Lives in the next street

RE the recent debate about beggars in the Tele.

Genuine cases deserve our utmost sympathy but as others have pointed out, we can’t possibly be expected to donate to them all.

And a word of caution. I know of one so-called beggar who sits in a town centre every day holding a sign saying “homeless and hungry”.

Trouble is, I happen to know he lives in a house in the street next to mine . . .

Beggars belief.

NEWS that an emergency outof-hours service for the homeless in Glasgow won’t open through the night on Tuesdays and Wednesdays should worry us all.

The Hamish Allan Centre, where people go at their lowest point to look for a warm and safe bed for the night, will no longer have a person on-hand but will ask people to telephone for help.

As someone with first-hand experience of homelessness, I can tell you that when you’re in that desperate situation, all you want is someone to speak to in person. Asking the most vulnerable people in our society to telephone a stranger in the middle of the night, whilst at their lowest point in life, will only serve to further stigmatise and isolate them.

Homeless people deserve more than this, especially with winter just around the corner.

David Duke, formerly homeless and founder of Utreet Uoccer Ucotland.