Volunteering

Try Crisis - I used to waste my evenings/nights picking up food from supermarkets (food hitting the 'sell by' date) and drive it back to the depot and then spend hours sorting it by food type and UBD - with a bunch of well meaning but coldly officious, tedious, humourless, 'right-on', politically correct thought Stasi.

I was eventually rejected for calling the homeless 'tramps' rather than 'clients'.

Crisis Christmas was more fun, you actually get to help out and interact directly with homeless people and there is all sorts going on - it's a bit more relaxed working directly with people who don't focus all their energies on the subject of the correct nomenclature for tramps.

(it's 'tramps' by the way, and for woman - 'lady tramps').

I have just applied for a position at Crisis over Christmas. Due to work commitments I can only do two shifts, but I hope it will act as a good introduction.

I also would be interested in perhaps the Forum to do something over Christmas. It was a proud moment when Scott not Scott organised the easter egg giveaway.