Santa's little helpers

Donated.
Up for getting involved in whatever char-ar-dee based riding may occur!

Much respect for those less lazy than me for getting this up and running!
Sincerely hope karma will reward you. Or baby cheesis or whoever else is in charge of such things!

Is there going to be some kind of Christmas project for the homeless similar to the Dome takeover that they've done in the past? Might be worth seeing if anything can be done for that. Rickshaw rides for rough sleepers anyone?

Is there going to be some kind of Christmas project for the homeless similar to the Dome takeover that they've done in the past? Might be worth seeing if anything can be done for that. Rickshaw rides for rough sleepers anyone?

That was 7 years ago, it has been running for 38 years, it has become a lot more distributed since then, it is the thing I've been posting about, it is called Crisis at Christmas and there are several shelters opened to the homeless between the 23rd and the 30th with access to many services; barbers/hairdressers, dentists, legal advice, housing advice, addiction counselling, clothing et c, et c. people apply to volunteer early in the year in order to be able to be involved in what can be an occasionally emotionally rewarding experience.
As I posted earlier, I've asked how we may help, and today I was asked if we would want to fund items that would go directly to guests, (eg bras or boxer shorts), or would we be happy to fund items to help run the healthcare service at CC, this year they need to buy 8 kitbags for the mobile healthcare teams which will cost around £800.
Please give me your thoughts guys...
Digs

That was 7 years ago, it has been running for 38 years, it has become a lot more distributed since then, it is the thing I've been posting about, it is called Crisis at Christmas and there are several shelters opened to the homeless between the 23rd and the 30th with access to many services; barbers/hairdressers, dentists, legal advice, housing advice, addiction counselling, clothing et c, et c. people apply to volunteer early in the year in order to be able to be involved in what can be an occasionally emotionally rewarding experience.
As I posted earlier, I've asked how we may help, and today I was asked if we would want to fund items that would go directly to guests, (eg bras or boxer shorts), or would we be happy to fund items to help run the healthcare service at CC, this year they need to buy 8 kitbags for the mobile healthcare teams which will cost around £800.
Please give me your thoughts guys...
Digs

Bump.

Re-bump.

Bump?

Is anybody interested?

I'm not going to be here in the second half of December. I'd like to donate, though.
Could someone please let me know where can I send the money, clothes etc?

Sorry Digger...I've been busy the past couple of days.
Sounds like a good idea to me...i guess if it's a money thing only you need it'll be purely dependant on how donations go.

I'm actually considering doing the space blankets to shelters thing i had planned after Christmas to be honest.
It tends to be colder in the earlier months of the year, and more people will be free to help...it also gives more time for donations to accumulate.
Another good reason is that a lot of things like this are done only at Christmas time and it's too easy to forget that people need help the rest of the year too.

OK, I've just noticed the edit. Donated.

Sorry Digger...I've been busy the past couple of days.
Sounds like a good idea to me...i guess if it's a money thing only you need it'll be purely dependant on how donations go.

I'm actually considering doing the space blankets to shelters thing i had planned after Christmas to be honest.
It tends to be colder in the earlier months of the year, and more people will be free to help...it also gives more time for donations to accumulate.
Another good reason is that a lot of things like this are done only at Christmas time and it's too easy to forget that people need help the rest of the year too.

Those are options suggested by Crisis, they would like to know if or which we might like to engage with, are the space blankets good? In the mountains we didn't rate them at all, better to have a bivvy bag, which traps air which can then warm up, not a criticism, earnest enquiry, have you seen homeless peeps with them?

have just signed up to volunteer for crisis 24,25,26 december.
keep this thread going as would be up for any bikie shenanigans during that free time around the shutdown.

are the space blankets good? In the mountains we didn't rate them at all, better to have a bivvy bag, which traps air which can then warm up, not a criticism, earnest enquiry, have you seen homeless peeps with them?

