I saw this when I went to the supermarket today. I knew there’d been someone living there, in a make-shift tent next to the underpass – and another one in the underpass, and another round the other side of the supermarket car park. My partner remembers chatting to this guy sometimes, and giving him money when he had some to spare.

I didn’t know him, although I think I remembered his face, when my partner described him, and where he used to hang out. I didn’t know him, so I can’t write a personal memorial — but I feel sad for him, so I’ll write this:

The average life expectancy of homeless people is 43 (for women) to 45 (for men). That means, not having a home robs you of half your life. That’s how hard it is, living on the streets.

How many street people do you know? How many have been living in bits of meagre shelter near your house? There are so many more than there used to be. On the other side of our neighbourhood from this little memorial I saw today, there are some empty blocks of flats. There used to be two or three residential blocks, and a hostel for the homeless. Now, all empty. There’s been a wrangle going on about whether the blocks should be refurbished or demolished, allowing developers to build something new. Refurbishment would be cheaper, and get some people into decent homes a lot faster – but they’ve been empty for years, while the debate goes on – and we have hardly any homeless hostels, far, far less council housing than we once had, and less social services, and less social security, and our council have less resources and less autonomy to manage and build up social housing.

If you’re a long way past forty, you’ll be able to think back, as I can, and think about how many more people there are living on the streets these days. Some are on the streets because they drink, some drink because it’s so horrible being on the streets. With some, it’s drugs. With others, it’s just the horrendous lottery of living in a country that no longer has decent social safety nets.

It’s not that people don’t care — they do – someone bought flowers for Smiler. Some people give street people money or other gifts – food, blankets or coats, or talking time. Some go out with the street pastors, sharing out soup and bread, others battle with our politics, trying to restore the social housing and other necessities we have lost over the years. But none of that works as well as having a government that cares would.

Please tell the younger people – don’t let them get used to this. Tell them that the past wasn’t perfect – not by a long way but once upon a time, not so long ago, far fewer people had the misfortune to end up living – and dying – on the streets.

And please think of Smiler tonight. And the others, living on the streets near where you are — and please ignore my donations footer today — save your money and buy someone a sandwich next time you’re out and about — or how about this, if I get any donations today, I’ll buy sandwiches.

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Kay

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