The royal wedding.

Let's find out why they are homeless and try to help wedding or no wedding

If the council opened a reception room and laid on food and drink for the day for the homeless they'd go there rather than stay on the streets as food, drink and a comfortable chair would be far more appealing than getting squashed on crowded streets. Whatever their reason for being there, homeless people are still people and deserve to be treated with respect not swept away like rubbish.

VP what a brilliant idea, I suppose it would be possible to approach the Windsor council & suggest it

SorryVQ

I heard a series of short radio interviews with the residents of Windsor and apparently the influx of many beggars/ rough sleepers is very recent. In the past couple of months or so the streets have seen more and more appearing. Ever since, in fact, the announcement of the wedding there. Could there be some political force behind this or am I being way too suspicious?. It's strange that the numbers have increased though and the begging, according to a couple of interviews is becoming extremely aggressive and intimidating, with one elderly man having been practically marched to a cash machine to withdraw money for the beggar.
Homelessness is shocking, particularly when it involves ex-forces and the mentally sick. But don't forget many of those begging are getting a pretty penny and may not be homeless at all.

Excellent idea VQ you should write and suggest it.

Also Birene, it is interesting to read your comment & guess it's going to be true, if that's how a person lives ( for what ever reason) then they are going to go where the better opportunity is.

Offer them food. If they say no then that's their problem. We had a middle aged man living behind our dustbins for a few days. It was a sheltered spot and the dustbins offered a bit of shelter. Also they hid him. We gave him some food and drink ....as did another neighbour. His story was one that could happen to a lot of people. His marriage broke up and he left the family home so his ex and the children had somewhere to live. He sofa surfed for a while but couldn't do that forever. Finally he ended up on the streets. Then he went into even more of a downward spiral as he fell into drink and drugs to mask the pain of his life. This and being homeless also led to mental health problems. He never once asked for money and was always polite. He told me it was nice to be treated as a human being and not to be invisible. Sadly, after a few days, a miserable old bat less understanding neighbour saw him an called the police. She told the most terrible lies about him saying that he was leaving needles lying about and was a danger to children playing. Children never play behind our houses because she won't let them. The police officer was very sympathetic but said that he had to move him because the neighbour had complained. He was going to take him to a local country park where he would be hidden and DH told him how to make a sort of tent using low tree branches and some polythene. Just because some people pretend to be homeless in order to con people doesn't mean we can ignore the needs of those who are truly homeless.

I quite agree vampire queen.

quizqueen I couldn't agree more. The reason for so many of our problems stems from there being just far too many people crammed on to our tiny island. And we are due to expand further! You couldn't make it up! This is the 'elephant in the room' when discussing our country's problems. Dare to mention it and you are likely to be branded 'racist'. Unbelievable.

How are we due to expand further?

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/windsor-homeless-people-royal-wedding_uk_5a4e3ce5e4b06d1621bd8fc1?utm_hp_ref=uk-news

this country is NOT overcrowded

No, as paddyann said this country is not overcrowded. It's one of those myths that has been said so often that people think it is fact. Take a look at this table from the BBC in November.

Now I am no Royalist, but why do people feel the need to run down William and Harry (and Kate) when they are clearly trying to change the way the Royals act in the 21st century?

Diana regularly visited Centrepoint unannounced in London to spend time with young homeless people. Both Harry and William went on visits with their mother to hostels too. William took over as the Patron of the charity in 2005 and makes private as well as public visits. It was the first charity with which he chose to get involved.

When Harry was in the army I doubt he was ever in any real danger, but every serviceman I've heard talking about him has had nothing but good things to say about him. He's very involved with service personnel past and present. We've seen him trekking to the South Pole with them and he set up the Invictus Games. Like his mother, he's also involved with Aids work. The Cambridges and Harry set up the Royal Foundation in 2009 as the umbrella organisation for all of the good causes with which they are involved - and there's a lot. From what I can tell both brothers are far more involved with the public than any other generation of Royal. Diana wanted her sons to have a broader range of experiences than other young Royals and I think they're doing a great job of honouring her memory.

Yes, they were born into a world of privilege, but it doesn't look like they are taking it for granted. Instead they seem to be trying to use their situation to make a difference. Give them a break.

Their work load last year was low,

Charles carried out highest number of duties

Anne second

Queenie third

William and Harry lower than queenie

I hope that at the very least Markel is against social cleansing.

Make the government build more affordable property and not allow so many large luxury properties. get the proportions right. Loosing homes to family break up is a big problem.
There are also a proportion of those homeless due to mental health and substance abuse whose lives have been so chaotic due to childhood neglect and abuse etc who are so emotionally damaged they are extremely hard to help.

Sorry, can’t wade through the whole thread , just to say that Windsor has about eight rough sleepers ( genuinely homeless) the rest are beggars.
My own (tourist) city is full of beggars and has been to my certain knowledge for over 30 years.Reading anything to do with history shows in fact it has been since medieval times.
Give money to homeless charitues and not street beggars.

Your last post sounds to me lemon very like a Victorian, distinguishing between deserving and undeserving poor?

There is a difference between the homeless and those who have accomodation yet beg.

All characterised by poverty.

www.24housing.co.uk/news/charities-condemn-call-to-clear-homeless-ahead-of-royal-wedding/

The councillor who said it is on the board of the Homes and Community Agency.
Couldn't make it up.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/theresa-may-windsor-homeless-people-royal-wedding-tory-council-leader-simon-dudley-berkshire-meghan-a8142341.html

A heartwarming story about builders helping a homeless woman. A 71 year old pensioner.

www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/builders-homeless-woman-hotel-bristol-uk/