One of the most gut wrenching things I've ever heard.

Well shared Greenie Junior. A fantastic post and bloody hard listening at the same time.

I help out in a very very small way at the Brixton Foodbank. None of these people are begging, they get referred, they need genuine help.

The job that the people do at these places is unbelievable. It's not just about food. Volunteers give advice on health issues, writing CV's and other support to get people back up on their feet.

Valiantphil said:

Given that you have heard this, and witnessed poverty close-up, should the Government divert the overseas aid budget to address this problem at home ?

Discuss.

Absolutely! Charity starts at home ...
Its either that or taking benefits away from ridiculous cases like that scrounger Josie Cunningham who infuriates me along with her constant media stories!

NorthStandUltra said:

Slightly off topic but it annoys me when you hear situations like this & then have a multi millionaire musician, footballer, actor etc asking the skint British public to donate to some charity.

this infuriates me too!
Its a reason why I have lost ALOT of respect for Bob Geldof and the whole band aid thing and how he expects and demands the public to buy the songs and donate yet him and the ones who sing and produce the singles just donate 'time'

Greenie Junior said:

http://ind.pn/1G7Km9V

A mans emotional insight to what it's like being truly poor. I found it really difficult to listen to.

Makes you appreciate things so much more and gives such perspective on things.

And yet you want poor young Morgan Fox made unemployed - you should be ashamed of yourself you big hypocrite. ;-)

Seriously though, people like this man are a stain on the conscience of every developed nation, because they exist all over the world. No one in the developed (and arguably no-one anywhere) world should be cold or hungry, and least of all those trying to stand on their own two feet. There's more too it than just pulling your socks up as some people would have us believe. So many things are stacked against you when you hit rock bottom and if you have barely have the means of feeding yourself, how hard must it be to just get out of bed let alone fund transportation to job interviews, training etc and all the other incidental costs and expenses in life that most of us take for granted.

The political classes these days have turned their back on the poor all over the world, they pay lip service to social welfare and mobility to hoodwink the upper working and middle classes into voting for them while also demonising the poor as lazy scroungers so they can get away with doing sweet FA to actually help these people and in fact often reduce the help available to them with little opposition. Meanwhile, we spending trillions on wars.

Just look at the shit one of the posters on here went through with his van being towed. If you're in that situation with a bit of money behind you maybe you can find an alternative to keep working or even just pay the unfair fine to keep your life moving, but you can't do that because you're just too hard up, the system effectively allows you to be forced into unemployment. That's a perfect example of how even if you want to work, sometimes the system puts almost insurmountable obstacles in the way of the very people who need to be given a bit of a helpful push along the road once in a while.

Valiantphil said:

Given that you have heard this, and witnessed poverty close-up, should the Government divert the overseas aid budget to address this problem at home ?

Discuss.

No, absolutely no, Phil.

Turning our back on one crisis to aid another isn't the answer. There's more than enough wealth and resource in the UK and the wider world to ensure nobody goes hungry, nobody dies an untimely death caused by malnutrition, malaria, cholera or any number of other causes, everybody has a roof over the heads, access to education, and protection from harm. The wealth is there, the political will isn't.

If the overseas aid budget was cut it would be spent on tax breaks for the most wealthy in society (and that probably includes me but I'd gladly forego it), high speed rail links that no f*cker wants, a nuclear deterrent that would only ever be used seconds before the person pressing the button was vapourised. I'm sure there are a thousand and one things we could all think of that are simply a waste of money.

Is there a way to get hold of the bloke or the bloke who done the radio show

Thanks greenie iv just sent the details off to them it might be a bit far for him to travel though

Greenie Junior said:

dancafc said:

Thanks greenie iv just sent the details off to them it might be a bit far for him to travel though

Well done mate.

Going to donate some money to a local food bank I have googled a few bits and one I keep seeing is the trussel trust, anyone know if it's legit? Want to make sure my money's going to somewhere that's going to help people like this.

Yes, The Trussel Trust is responsible for foodbanks all over the country

Greenie Junior said:

dancafc said:

Thanks greenie iv just sent the details off to them it might be a bit far for him to travel though

Well done mate.

Going to donate some money to a local food bank I have googled a few bits and one I keep seeing is the trussel trust, anyone know if it's legit? Want to make sure my money's going to somewhere that's going to help people like this.

as mentioned above, Trussel Trust are the main catalyst behind the food banks and do an amazing job fella. They have loads all over the country.

The thing I like best is that they don't ask for money. All they ask is that when you go for your weekly shop you just add on one extra item to donate.

Greenie Junior said:

Pico said:

Greenie Junior said:

dancafc said:

Thanks greenie iv just sent the details off to them it might be a bit far for him to travel though

Well done mate.

Going to donate some money to a local food bank I have googled a few bits and one I keep seeing is the trussel trust, anyone know if it's legit? Want to make sure my money's going to somewhere that's going to help people like this.

Yes, The Trussel Trust is responsible for foodbanks all over the country

Okay cheers. Donated £5, not a lot but all that I can spare at the moment. Going to look into doing more for people like this and the homeless. This has really given me some perspective on things

That's great GJ.

If you want to do more then I would advise actually getting involved with locally based charities on a volunteer basis (if you have the time to spare).

I did the same in Leicester Square saw a homeless bloke walking round eating food off the tables so I bought him a burger from McDonald's gave it to him and gave him £5 he snatched bought no thanks or anything I saw him later on with a can of beer shouting at people.