A year ago, Total MK's Sammy Jones wrote the following piece looking at the plight of the homeless in Milton Keynes.
Numbers of homeless here are growing - figures recently released said that there were six known rough sleepers in the town in 2012.
In 2017 there is approximately 90 people living on the streets.
There are brilliant charities doing fantastic work in the area, and if you want to lend your services, or donate your time to help them help more people, click on the links at the bottom of the article.
Even the smallest of gestures can make a difference - the next time you pass a person on the street, don't ignore them, talk to them.
A little kindness goes a long way...
'In 2016, three homeless men died on the streets of Milton Keynes – the deaths of Tony Porter, James (Jimmy) Owens and Patrick Allen casting a dark shadow over the city.
Outrage and anger was followed by a demand for change and help, writes Sammy Jones.
But help can’t come soon enough for those who are forced to spend their days living rough, taking refuge under dirty duvets, with rags and cardboard serving as a poor excuse for a mattress.
Even more incredible than the numbers of people on the streets is the way they are treated.
A survey released in December revealed that nearly 80% of people sleeping rough said they had been deliberately hit, kicked and even urinated on in random attacks in 2016.
But while some help is now available, supposedly pushing the homelessness crisis to the top of the agenda, not enough is being done by the authorities.
Many endured a bleak Christmas on the streets, unlike those of us fortunate enough to have a roof over our heads, food in the cupboard and a Smart TV to slouch in front of.
We drove round the centre of Milton Keynes on Christmas morning trying to spread a little festive cheer by distributing pretty insignificant food parcels.
But more than the food, it was about letting them know that people do care. It soon transpired we didn’t have nearly enough parcels.
The number of people, and their animals, huddled in underpasses, in tents and trying desperately to shelter from the cold in shop doorways and in front of hot air vents wasn’t shocking.
That emotion had long since passed. It was just desperately sad.
Everyone deserves a warm, safe place to lay their head, and we saw too many without that necessity.
Later, we returned home, turned the heating up, popped the cork on the bubbly (after all, it was Christmas), and set about enjoying our day.
But the faces of the people we had spoken to stayed with us.
We were painfully aware that far from enjoying themselves, those same people were working hard just to get through the day, Just as they have been throughout 2016, which has seen a sharp increase in the number of homeless on our streets.
The numbers have been growing all year but when Autumn arrived, the falling leaves exposed tents that had been hidden from view during the summer months. And in the heart of town the number of people sat cap, or paper cup in hand, begging for change, has risen dramatically.'
Christmas is a time for giving...
Click and learn more about those working hard for change in our locality, and how you can help
https://www.facebook.com/Helpingmkhomeless/
http://www.winternightsheltermk.com/
https://www.opendoormk.org.uk/
https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/milton-keynes
https://www.facebook.com/thebussheltermk/
