You might be better reading this status on the blog where I can do paragraphs and make it easier to read, Facebook doesn't like paragraphs.
So we arrived in Bournemouth at 745 to set up our food, clothes, hot drinks and toiletries. There was about 18 people waiting for us, they started helping us set up and before we knew it the amount of people queuing had doubled.
Once set up everything went smoothly everyone moved along the Que and took their sandwiches, chocolate, crisps, cakes, then their hot teas and coffees. Everyone was so grateful and as usual we were thanked with happy smiling faces and big hugs.
When we do our soup kitchens every one tends to stay and eat their food then have a little chat. Last night everyone wanted to chat, to suggest things, talk about fundraising ideas and general things going on in their lifes.
All in all we fed 53 people at our soup kitchen.
A few people wanted chats, two guys were really upset because someone had stolen their big issue magazines. They had no magazines and no money for the rest of the weekend so they were worried how they were going to make money. They are using a synthetic heroin which is helping them cut down, they are just using once a day, they were scared they would be sick on the streets and were extremely frustrated that someone had robbed from them. One of the guys had money in the big issue office but wasn't able to get it till Monday morning so another rough sleeper very kindly lent him the money so he could buy some more magazines , continue working and avoid being extremely sick on the streets. He is saving his money to get a private bed sit once he is inside the bed sit he can easily stay inside and get off the very small dosage of synthetic heroin he is on, but he will be very sick.
Another man was new to town and had been told to come and see me for food and a chat. He told me about himself, how he had only been here four days and how he and his husband were quite nervous about being on the streets. Unfortunately there was nothing I could do about improving his situation on the streets but it turns out there was light at the end of the tunnel. Because he is sick he and his husband have been offered an unfurnished flat next Friday, he was unsure weather he should take it or wait for a furnished flat because he had no money to buy furniture. I reassured him we would all do our best to rally round and get lots of free furniture for him... so lets get on that guys, they need everything !
Dean was at our soup kitchen. Of course, why wouldn't he be ?! :) Hes much healthier, hes over his infection and hes so happy with his new guitar. Hes back to busking and has got his strength back so hes able to sing again which he is pleased about, he has a wonderful voice. Sadly hes still on the streets as he was totally failed by the system.
After our soup kitchen we packed up and went on outreach. I took Kaylee, Tony and Tracey. On outreach we saw 17 people and fed every single one of them.
We saw Paul with his lovely new hair cut and clean shaved face. He was in a good mood but was dripping in sweat because he has cut down his heroin use drastically ready to go into rehab. He was still so grateful for everything we had done for him the week before with putting him in a hotel and he was feeling very positive about his future.
Andy was really chatty and happy to see us. He was starving so pleased we had come. We chatted about everything and anything. He asked me how I was with my health (im rather sick, its lame) and we chatted about my health and about getting better etc (yeah I wish).
We came across leslie asleep in a doorway. I sat down and she woke up, she took food and a hot drink and we went onto chat about her heart condition. I cant remember the name of her heart condition but it drastically cuts her life expectancy. I asked her if anything new was going on and she admitted she had been diagnosed with endocardiatis but had left the hospital I begged her to go back to the hospital and get treatment. I reminded her of how sick I was and she remembered and nodded saying she will try do something about it. She was very sad and said she has just given up, she just wants to die, but im hoping our chats lifted her mood slightly and encouraged her to go get medical help.
Stuart was happy as usual, he played us a few songs on his harmonica.
Everyone else along the way that we saw was in a general good mood, they were all happy to see us and happy to receive food.
There was two new guys that had arrived in town a few hours before. They were asleep in a door way and had two beautiful staffies. We sat down and had a little chat with them and they said they had heard about us setting up our soup kitchen but were confused and thought it was 7am, they asked me to recommend a few places they could sleep on the streets tonight so I did and I encouraged them to go to the council to try and get help.
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Love Anastasia, Manager and founder of Street Light Bournemouth
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