"Excuse me, I'm Homeless and cold" said this man to me as I was walking out of a car park in Guildford this morning. "You couldn't spare any change could you?" My automatic response to this is "er.. no sorry I haven't got any change on me." Normaly this is met with a sad face and a "Thanks anyway".
Of course in reality I had a pocket full of coins and I did feel guilty about my lie. What was going through my head as my mouth fires off my generic response? Is this guy genuine? If I did give him a few coins what would he do with them? Would he go and buy and himself some food, or would he spend it on drink and drugs? .Is he really homeless? Does this make me a bad person to doubt a fellow human beings motives? There are so many stories about fake beggars; gangs employing people to play at begging, and pocket the money before going back to their nice warm home. This is a sign of the times, people will try anything to get hold of cash. Of course one solution would be to physicly take them to a cafe and order thrm a snack or a cuppa. I have offered this before, but its been greeted with abuseive language . This again makes me wonder are they genuine??
To add a bit of hummor at this point, a freind of mine had decided that a KFC family mega bucket comprising of 4 chips, a dozen bits of chicken, and a bottle of coke would be suitable for dinner for me and him. I had driven us to KFC and was waiting outside while he went in to get food. I did point out that I wasn't even hungry at the time. but that fell of deaf ears. So I was faced with the prospect of making myself sick eating this family sized baquet. Then a voice behind me said "excuse me spare any change?" Perfect I thought, "Sorry no change but have a family mega bucket" I put the food in front of mr begar who looked a bit shell shocked. I hope he wasn't a vegeterain, but I guesd Beggars cant be choosers!
It seems everyone's after our cash these days. A walk down the cobbles in Guildford (with sensible shoes on I should add) found me confronted with a random bloke singing opera. He was very good, and I have no problem throwing a coin in his hat if I appreciate the singing, hes earnt it.
I also saw the unsual Big Issue seller. He said Big Issue I said Bless you. I have no problem with the Big Issue seller. It's all lisenced and I believe generally helping homeless folk find their feet. I've never brought The Big Issue though. Maybe I should sometime.
I was also approcached by a number of charity chuggars. You know the people with clip boards, give you a sob story and pull at the heart strings. They then tell you that just £5 a month paid by direct debit can transform lives ect ect. Now I'm not an uncharitable guy, but I hate this sort of campsinging and activly avoid them when I see them in the street. My issue is, of the £5 a month I give how much is going to the campain staff wages? They must be on commission right? I also see these people stepping out in front of me as I am going about my day; as an invasion of my space. Personally I think charity chuggars need to be banned. How annoying us it to be stopped by representives of the same charity 25 times in the same high street. But I suppose it must work or else they wouldn't do it. Having said this, I was approached by an elderly gentleman in Sainsburys in Farnbough last year. He was asking people to sign up to support the Hampshire and IOW Air Ambulance. This gentlman wasnt putting any pressure on me and said he was a volunteer. I agreed to join their lottery and pay a Direct Debit of around £4 a month for this. The Air Ambulane is such a great cause and who knows when we, or a loved one is going to need its services. I later recived a call from a lady representing the Air Ambulance thanking me for my donation. She was also asking if I wanted to buy another line of numbers for the lottery. (in effect doubling my monthly donation) She was very transparent and told me her company takes a small one off fee if I did this. I was happy with this and agreed to do it. Who knows my numbers might come up one day?
Now you may read this and think "That Jon, he's so uncharitable". Well OK I do fire abuse at lucky heather wealding gypsies (another pet hate of mine) but I do support chairty. I am happy to volunteer my time for good causes, and I buy charity raffle tickets. I raised in excess of £200 for the British Heart Foundation by doing a sponsored walk. I held a Mcmillian coffee morining at the radio studio (that raised £25), and I did a sponsored cycle around Goldsworth Park Lake when I was younger. (Think that was for Comic Relief).
I support charity shops by donating unwanted stuff, and I love buying stuff in these shops. I see this as me supporting a chairity, getting a bargain, and saving the environment at the same time. Does that mean that men really can multi task?
