At this time of year, the thoughts of many of us turn to those less fortunate than ourselves, who face a bleak and uncertain future; all the more poignant, indeed, as we move towards the celebration of Christmas, and the promise of a new year.
I'm not talking about all those hundreds of feckless, overpaid Barnet council workers who have just been handed their 90 day redundancy notices: nobody cares about them, do they? Time they went and got a real job. And please don't mention those thuggish, lazy firefighters ...
No: I'm talking about sad, lonely, and vulnerable people like 'Brian', and so many others like him, the forgotten victims of the recession: yes, our Tory councillors, many of them, as we now know, apparently unemployed and homeless: struggling to make ends meet, in deep despair since their well deserved allowance rate increase was so cruelly snatched away, earlier this year.
If it were not for our generosity, and the benevolence of local charities, people like 'Brian' would have no shelter, no home to call their own. He would be just another down and out, condemned to a pitiful existence on a negligable, six figure salary, dependent on the odd luxury hamper from Harvey Nichols, doggie bags from the Lord Mayor's banquet, or lunches paid for by kind hearted friends, such as those nice chaps at AssetCo. Without them, he could be kipping on the bench outside the post office in North Finchley, his little arms cradling a bottle of cider, or sitting outside Waitrose with a few tattered copies of the Big Issue. He might even have to go and live in one of those dreadful 'slums' in Grahame Park.
Show him how much you care. When you are working out how long your redundancy pay will pay the mortgage and keep the wolves from the door, remember to put a little aside for charity, and people like 'Brian'.
There couldn't be a more deserving case, this Christmas, could there?
I'm not talking about all those hundreds of feckless, overpaid Barnet council workers who have just been handed their 90 day redundancy notices: nobody cares about them, do they? Time they went and got a real job. And please don't mention those thuggish, lazy firefighters ...
No: I'm talking about sad, lonely, and vulnerable people like 'Brian', and so many others like him, the forgotten victims of the recession: yes, our Tory councillors, many of them, as we now know, apparently unemployed and homeless: struggling to make ends meet, in deep despair since their well deserved allowance rate increase was so cruelly snatched away, earlier this year.
If it were not for our generosity, and the benevolence of local charities, people like 'Brian' would have no shelter, no home to call their own. He would be just another down and out, condemned to a pitiful existence on a negligable, six figure salary, dependent on the odd luxury hamper from Harvey Nichols, doggie bags from the Lord Mayor's banquet, or lunches paid for by kind hearted friends, such as those nice chaps at AssetCo. Without them, he could be kipping on the bench outside the post office in North Finchley, his little arms cradling a bottle of cider, or sitting outside Waitrose with a few tattered copies of the Big Issue. He might even have to go and live in one of those dreadful 'slums' in Grahame Park.
Show him how much you care. When you are working out how long your redundancy pay will pay the mortgage and keep the wolves from the door, remember to put a little aside for charity, and people like 'Brian'.
There couldn't be a more deserving case, this Christmas, could there?
4 comments:
Oh the poor man. He is obviously down on his luck.
Perhaps we can persuade one of the churches to offer him subsidised housing.
Like that's going to happen, baarnett!
... although here's an interesting quote from a Methodist church spokesman in January:
"Paul Morrison, Policy Adviser for the Methodist Church in Britain, said Poverty and Homelessness Action Week was especially important this year as the country prepares for a general election.
“Poverty is not just the problem of some people having too little; it’s also a problem of some people having too much,” he said".
Hmmm.
Excellent, excellent blog.
Dave Hill should be adding Mrs Angry's broken Barnet to his London Blogosphere
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