Stadium of Light to be a refuge for the homeless

[Sidney1st]

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Well done Sunderland.

[ClaretAndJew]

One way to get the attendance up.

[Silkyskills1]

Nothing wrong with their attendances considering what's been on show for so long.

[Blackrod]

Good efffort. Interesting that they are welcoming pets. Should homeless have pets if they can't look after themselves properly ? I'm sure this will be a contentious issue.

[MACCA]

Good efffort. Interesting that they are welcoming pets. Should homeless have pets if they can't look after themselves properly ? I'm sure this will be a contentious issue.

A pet increases the awww factor when begging though. It's an essential part of the make up.

*sweeping statement I know, but I've come to find most beggars do so to fund a habit, and SOME ( usually the ones around on match days ) are not even actually homeless.

I no longer give cash to beggars for various reasons. There are certain channels you can go down to make sure the right people get the correct help that your intentions desire.

[karatekid]

Last time I went to the stadium of light I decided to go for a walk around the ground. I turned the corner to walk down the side where the executive entrance is and was stopped in my tracks by the north sea wind. I literally could not make any forward motion so I dread to imagine what it is like there during a storm. I just hope the homeless are not having to go in via that side of the ground.

[cricketfieldclarets]

To be fair I imagine that in many cases a dog does give some company and maybe even some motivation for them.

Good gesture from Sunderland. But the onus shouldnt be on them to have to do this. Sad times.

[JohnMac]

It's always been a source of debate regarding dogs but having a dog may just help to prevent some idiot from treating a homeless person as an easy target for bullying. I'm sure many find their companionship comforting as well.

I would absolutely love to never have to walk past another homeless person on our streets but sadly it won' t happen in my lifetime.

Well done to Sunderland.

[MACCA]

It's always been a source of debate regarding dogs but having a dog may just help to prevent some idiot from treating a homeless person as an easy target for bullying. I'm sure many find their companionship comforting as well.

I would absolutely love to never have to walk past another homeless person on our streets but sadly it won' t happen in my lifetime.

Well done to Sunderland.

Well said John, all we can do it seems is fire fight so to speak, it seems more and more people are appearing homeless.

What can be done?
Who knows, but it certainly needs addressing.

[ClaretDiver]

One way to get the attendance up.

Really?

[LeadBelly]

A good gesture by Sunderland, making use of the stadium's facilities "out of hours" to help some people. I've not been to The SoL but Roker Park seemed a really cold place whenever I went there, it must be painful living out on the streets in that area at the moment.

[JohnMac]

I too will not hand over money to an individual because it doesn't help in reality and the chances are the person next to a genuine homeless person is an addict and vice versa.

I will give hot food on occasions and do support a charity that I know really does make a difference but it will never be enough.

I shunned someone outside Leeds Station last year having had a fantastic day at the York Ebor, I was absolutely minted but ashamedly, I completely blanked him and had zero interest in his problems. One of our group, my friends son took him into the station and bought him some painkillers. He had some real issues caused by addictiion but I'm sure there was a period in his life when he was just a 'normal' person.

A short while afterwards, maybe a week or two, I read this person had been killed outside the station by someone he was pestering for money.

Nothing I could have done that day would have prevented this tragic outcome but it really makes you think about the plight of the homeless.

[Goobs]

Really?

No, I think it was a joke

[Dark Cloud]

Without getting contentious or into the rights and wrongs of this difficult area, i.e. genuine homelss v life style begging, I heard a guy who has done it talking on the radio the other day saying begging with a dog does greatly increase the "awww" factor" which is why many beggars/homeless people do it, but he also added that begging in a camouflage jacket and if possible trousers too was also a known tactic as people were inclined to think you might be ex forces, which is another massive "awww" factor.

[ClaretAndJew]

Really?

If you think it'll help mate then sure.

[ElectroClaret]

... and was stopped in my tracks by the north sea wind.

Compared to Hartlepool, Sunderland's Barbados.

Great gesture by them, well done.

[ClaretTony]

Brilliant gesture from Sunderland

[evensteadiereddie]

It is indeed an excellent gesture, well done to
Land.
S


Perhaps we could make the Bob Lord a refuge for the infirm and aged in these harsh times ? Oh, hang on...

[claretnproud]

It is indeed an excellent gesture, well done to
Land.
S


Perhaps we could make the Bob Lord a refuge for the infirm and aged in these harsh times ? Oh, hang on...

was just thinking that, make sure we give out tartan flasks and blankets, oh hang on

[TheFamilyCat]

A good gesture by Sunderland, making use of the stadium's facilities "out of hours" to help some people. I've not been to The SoL but Roker Park seemed a really cold place whenever I went there, it must be painful living out on the streets in that area at the moment.

