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Figures suggest homelessness has doubled since the implementation of austerity by David Cameron’s Conservatives in 2010 (statistic via Crisis, see below), with both direct cuts to homelessness services and wider cuts to welfare and benefits driving people onto the streets. Now the temperature is dropping. Here are some thoughts on what we can do to help (Bristol and beyond):
> Via the Streetlink website, you can can enter an accurate site for a genuine rough sleeper, and an outreach team in the relevant area will make their way there as quickly as possible to act on the report. You can also call their 24-hour hotline on 0300 5000914, it’s a nationwide service http://www.streetlink.org.uk
> Similarly you can contact St Mungos Outreach Team by using this link http://www.mungos.org/tell_us_about_a_rough_sleeper. A member of their team will make contact with the individual with a view to helping them into emergency short stay accommodation
> Sponsor a room with Centrepoint. This offers young people a long term solution to homelessness http://www.centrepointroom.org.uk
> Become a St Mungo’s ‘campaigner’. Sign up to keep informed about their campaigns, they will send you updates about the latest campaigning activities and information about ways you can get involved http://e-activist.com/ea-action/action…
> The Julian Trust welcomes donations of (new) boxer shorts (small/medium), socks, jeans and t-shirts. They also need blankets and (bath) towels. They do not require womens’ clothing. Donations can be received 8pm onwards on the nights they operate (not Sundays/Thursdays). Julian House, Little Bishop Street, St Pauls, Bristol, BS2 9JF. Telephone: 0117 924 4604 (evenings only)
> Get involved in The Julian Trust’s sponsored ‘sleep out’ on February 28th http://juliantrust.org.uk/…/JT-Sleepout-2016-registration-f…
> Email you local MP. Have they noticed the increase in homelessness? Can they raise the issue in parliament? https://www.writetothem.com
> In Bristol, the mayoral elections are forthcoming. Contact George Ferguson (Independent, george@bristol1st.com) and Marvin Rees (Labour, i don’t have a contact for him – does someone else?)
I recently received an email from George Ferguson which included the line “If you’re not able to offer your support, then I would still love to hear from you about any issues in Bristol that you would like to discuss.”. I have written back.
> Buy them a hot drink and/or some food. We’re never more than 200 yards from a coffee shop.
> Stop for a chat, shake their hand, give them a hug. Ultimately as we all know life is little more than a battle of wills – offering them some positivity and support may give them the strength they need to keep fighting.
These are people who are nameless and faceless when they are sitting out in the street but when you get to know them, they are stories of great courage, of struggles against unbelievable adversity. I think I probably would’ve been a broken person had I lived through what they lived through.
Do you have any other suggestions? Please add in comments if so.
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Llewelyn and John. Sub zero in the belly of the beast – Bristol’s bearpit.
