Row over homeless tent blaze couple
FIRE: ‘We’ve lost everything’
A FURIOUS row has broken out over the provision for rough sleepers in Wokingham after a homeless couple had their tent set on fire.
Natalie Fraser and Stuart Callum lost all their possessions including medical records and identification documents in the blaze in Cantley Park. The couple say they had been staying there for seven months and praised people for helping them with food and blankets. They are now rough sleeping outside the HSBC Bank in the town and say they want to move into accommodation. Natalie and Stuart said that were hoping to move into a bed and breakfast after sleeping rough for seven months. But now they are back on the streets in freezing weather with only the clothes they are wearing. And Natalie, 33, who suffered a miscarriage last year, said she and partner Stuart were “devastated.” “After all these months, we thought we were about to move forward but now we have been knocked right back.” Speaking through tears, Natalie described how the couple arrived in Wokingham seven months ago after leaving Reading. They initially slept rough outside the HSBC Bank in Broad Street but have spent the past three months living in their tent. Last Friday, they went into town in the morning and returned later to discover the tent and their possessions were just a charred mess. “We didn’t own much but everything we had was destroyed,” she added. “Whoever did it also sliced through a second tent. The fire destroyed our clothes and things like photos. We haven’t had any bother living in the park. People even bought food for us and if we weren’t there, they’d leave it by the tent.
Natalie continued: “I would like to meet the person who set fire to our tent and ask why they did it. Did they think it would be funny? They have taken away all that we owned.”
The couple are once more sleeping in a doorway of the HSBC bank.
“A policeman gave us blankets and people have helped us with food,” added Natalie.
“I am bipolar. I need to get a diagnosis from a GP but I can’t register with one unless I have an address.
“All my medical records were lost in the fire. If I get a GP’s letter, we can move into bed and breakfast. At the moment, we are back on the streets.”
Stuart, 39, is a roofer and says he is desperate to get a job.
“Because I don’t have an address, I can’t apply for work,” he said.
But the Salvation Army in Wokingham stepped into the row after our story appeared on The Wokingham Paper’s Facebook page.
Community Manager for the Salvation Army, Zara Sanders, insisted the couple were not homeless” and “there was nothing to be concerned about.”
In her post, she explained: “Salvation Army are aware of this couple. Yes their tent was burnt, which is disgusting. On a separate note regarding this couple it is not all that it seems, they weren’t living in it. Wokingham is an affluent town and people come here to beg and suss out the surroundings. If you have concerns please come and see us at Salvation Army.”
A number of people supported Ms Sanders.
One wrote: “Zara Sanders thank you for enlightening us.
Another added: “Some ppl do try it on and make it harder for the ppl that really need help.”
But not everyone agreed. One wrote: “How are they trying it on? My daughter and I have taken stuff to Natalie and nothing suggested she was not genuine. She was sweet, rather timid and bloody freezing.”
And another asked: “What is wrong with people? Being homeless is bad enough. Then to burn what little they have. disgraceful.”
When The Wokingham Paper contacted Natalie, she was furious over claims she and partner Stuart were not homeless.
“I am depressed after reading the things said about Stuart and me by people who do not know us or our situation.
“What right has The Salvation Army got to talk about us in this way? What do they know about our situation? A lot of rough sleepers in Wokingham won’t go near them because they treat you so badly.
“I want an apology from the Salvation Army. They have no right to talk about us like this.”
“The council know we are homeless. The police know we are homeless. An officer gave us blankets and people have helped with food.”
In a statement, Captain Jan Howlin from the Wokingham Salvation Army in Sturges Road, said:
“For the last eight years The Wokingham Salvation Army alongside other organisations, charities and churches have been working hard to give the very best support and care for those who are experiencing homelessness.
“We have a shower room, laundry facilities, use of laptops, hot meals, food parcels, clothing, bedding, tents, mobile phone charging are some of the practical help we offer. We also run Employment Plus which assists with finding work whether voluntary or paid, form filling, help to access benefits, computer literacy and most importantly signposting to the correct agencies to help.
“Experiencing homelessness is not something that anyone should have to go through and we do all we can to help and assist where the help is wanted.
“The Drop in is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9am to 5.30pm and Saturday 9am to 11am.
“For more information please contact 0118 989 4055. The whole emphasis of our work is to turn our beliefs into action in practical ways – to make a difference and change people’s lives for the better.
“We take our inspiration from Jesus to include everyone in what we do and offer practical support.
“For more details, visit our website www.salvationarmy.org.uk/wokingham “