I am in tears and really very angry after an abusive attack in the churchyard of St Laurence’s, Ludlow this lunchtime.
I was talking to N. He’s the rather eccentric homeless gentleman you’ll see about town, especially in the churchyard. We were chatting about the medieval character of the town. Ludlow’s fairly new to him after he walked here from Oxford.
It has taken a while to get a conversation with N going. I’m happy to chat to anyone, but I also have an agenda here.
I want to find N help. But you need to be ready for help when you are rough sleeping and we have been talking about that. Beyond this, I can tell you no more other than I will seek help for him as soon as he is ready.
This lunchtime, we were having a pleasant chat. We weren’t talking about his situation, just swapping stories on various campaigns and protest marches in our pasts. His experience is very different from mine but we have discovered we share common ground on what we see as destruction of societal and environmental values.
We weren’t allowed to finish our conversation. After just a few minutes, we were being heckled and sworn at.
I couldn’t hear the first words. But I couldn’t miss what followed:
“I saw you buying cheap cider in Spar,” the heckler shouted at me from around 10 yards away.
[I’m guilty as charged and I am drinking that cider now.]
“You’re going to f—ing share it with him. With that f—ing tramp.”
I didn’t engage with this 30-something lout. I was more concerned about N’s reaction. He was calmer than I was. I guess he is used to it.
N is not a tramp. He is simply homeless and rough sleeping.
The lout clearly didn’t like being ignored and shouted:
“What sort of f—ing councillor are you?”
Again I didn’t respond. But I’ll tell you what sort of councillor I am. I’m a councillor that cares about people who are homeless – with a personal passion.
Not so long back, my life and mind broke into fragments. I ended up rough sleeping on benches, compost bins, anywhere I could.
What I learnt from that episode is that anyone of us, no matter how successful, can end up rough sleeping or homeless. I remember most the fear. The terror of not understanding what was happening in my head. The panic of having no money, no future and, I thought, no friends. I remember how difficult it was to get help. But unlike N, for me rough sleeping didn’t last long. I was rescued by people I barely knew. I had friends I didn’t know I had. I am forever grateful to them and my family for giving me so much support.
It’s a different world for me now. I’m secure. I’m a Shropshire Councillor. And I represent everyone in my division, whether they have a home or not.
There are other homeless people in Ludlow, at least one of them rough sleeping more often than not. None of them are tramps, let alone “effing tramps”. I am appalled that there are a small number of louts in this town who behave aggressively towards people who need help, rather than helping them.
Homeless people are not tramps. They are simply ourselves in different circumstances.
Here to I talk to Eric Smith of BBC Radio Shropshire about the events of Saturday and homelessness:
More information on homelessness at Homeless Link.
Shrewsbury Ark: A drop-in centre helping homeless and vulnerable people.
My Question on Homelessness to Shropshire Council – 18 December
Last Tuesday I submitted a question on homelessness to the next full Shropshire Council meeting. It reads:
Question to Council 18 December 2014: Homelessness in Shropshire
Shropshire Council’s Homelessness Strategy is due for review in 2015.
1) What is the timetable for that review and what will be its scope / terms of reference?
2) How many people were rough sleepers in Shropshire in the years 2010 to 2014?
3) How is the number of rough sleepers calculated (counted, estimated)?
4) What arrangements are currently in place for providing shelter in severe weather emergencies for rough sleepers?
5) How many people were classified as statutory homeless in Shropshire in the years 2010 to 2014?
6) How many cases of homelessness prevention or relief did Shropshire Council action, outside the statutory homelessness framework, in the years 2010 to 2014?
Well said, Andy, N is a highly intelligent man who has had the misfortune to fall on hard times- as any of us could. He deserves our help and support. The mindless lout who abused him deserves only to be kept in a cage! What a sad commentary the plight of the homeless is on the uncaring face of so much of our society as we enter 2015.
This is a brave and moving post, thank you for your integrity.
Ignorance and prejudice are such depressing aspects of humanity. And what on earth is their issue with ‘cheap cider’? I’m quite partial to it myself. Would they be happier if you had bought a good claret?
By the way, you’ll get my vote next time.
Thanks Andy.
Andy, I am a regular supporter of charities for the homeless as I cannot imagine anything worse than having no home. If there is any such charity in Shropshire I would be glad to hear of it as the ones I support are all in London.
Too many people see “homeless” and think “wino” (and what their reaction to “winos” is tends to reflect their own relation s with alcohol). We have a regular homeless man around town here, who receives what help he needs, but seems to be content with his lifestyle. Conversations with him are more enlightening and more intelligent than most! What we must all remember is that, whatever we see in front of us (“wino”, “tramp”, “Councillor”), there is an individual human being with just the same range of issues, tastes, loves and irrational dislikes as anyone.
I think this story says more about the 30 something yob than the so called ‘tramp’. If you are happy with yourself then you don’t go out of your way to shout abuse at people who have done you no harm.
It is only the frustrated, the disaffected who want to abuse those who have fallen on hard times or those who are different. They feel the need for power , to feel superior because they lack self respect in their own lives.
That is why you received the abuse. You were giving respect to somebody they want to look down on. Be thankful that you life isn’t as screwed up and sad as the yob’s is, and keep up the good work.
Its sad to hear that people are being mean and abusive to him, me and my 3 year old son have sat and had many interesting conversations with this gentleman in a coffee shop in ludlow. He is very knowledgeable about medieval times and my son really enjoys talking about knights and castles with him, he is very good with how to chat with children. I think the main problem with the people who hail abuse such as this is they just dont think before they speak, its a form of amusement for them when amongst their friends, they have no insight into how others feel, not able to put themselves in his shoes and feel what he feels. I feel sorry for them as well as they are lacking alot of skills and feelings that will help them be successful and fulfilled individuals in their future.
Its very sad that people of this town can be so cruel to a poor guy down on his luck I just hope this yob who shouted this abuse gets his Karma ten fold .
Just hope the yob is eventually identified. Then publicly named and shamed (if he is capable of feeling shame – which I doubt. . it would require a modicum of basic intelligence).
As a thirty year old something I am feeling really sad that that there are people my age that have not taken on board the information that has been handed out in bounds, the information being that we respect people and treat other people as we would expect to be treated. Life is tough lets not make it any tougher for ourselves or others. It’s simple really.
The response to this blog and Nick’s plight has been overwhelming. So many people are befriending and helping Nick. He is a good man who has been lost a good while. I hope he can find himself in Ludlow. There are some superb photos by Ashleigh over on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ajcadet/posts/695279063926511
Was great to read this. “n” is one of the most interesting people I’ve met this year.
Disappointed to see said person shouting at a lady exercising her Border Collie in the church yard last night. She was quite shaken and upset.