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A fleeting meeting with a man
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Modestas Primantas. Modistes has been in the UK for 18 years. Originally from Lithuania, he’s worked full time as a builder for 16 of these years before his epilepsy became uncontrollable. He’s been on the streets for two years. He has been told he’s not entitled to benefits. He seems to feel as anonymous as the 7-digit hospital number on his wrist ‘2132232’
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Clive from Caerphilly. He’d been on Whiteladies Rd for a few weeks. Orphaned at four, he has since suffered abuse in foster care and has preferred to sleep rough. Alone. His message says “It’s got colder at night now, could you help me get a hostel please. Any spare change. Eighteen pounds, one week. Thanks. No one cares”
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James the hobo. James is still on the go. He tells me he lives off 3 hours sleep. Hard to verify of course but it’s cold, it’s late – too much so for me and the pigeons looking down from above
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Boy leaving St Andrews park in the sun
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Clive. I stopped to sit and speak with Clive. He’s sober. The girl curled up next to him, face covered by the blanket they share murmurs as he fidgets exposing a face full of sores. I’m told by Clive that he’s watching out for her while her fella grifts for food. Clive’s a former social worker. He tells me of a guy in his care whose liver exploded and blood gushed from mouth as life passed. Right before him. Clive’s words are a book of blood. Faith, the devil. Self defence – at what point a quiet man must stand up for himself. How Bristol is cold (it is tonight) and cold hearted – he wants to leave this place
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John from Merthyr. It’s cold and exposed on the temporary walkway over the Princes St bridge but John feels safer here than in the centre (and less likely to get moved on by police). He’s from Merthyr Tydfil. We shared South Wales stories (he knows Maesteg, where many of my family live) yet now he’s here and probably too late to get a bed at the shelter which opens its doors at 9.30pm – usually folk are queuing from 4pm, such is the increase in homelessness and lack of resources. If John sleeps rough he has a sleeping bag & a funky blanket. It could be a long night
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Ian was a crane operator who was made redundant. His landlord threw him out after two weeks of him being unable to pay rent. A blood clot in his left leg resulted in its amputation . He now has two blood clots in his right leg, if they hit his federal vein he’ll loose that leg too
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Boy outside Best. We shared a cigarette
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David from Carlisle. David shows me some of his masked robotics routine. He’ll busk for money tomorrow
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Lee, Lisa & Buster. Bristol via Newport, they’ve found it it difficult finding accommodation with Buster (their 11 yr old dog). But are determined to stay together. They now sleep in a multi-storey car park
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Boy with a t-shirt. It’s bitterly cold out but the boy (who’s name i forget) seems accustomed to it. He busks, he smokes, a lady who he doesn’t know leans in to say hello and give him some tobacco. They share a smile
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mind, body & soul museum. theatre de la photography, nice, france
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Sean McCabe‘s ‘it’s time’ is out now on Joey Negro’s Z Records. you can buy it here
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(i) the dig. bell’s diner, montpellier, bristol 6
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for many years we stumbled down gloucester rd at dawn sharing cider, staring into windows at silly hours (you were there, don’t you remember?)
ah, the golden hour
hope you can make it for a reflective evening of gloucester road photography, music & refreshment
9 images of gloucester rd (+ postcards)
as part of Bristol Festival of Photography
show opens thursday may 8th and runs till may 30th
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‘One morning on gloucester rd’ (2014)
It has been a great pleasure and privilege to work with Sarah Sense on this one off piece. Sarah’s practice is weaving photographs with traditional Chitimacha basketry techniques. since 2010, Sense has been researching contemporary indigenous arts throughout North/Central/South America, Southeast Asia and Europe. Sense published, Weaving the Americas, A Search for Native Art in the Western Hemisphere (2012), documenting a journey from Canada to Chile, garnering her first traveling solo exhibition, Weaving the Americas, premiering at Museo de Arte Contempráneo, Valdivia, Chile (2011). Research in the Caribbean, Southeast Asia and England culminated into, Weaving Water, premiering at Rainmaker in Bristol, England (2013).
We met shortly afterwards and completed this piece. It’s currently hanging at The Gallimaufry, Gloucester rd, Bristol
www.sarahsense.com
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Posted in general, uncat.
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Excited to be collaborating on a piece with brilliant Californian artist Sarah Sense. Sarah’s visual art practice is weaving photographs with traditional Chitimacha basketry techniques… here combing three of my images (taken on the Gloucester Rd) with one of her own… See more of her amazing work here www.sarahsense.com
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a little bit of photographic fun. all images taken on iPhone
soundtrack Billy Hoyle ‘jazzneck’
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‘if i could only remember my name’, cheltenham rd, bristol 6 (iPhone, unedited)
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Louis masai michel painting a short crested coquette (native of Mexico). LAST OF MY KIND – A SOLO SHOW BY LOUIS MASAI BRISTOL, UK juxtaposing critically endangered birds and extinct musicians opens friday 22/11 (tomo). in conjunction with RSPB
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