Just ban charity Chuggars and the world will be a better place.
Of course in reality I had a pocket full of coins and I did feel guilty about my lie. What was going through my head as my mouth fires off my generic response? Is this guy genuine? If I did give him a few coins what would he do with them? Would he go and buy and himself some food, or would he spend it on drink and drugs? .Is he really homeless? Does this make me a bad person to doubt a fellow human beings motives? There are so many stories about fake beggars; gangs employing people to play at begging, and pocket the money before going back to their nice warm home. This is a sign of the times, people will try anything to get hold of cash. Of course one solution would be to physicly take them to a cafe and order thrm a snack or a cuppa. I have offered this before, but its been greeted with abuseive language . This again makes me wonder are they genuine??
To add a bit of hummor at this point, a freind of mine had decided that a KFC family mega bucket comprising of 4 chips, a dozen bits of chicken, and a bottle of coke would be suitable for dinner for me and him. I had driven us to KFC and was waiting outside while he went in to get food. I did point out that I wasn't even hungry at the time. but that fell of deaf ears. So I was faced with the prospect of making myself sick eating this family sized baquet. Then a voice behind me said "excuse me spare any change?" Perfect I thought, "Sorry no change but have a family mega bucket" I put the food in front of mr begar who looked a bit shell shocked. I hope he wasn't a vegeterain, but I guesd Beggars cant be choosers!
It seems everyone's after our cash these days. A walk down the cobbles in Guildford (with sensible shoes on I should add) found me confronted with a random bloke singing opera. He was very good, and I have no problem throwing a coin in his hat if I appreciate the singing, hes earnt it.
I also saw the unsual Big Issue seller. He said Big Issue I said Bless you. I have no problem with the Big Issue seller. It's all lisenced and I believe generally helping homeless folk find their feet. I've never brought The Big Issue though. Maybe I should sometime.
I was also approcached by a number of charity chuggars. You know the people with clip boards, give you a sob story and pull at the heart strings. They then tell you that just £5 a month paid by direct debit can transform lives ect ect. Now I'm not an uncharitable guy, but I hate this sort of campsinging and activly avoid them when I see them in the street. My issue is, of the £5 a month I give how much is going to the campain staff wages? They must be on commission right? I also see these people stepping out in front of me as I am going about my day; as an invasion of my space. Personally I think charity chuggars need to be banned. How annoying us it to be stopped by representives of the same charity 25 times in the same high street. But I suppose it must work or else they wouldn't do it. Having said this, I was approached by an elderly gentleman in Sainsburys in Farnbough last year. He was asking people to sign up to support the Hampshire and IOW Air Ambulance. This gentlman wasnt putting any pressure on me and said he was a volunteer. I agreed to join their lottery and pay a Direct Debit of around £4 a month for this. The Air Ambulane is such a great cause and who knows when we, or a loved one is going to need its services. I later recived a call from a lady representing the Air Ambulance thanking me for my donation. She was also asking if I wanted to buy another line of numbers for the lottery. (in effect doubling my monthly donation) She was very transparent and told me her company takes a small one off fee if I did this. I was happy with this and agreed to do it. Who knows my numbers might come up one day?
Now you may read this and think "That Jon, he's so uncharitable". Well OK I do fire abuse at lucky heather wealding gypsies (another pet hate of mine) but I do support chairty. I am happy to volunteer my time for good causes, and I buy charity raffle tickets. I raised in excess of £200 for the British Heart Foundation by doing a sponsored walk. I held a Mcmillian coffee morining at the radio studio (that raised £25), and I did a sponsored cycle around Goldsworth Park Lake when I was younger. (Think that was for Comic Relief).
I support charity shops by donating unwanted stuff, and I love buying stuff in these shops. I see this as me supporting a chairity, getting a bargain, and saving the environment at the same time. Does that mean that men really can multi task?
Just ban charity Chuggars and the world will be a better place.