I went to watch England under 21's at Roker Park. It was the coldest I've ever been at a football ground. Absolutely freezing.

[bfccrazy]

Without getting contentious or into the rights and wrongs of this difficult area, i.e. genuine homelss v life style begging, I heard a guy who has done it talking on the radio the other day saying begging with a dog does greatly increase the "awww" factor" which is why many beggars/homeless people do it, but he also added that begging in a camouflage jacket and if possible trousers too was also a known tactic as people were inclined to think you might be ex forces, which is another massive "awww" factor.

The missus lives in Chester and they have a guy there in full camo with a big rucksack who apparently partaken in "lifestyle begging".

I'll give food and hot drinks to homeless and have given £20 to a guy after a night out who made sure I got to a hotel I was staying at safely when i was bladdered out of town - he didn't do it for the money but I thought items help him out a bit.

I remember being in Birmingham and seeing a man who must have been in his 60s and frail looking stood by the side of the street with no shoes on - my sister took him into a shop and bought him some pumps and gave him about £30 for us to drive past 5 mins later and see him stood in the same spot with no shoes on again....... that put her off trying to help randomly.

[ClaretTony]

The missus lives in Chester and they have a guy there in full camo with a big rucksack who apparently partaken in "lifestyle begging".

I'll give food and hot drinks to homeless and have given £20 to a guy after a night out who made sure I got to a hotel I was staying at safely when i was bladdered out of town - he didn't do it for the money but I thought items help him out a bit.

I remember being in Birmingham and seeing a man who must have been in his 60s and frail looking stood by the side of the street with no shoes on - my sister took him into a shop and bought him some pumps and gave him about £30 for us to drive past 5 mins later and see him stood in the same spot with no shoes on again....... that put her off trying to help randomly.

A friend of mine saw someone outside a supermarket this week. Instead of giving him money, he went in and got him some food.

[evensteadiereddie]

I've done that in Burton - there's a Subway shop just near where these lads hang out. I just ask anybody there if they fancy anything from there.
I might be being conned but I can spare a six-incher, so to speak.

[DCWat]

It won’t be long until the beggars have card readers - I’ll then need a new excuse to the usual “sorry, no change”.

I’ve seen a few people collecting for the homeless at supermarkets, recently. Rather than ask for money they give a list of required items. I’d far rather do that than hand out money that could well be spent on spice or whatever.

If I was to give a quid to every beggar, each day, on the way to work from Leeds station, it’d cost a small fortune. Half of them you see later in the day off their faces.

[MACCA]

If I'm in a town centre and there's a homeless person, I sometimes buy them a pasty from Gregg's. Never give money.

Yes I take that approach, or put £5 On a Costa gift card.
Once offered a beggar a bottle of water and a sandwich I picked up for him, only to be told "nah your ok thanks"
So went down the street and gave it a different bloke.

I've started donating to the food bank and church more, as I know the money/goods go to worthy causes, and don't get abused.

[BarstewardsEnquiry]

There used to be a young homeless guy near me who chose to be homeless, he had family nearby and countless offers of help from people in the community but it was just the way he wanted to live his life, unfortunately a few years ago he was found dead in an old caravan, very sad .
One occasion I had a lad knock on my front door and asked if I had any odd jobs that he could do in exchange for some food, I gave him a bag with crisps, bread and fruit in but declined his offer of help on the house, he could of been homeless and he did seem plausible or he could have been assessing the potential of robbing the house.

[AlargeClaret]

Good gesture from the club,but in all fairness the average Sunderland crowd could be easily confused for a get together of tramps and ne’er do wells.

If the makems go down they might as well go the whole hog and turn it into a hostel imvho

[cricketfieldclarets]

A friend of mine saw someone outside a supermarket this week. Instead of giving him money, he went in and got him some food.

Exactly what I did fruit, bread, chocolate. And a blanket, pillow, water, snacks etc. Do you know what he said 'WTF am I meant to do with that? I am homeless - I am not carting that around!! Any chance you can take it back and get the money?' This is weeks after I had seen the same guy in town and gave him a not insignificant amount of money.

Thats why my opinions has changed greatly on their 'plight' lately.

My brother gave one outside Tesco his coat. Brothers mate came into Tesco ten minutes later and said 'have you seen that homeless guy outside trying to sell that jacket?'

Not all of them are the same. But twice in a matter of weeks these two happened. One at Tesco one at ASDA. Always helped them out because I wanted to, not some hollow gesture or to tell people what I had donated. But now I do tell people simply because they should know how their efforts are appreciated!

I personally wont give them anything again.