Happy New Year is a greeting we hear and take for granted and at face value from our friends, family and work colleagues.
Dropping donations off at a homeless food kitchen, Carecent, in York last week, I saw little merriment, little thoughts of a new year that would bring true happiness to the many men and women queuing for their free breakfast.
The pictures we see, the TV clips we watch, the imagery of homeless, wearing paper hats, smiling, eating turkey and looking grateful are all to often the only 'reality' we are fed by the media and all too often we feel self-satisfied that we have made vulnerable, sad and lonely people feel happier about their situation over the festive period.
It's nothing close to reality though.
I watched a message from my company on a store TV screen, wishing all colleagues a wonderful Xmas with their family and loved ones, a picture of stores festooned with Xmas gaiety and sparkling decor, parties, singing and joy; my store had a single Xmas tree in the canteen, no music, no parties, little joy, mainly stressed-out colleagues doing their best.
The drip-fed spin of media we are subject to is shameful; it rarely reflects the reality. The same can be said about the media appeals homeless charities churn' out, they don't reflect the suffering being homeless brings upon people.
I delivered hot water bottles and personal hygiene products from GMB branch donations. It wasn't a moment of joy, it was deeply depressing. I know how it is, I have been homeless twice previously. I know how afraid I was, how cold, how miserable and how lonely I was.
These thoughts still never leave me after 20 years of having a relatively secure tenancy I call home. Unless experienced, you will never know what it is like to walk down a street in the rain late at night, not knowing where you are going to sleep, what you are going to do and being invisible to the rest of society.
Two homeless men froze to death in the recent cold snap on the streets of England yet no one seems to care beyond the daily headlines. I care, it shames me that I cannot do more. Hot water bottles from our A13 Branch may save someone's life when given out. Personal hygiene packs may give a small amount of dignity back to the recipient. Not much, I know, so please, see beyond the media spin and think of those who are less fortunate than us and ask your Branch to counter this spin and respond to the reality by helping out our homeless where possible.
We as reps give, we don't take, we care more than we give ourselves credit for. Let's make New Year a year where we can make a small difference without the fanfare and glamour; let's be kind, let's be generous, for our homeless brothers and sisters and let's keep our eyes open and stop being made to believe that those on the streets have had a lovely Xmas; they didn’t. That's the reality.
Thank you for reading my blog. Have a productive 2024.
