People who use food banks should face a test to see if they genuinely need them. For example anyone who can afford a mobile phone,cigarettes and alcohol shouldn't be able to use them until they stop smoking and drinking because they obviously have enough money to buy those things so why can't they buy food. I think some people who use food banks just do it because it's free and they want something for nothing, if a food bank opened up near you it's a certainty that people who go there rather than to the supermarket where you have to pay for something.
Damn i thought this was going to be an interesting thread, until i realised i mis-read the title. Thought it said foot ****s.
Through my line of work I know that the majority of people who use them are the drug addicts and alcoholics who get hundreds of pounds a month expendable income due to subsidised living costs and benefits for being "not fit to work" They spend all our money they get handed on drugs and or alcohol then go to the food bank to fill their cupboards.
Simple solution is to stop paying cash out. Pay rent directly to landlord, pay food and clothing vouchers and make it illegal for shopkeepers to accept vouchers for anything other than food and clothes, no alcohol or cigarettes etc. Apply above to all benefit claimants, the only cash payment being an allowance each week to cover out of pocket expenses like bus fares etc. May be unfair on honest claimants but it will stop the offenders from spending the taxpayers money on alcohol, smoking and drugs.
There's always a way around that, a shop near me used to take milk tokens, (provided for baby food) in payment for ***s & booze!
There were less options when my parents were raising me. The thought of taking the easy way out was never an option that's for certain. People have been indoctrinated into thinking there's always more help around the corner and that you can eek your way through life not working providing you can play the system. I read facebook statuses of ****ing idiots nowadays saying stuff like 'Just had to do a 12 while 5 shift on a Saturday cos somebody turned up hungover'...like they want a ****ing medal. My mother raised me and my two brothers on her own for years and had numerous jobs, Saturdays and Sundays were just regular working days for her and by her doing that, that's the exact mind set that I've adopted. If my back is against the wall, I can dig deep. I'm sorry if this sounds harsh but this country is awash with ****ing scroungers who will go to all lengths to avoid getting a ****ing job. I feel sorry for people who can't feed their kids, I really do but if I saw somebody smoking at a food bank or wearing new Nike Air Max at a food bank, I'd take the ****ing food off them and kick them all the way to the job centre.
I've made up bag ready to donate with christmas coming. Thanks to Tory schemes like apprenticeships for unskilled jobs meaning working families can't feed themselves with the slave labor and the cost of living. Although living close to the breadline myself(but without kids) my benefits keep my head a float, just(still lots of debt). I'm still very very lucky. Lot's of families are really going to struggle. I urge anyone who can spare it to have a clear out of your cupboards, Those of you with kids are probably still cleared out from the Harvest festival as it was recent. Doesn't have to be loads, My pack consists of Dried pasta, beans, cornflakes, tea, coffee, soup and once I've done the shopping, a cheap joint of meat for someones freezer to use at Christmas. To be honest once i've got the meat the price of the bag will only cost about 8 quid as most of it is supermarket value brands, most of which I already have in. I'm only going to feel the cost of the joint of meat. If anyone can spare anything it would be a great turn.
It's a good cause Bri and I respect you for doing what you've said above. I couldn't do it, my heart isn't in that kind of charity. Christmas has a way of pulling on people's heart strings, which is very much a part of British culture, I don't allow myself to inherit that though. I think it's a media-driven guilt trip aimed at the general public to 'dig deep' once again, for what, the 10th time this year? Whilst the nation submerges itself in more and more consumer debt. I couldn't justify handing over food to an organisation that doesn't discriminate against lazy, dossers.
Well my local food bank prioritises the elderly, sick and families with young children, It's an independent local charity. My view is the genuine needs have already been spited by the government to get at the cheats and the only people who've suffered are the needy. The cheats are still ten a penny. It's the last line to help the genuine. I'll take my chances on this one, it's only food I probably won't eat. But respect your decision. Charity is everywhere, we can't give to everyone. I'm just reluctant to give to large charities which have paid board members, usually sending what they don't skim out of the country. I'd rather help the 'Roberts family' feed their kids or help 'little Timmy' from the local area to get his new wheelchair which will unlock a world of freedom he never knew. Who you give to is important and personal and has to strike the cord of the individual so respect to your stand point fella.
That's fair play Bri, nobody should really criticise others for who they choose to donate to and I'd never dream of doing so. I used to donate a lot to animal shelters and often had to defend that when people said things such as 'People are more important than animals', I guess if everybody thought the same way then none of the animals would get any help. My charity of choice at the moment is Great Ormond Street Hospital, and it has been for a couple of years. Some magic things happen inside the walls of that place and those right at the top, including the board members, consultants etc, they all make that happen.
Can't argue with helping animals and kids like mate, great causes. I always drop my change in the Great Ormand and Salvation Army boxes. They are exceptions to my rule with large charities. I buy excess pet food every shop for the animal shelters. They have a drop bins near the checkouts.
You'd be very surprised mate, but some of them are actively looking for help that they just can't seem to find. My office is just down the road from a place where the old Salvation Army was in town up until a few years ago, they really are mostly filthy little rats that would stab you in the back for a quid. There are some who stayed there that I would chat to for ages, they usually just wanted somebody to talk to and listen to them. They're urban survivors mate, that's no small task, they know exactly how to survive. One of them told me he rakes in £300 a week, mostly it goes on drink and some goes on his accommodation and food. He was desperate to get sober and he admitted to me the only way he was ever going to get sober was to go abroad because this country is full of overly generous people, such as my boss who'd chuck him £20 every time he seen him! I've handed money and food and cigarettes regularly to homeless people, because I feel duty bound to offer generosity to those less fortunate, but jesus none of it did any good for them. Would you give Gazza £10 if you seen him begging under a bridge or would you feel guilty thinking you'd contribute to his inevitable demise? I'd feel guilty and couldn't help him, because I am familiar with Gazza, but anonymity serves as a great tool both ways for satisfying homeless people's needs.
When I was up in Glasgow there was a place not far from Barrowlands that was a refuge for chronic alcoholics. Just so happened there was an offy 3 minutes walk away that was open 7.00-22.00. They would hang about outside begging & I'd give them some change. Got talking to a few of them one day. One of them used to play for Dundee Utd & quite a few were ex soldiers. Just makes you think.
Loads of ex-soldiers Billy, they get some post-service syndrome where they can't integrate into society, I remember chatting to an old Warrant Officer about it, he joined back up as a civvy to operate the ****ing entry barrier for MPGS on the camp, just so he could feel part of the team again, otherwise he'd have topped himself. Grim reality but a lot of soldiers never make a life for themselves whilst serving.
Aye true. I'll not get a pension from them. I took a big pay off when I was discharged. Some of the most depressed lads I ever knew were ex squaddies.