I'm not sure that space blankets would be the best option as I don't think they're breathable and noisy. If someone is out in an exposed location then being damp, even inside a cover can exacerbate health problems. Might be better to get a load of fleece type blankets. They're more susceptible to getting wet but if used in a sheltered location will still breath and they dry out pretty quickly and are easier to launder when the get soiled. Bivvy bags can have similar problems to space blankets if used over the long term.

something i've been thinking about for a while: there are a fair few homeless hostels or drop-in centres i london that hold bike maintenance sessions, courses etc. there's a social enterprise in islington that provides work/rehab by giving people the training to do up old bikes and sell them on (was in the lcc e-newsletter wotsit this month) but lots of others have sessions once a week or something (crisis, thamesreach, etc). just judging by the amount of bits and bobs of bikes i have lying around my room, i reckon there must be a fair old pool of decent quality bits: brakes, cables, pedals, saddles whatever that could be collected at drinks and donated to these places. last year i called a couple just to ask the question and they were very enthusiastic.

Not unlike this ^^, but what about a charity bike jumble? Enough people have myriad odds and sods lying about that could be donated. Use a function room of a pub or somewhere convenient. A good excuse for people to meet up; get some bits for your bike(s), give money to charity. Bakers could rustle up some mince pies / festive cakes etc to flog as well.

I have time and resources (van) if needed.

Good idea Joe.S. I'd do some baking. I'm off home on the 23rd though so it would have to be before then.

PS- I've never made a mince pie, but surely it can't be that hard.

What people seem to be missing is that space blankets can be bought for about 50 pence and despite being noisy (probably the last thing on the mind of someone living rough on the streets) and not being breathable...they still provide some protection, pack really small and reflect body heat, which is why they're included in survival kits and handed out at the end of races etc.
Bivvy bags will be a lot more expensive, as will fleece blankets, which also pack much larger. Don't forget, if you're homeless then you carry everything you own at all times.

From past experience donations rarely provide as much money as people think, so the more expensive each item costs, the less people we can help.
It's about doing as much as we can for as many people as possible.
If however somebody has contacts in the trade who can get either bivvy bags or breathable fleece blankets for next to nothing then please let me know.
Cheers!

donated

Fair enough scott, was thinking that something better suited and longer lasting might be less disposable to rough sleepers. Their inclusion in survival kits and end or race bags is more because they're cheap and not designed for long-term use. I concede that I've rarely slept rough and never in winter so am probably spouting nonsense.

I agree that something sturdier or longer lasting or better performing would be ideal, but it means choosing between being able to offer all of that to very few people, or being able to offer something to a much bigger percentage of people that may help to keep them a bit warmer for the harshest weather of the next few months.
Sadly as always there are compromises.
I guess it depends how the donations go.

ill try and donate a bit when i get back home. Can I do anything now up to christmas? I have lots of spare time, and not ready to go back to work atm.

What people seem to be missing is that space blankets can be bought for about 50 pence and despite being noisy (probably the last thing on the mind of someone living rough on the streets) and not being breathable...they still provide some protection, pack really small and reflect body heat, which is why they're included in survival kits and handed out at the end of races etc.
Bivvy bags will be a lot more expensive, as will fleece blankets, which also pack much larger. Don't forget, if you're homeless then you carry everything you own at all times.

From past experience donations rarely provide as much money as people think, so the more expensive each item costs, the less people we can help.
It's about doing as much as we can for as many people as possible.
If however somebody has contacts in the trade who can get either bivvy bags or breathable fleece blankets for next to nothing then please let me know.
Cheers!

Good point.

Survival Bivi Bag: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Leisure

£2.99?

It's definitely a much better price...my only concern is that it's still only polythylene...granted it's fairly heavy duty, but the problem is that you have to climb inside it...fully clothed...with shoes on...on concrete.
I'm guessing you're more likely to rip a hole in it than a blanket that you wrap around you.
Also, with a blanket you can wrap it around you whilst sitting too, something which isn't possible with a bivvy.
I'm no Ray Mears, i'm just thinking about what will be more useful, for a larger part of the day too...and for a sixth of the price, which means six times as many can be bought.

This is the description of the ones i was looking at....if you buy 100+ they're 51p each.
http://www.survivalbox.com/products.php?product=Foil-Blankets-(Silver)

It's definitely a much better price...my only concern is that it's still only polythylene...granted it's fairly heavy duty, but the problem is that you have to climb inside it...fully clothed...with shoes on...on concrete.
I'm guessing you're more likely to rip a hole in it than a blanket that you wrap around you.
Also, with a blanket you can wrap it around you whilst sitting too, something which isn't possible with a bivvy.
I'm no Ray Mears, i'm just thinking about what will be more useful, for a larger part of the day too...and for a sixth of the price, which means six times as many can be bought.

I am a Ray Mears, but I'm going to re-search more...