AS someone involved in voluntary work with homeless people in Hereford I received a phone call one Saturday afternoon from a member of the public who had come across a homeless person outside St Peter’s Church in the city centre.
I went to talk to them. Because family relationships had broken down, he had been sleeping in a tent for the last two weeks.
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There were issues of mental illness, as well as drug and alcohol addiction.
He had appealed for help to the local authority but been told he was “not a priority”.
I wonder what constitutes a priority? There is an emergency number for emergency help, but past experience tells me it does not actually produce immediate help, rather, “come to Blueschool House on Monday”.
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One could add “if you are still alive”. There are caring people around, but few resources.
PAUL GILL
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