Charity told not to feed homeless at city markets Council say handouts lead to litter and anti-social behaviour
AHOMELESS campaigner has been banned by the council from handing out food to the needy who congregate near Birmingham’s outdoor markets.
Rik James has been told that he might create a mess if he helps them the way he has been doing for the past seven years.
Mr James, 53, set up Birmingham Homeless Outreach in 2010 and, with a band of almost 300 volunteers, patrols the city centre every night.
They hand out hot pies and pasties, as well as clothing, to those most in need at the city’s outdoor markets near St Martin’s church.
Formerly homeless himself, Mr James asked: “Where’s the harm in feeding them? We are feeding 40 to 50 homeless people a night in that area but, because it’s Christmas, they don’t want them around while people are shopping.
“Now, they will have to walk to try to find us. We have around 10 to 15 volunteers each night and we split up into groups of four or five and walk around the city centre, helping where we can.”
Council chiefs said that giving food to people near the markets outside hours could encourage anti-social behaviour, and lead to refuse being left in the area.
“That’s a load of rubbish,” responded Mr James. “It’s public property, there’s lots of people who go on there. We go out after everyone is finished trading, we take home all our litter and we don’t have any anti-social behaviour.”
Last month rough sleeper Chirac Ionut died on a freezing night in John Bright Street, in the city centre. It was later revealed the death may have been drug-related.
Charity Shelter found that 16,100 people were homeless across the West Midlands, 9,560 of them in Birmingham, after detailed research into the extent of the problem.
Birmingham City Council’s acting strategic director of place, Jacqui Kennedy, said: “The Open Market is a food site and is cleaned after trading to ensure it is ready for business the next day. However, there have been reports of anti-social behaviour and the site being littered with rubbish, food and human waste following similar, well-intentioned operations. As such, we do not give permission to charities to run food stalls or soup kitchens from the Open Market overnight. We acknowledge and appreciate the many generous contributions given by citizens, business, donors and charities but, rather than working in isolation, we would encourage charities and voluntary groups to work with the council’s commissioned homelessness services in a co-ordinated way.
“By working together we can support food donations with wraparound support such as substance and mental health programmes which will help to get rough sleepers into accommodation and off the streets.”