand there with their instruments.

But why would they do it without any expectation of reward, obi, when they could use that time looking for paid employment? They don't usually ask for money - ok, they do have some sort of collection tin, hat, whatever, but there's no pressure, no actual request.

They give a performance for which, if you enjoy it, you can show your appreciation by making a donation. Some of the street buskers are extremely talented, and passersby feel very lucky to have been treated to a 'free' show. It's up to them whether they give anything or not.

This is an interesting moral discussion, whether hypothetical or not. To my mind, the Mother did the correct thing in showing her child that some people are in a bad place and need help. The SW, professional or volunteer, was wrong, firstly for breaching client confidentiality, secondly for 'telling off' the woman who gave money, it is not hers or anyone else's business how people donate, and how people spend the received donations, and finally for watching this happening and not identifying herself to the man begging.
I don't give to anyone begging, I do however give to the Salvation Army and donate toiletries and such to the local Open Reach centre.

The mother did well. She showed compassion and encouraged her daughter to do the same. The rest just doesn't matter.

I give, I don't know the persons needs or what put them in the position to ask for money , could be greed but could be desperate need

An article in The Birmingham Mail said that many "beggars" were going home most days with about eight hundred pounds. Hmm, just going to get my coat out of the rag-bag, see you later.

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Juggernaut I would agree. However if it starts to make people think more then it is a worthwhile exercise since it is obvious how trusting, innocent or foolhardy Joe Public can be.

A friend was involved in a case years ago where the person arrested for begging turned out to have a very nice lifestyle away from his 'begging job' with his own home, cars and foreign holidays. He and his colleagues ran a 'system' and pinpointed those who were gullible and 'milked' them. Someone else on this thread pointed out a report of a similar case in the news during the past week so it is nothing new and continues as people allow themselves to be taken advantage of by others.

In this welfare state with additional charities abounding there is no way that any innocent person should be in desperate need because they would have no reason not to be open to the authorities about their circumstances. That is why so many people fight to get over massive hurdles to get into this country.

Those who wish to help the vulnerable can join or support charities who really do need the money being siphoned off by criminal enterprise.

I stopped buying The Big Issue several years ago as it became quite expensive.

How does the Birmingham Mail know the total collected in a day? Do they follow the person around or sit on a pavement keeping count of the money or do they carry out a body search?

DH is kind and generous. He was out one day and had just bought some sandwiches for his lunch. A young lady beggar approached him for some loose change as she was 'starving' He didn't have any, but offered the lady one of his sandwiches. He said 'would you like ham and cheese or roast beef?' Her reply....'No I wouldn't...I'm a vegetarian.'

To be fair, it was a kind gesture but the girl was vegetarian and this was her belief

How do the earnings of a beggar get worked out, I wonder
I give food, especially if it's a cold day. Many years ago, when I was 20 I was desperate, too. I had somewhere to live but no money at all. I was in London and I stole an apple from a stall in market. My boyfriend made me take it back.
Here, in our village, we have a chap who lives rough (probably in the local woods). He rides about on his bike and he rakes through the bins for food. He doesn't talk to anyone, but if I'm nearby, I just pop into the shop and buy him a couple of pies. He says little, apart from a quiet 'thank you'.

There was an article in a paper last week about a man sitting on the pavement wrapped in a blanket begging - and a photo of him at the end of the day getting into his very expensive car. Just saying.

Also, when I was working I used to give a takeaway coffee/food to a teenager who begged in an underpass - never gave him money as he was a drug addict. He wasn't there one day and never came back and I think of him to this day when I see people begging.

Perhaps the social worker was no such thing.There are lots of people who feel they know better than anyone else.It could have just been some one on a power trip.
I give to anyone who asks me and I will not change.

If this actually happened, and I'm certain similar things happen in London on a daily basis, my guess is that the social worker was a fantasist and made up her story.

I was in Brighton and saw a man rifling through the bins for food. I suspect he was an alcoholic because his eyes had a yellow tinge to them. I gave him a fiver and knew that he would immediately go to a pub and try and blank out his miserable world.

I shouldn't have done it but I did.

its a differcult one to call , i recall a tv documentry some years ago where certain beggers where discreetly followed by said camera crew, to see them dressed in dirty clothes, unshaven, dirty nails etc, only to see them climb into a so called " chelsea tractor " at the end Of their " shift " it seems some work a given spot days & nights in various tourist places around london, supposedly some days making a couple of hundred pounds all tax free of course, then there's the ones with pets, they tug on the heart strings naturally, but it does not end there, i use the tube in london & some use a ploy of walking through a carriage , putting down a cheap packet of hand tissues with a note saying something like being homeless etc, just to get around the begging bylaws on the underground, have seen smartly dress children " working the trains " one pulls out an accordian, give's a short burst on it & his " co-workers " shuffle through the carrirage, baseball caps in hand asking for money, i personally only give money to charitys by direct debit, but have been ripped off by there as well , born free being a culprit.yes there must be plenty of geniune people in need of help but how do you decide who deserves that help?.

Big Issue roughly price of latte.

i'm sorry but i don't give to anyone standing with their hand held out. while i have every sympathy with the homeless and others like them i just don't have the spare money to give.

i'm a disabled pensioner living on my pension and on a very strict budget - i'm afraid that with me the phrase "charity begins at home" is the one i follow.