I spent a few days in London before Christmas with my daughter enjoying a visit to the shrine that is Liberty's and soaking up the atmosphere of Dennis Severs house in Spitalfields. I always feel more than a twinge of discomfort seeing just how many dispossessed and disenfranchised people there are as we scurry about ogling window displays and then soak in a hot bath in an overheated hotel room at the end of the day. We live in what is still a prosperous country with a Welfare system that sometimes favours the feckless and not those who often through a series of unfortunate events lose jobs and homes. There but for the grace of God or good luck more than good management go I. I recently visited the Church in Ottery St Mary in my home County of Devon. I noticed a flier from an organisation that affirmed that no-one in Devon should be without a bed and there are facilities to procure overnight accommodation and yet rough sleeping continues. I know that this is sometimes by choice but not always. Whilst in London we spoiled ourselves and had several sociable meals out. I was puzzled to see £1.00 added to the bill next to a heading - Streetsmart. At first I thought this was a drink albeit a cheap one! I then realised that this is a wonderful initiative to generate funding to support homeless members of our Society. The £1.00 is discretionary and is an insignificant amount on a restaurant bill. Even better, the whole amount goes directly to the homeless as the Streetsmart organisation is sponsored by Business and Industry. I think the good old Victorian notion of philanthropy. The scheme began in 1998 and I'm ashamed to admit that although I smugly feel I have a social conscience I had never heard of it closeted away in rural Devon. No excuse. It only functions in a few Cities in the UK and only during the months of November and December. Restaurants have to sign up to this initiative.
Why does this not run countrywide throughout the year?
The scheme seems to be straightforward to administer for hotels and restaurants. Possibly like me, the majority of hospitality businesses are equally unaware of Streetsmart. I feel like a psuedo beneficent and £1.00 does not assuage my guilt when I am tucked up in the warmth and the wind is whistling and the rain is driving down on people huddled up in doorways. I haven't 'done my bit'. Life isn't fair, we are not and never will be equal. It's not in our nature. We are brought up with the mantra that we must better ourselves. For some of our dispossessed kith and kin, they are unable for whatever reason to meet their own basic physiological needs for shelter and food. We send shelterboxes overseas in times of crisis which is right and proper but why not a similar scheme here or does this make the situation more overt and therefore uncomfortable?
Lets us at the very least encourage restauratants and hotels and the good old British staple - fish and Chip shops throughout the land to sign up to the scheme.
http://www.streetsmart.org.uk/sleepsmart/how-it-works.php
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