Lacking outdoor skills

[Janne]

Absolutely not taking any side now, but have you noticed how unsuitable sleeping arrangements have been done by many of the protesters protesting now?

Duvets, pillows, inadequate wetness protection from below and so on.
My thoughts are, a standard rain will make their life uncomfortable, a rain storm will make it utter hell.

(Again - no politics, no side taking!)

 

[oldtimer]

I have noticed the same about many of those unfortunate enough to have to sleep on the streets through homelessness.

Younger son once taught basic life skills to recovering drug addicts and newly released prisoners as part of his work at a drop-in centre. I know of at least one member of this parish who works with disadvantaged folk. Maybe more of us should.

I guess not all of us are fortunate enough to have had basic self reliance skills taught to us as part of our upbringing.

 

[Wander]

 

[Janne]

Interesting post, Wander, interesting!

 

[Laurentius]

Absolutely not taking any side now, but have you noticed how unsuitable sleeping arrangements have been done by many of the protesters protesting now?

Duvets, pillows, inadequate wetness protection from below and so on.
My thoughts are, a standard rain will make their life uncomfortable, a rain storm will make it utter hell.

(Again - no politics, no side taking!)

We are a special breed I suppose, however for those protestors it is just going to be temporary discomfort, alas not so for the ranks of the homeless.

 

[GuestD]

Last week I walked down Argyle Street central Glasgow in the early morning and saw tents in shop doorways. It is wrong to criticize the homeless, a casual passed by does not know their circumstances, or their abilities, physical or mental. This is the 21st century. I have worked with a project for many years that assists people in such situations, I can't remember any of the "hang em high brigade" getting involved. It is also worth remembering that Thursday 10th October is World Mental Health day, that's the day after tomorrow. As for protesters, the warmth of their camaraderie will keep them going.

 

[Woody girl]

I have been to one of the training camps and had to help people who had borrowed tents and had no idea how to put them up. Even find bedding for one young lady who arrived without a sleeping bag.
The thing is the camaraderie is such that others will help you out. So I wouldn't worry too much. They have organised kitchens to feed people.. hence the police raid taking away kitchen equipment sneaky !
My role at the camp was to show some basic Bushcraft skills to them re keeping warm and dry avoiding and recognising hypothermia and how to treat it, and keeping warm and dry when sleeping.
Not everyone who turns up will have had that training but there are enough people about with knowledge to help anyone who needs it. They have a welfare wing aswell and I taught about 20 people the camping side of it. There are many people who have done this before anyway and who knows the wrinkles.
They will on the whole be fine. After all how many of us have learned the hard way after a trip went wrong in some way? And we didn't have a whole back up welfare to help us out. You can even get a free massage there if your feet or back are sore!
They got it sorted believe me!

 

[Riven]

The invention of the pop up tent with no pegs needed has really helped in street camping for sure. Anyway I am sure the good people of Westminster will find it in their hearts to help them out.

 

[Woody girl]

The invention of the pop up tent with no pegs needed has really helped in street camping for sure. Anyway I am sure the good people of Westminster will find it in their hearts to help them out.

I'm sure bj has their welfare at heart given his comments today! Shows how much notice he has taken of the people.
....or ever will!

 

[Tengu]

If these people dont know how to survive, why are they going outdoors?

And what are they protesting against?

Progress?

 

[Janne]

Best to avoid taking sides and politics? As I requested in the first post?

I think you people read too much in my post.

Tengu, what is progress? I think each person has an own thought about that.
For me, progress would be if they could invent/design to repair a damaged knee joint, without a replacement.

I would love to be able to do the mountain trekking I did before my accident.
Re homeless: In several cities in North America, they have vents on the streets that vent warm air ( Subway? Heating systems?).
when it is cold, you can see the homeless using this warm air. Ingenious.

 

[GuestD]

And what are they protesting against?

Progress?

Yes. The world's progress towards the abyss.

 

[Janne]

The World will be fine, many animals, including us, might not though....

 

[Paul_B]

I'm sure bj has their welfare at heart given his comments today! Shows how much notice he has taken of the people.
....or ever will!

Ooops! Your politics creeps out. XR aren't the people they're a minority. People support sorting out the mess humans have got into just not XR and their approach.

Sorry but if it's ok to make support for them and criticism of a political leader then surely it's ok to criticise the protesters for their approach.

If not then delete away, preferably equally

 

[Paul_B]

XR come from such a wide x section of society. The fact they're camping with shoot kit like pop up tents and duvets probably more a sign of taking cheap, disposable kit in case officials remove it or it gets damaged.

Perhaps some will leave them when they leave like many festival goers. I certainly know I'd not take my £700 tent, £280 down sleeping bag, £100 UL camp mat.

 

[Woody girl]

Very true. I wouldn't take expensive gear either. But I'd take enough gear to keep warm and dry. I don't think too much junk will be left and if it is there is a crew who will go and take tents etc down.... given the chance... and use them at other protests for those that need it.
To be honest I can see the noddys getting tough and not giving people a chance to get their stuff down and saying "look at the mess they left" and destroy it to try and discourage further happenings and turn public opinion. it has happened before.

 

[santaman2000]

....Re homeless: In several cities in North America, they have vents on the streets that vent warm air ( Subway? Heating systems?).
when it is cold, you can see the homeless using this warm air. Ingenious.

Realistically in most of North America the cold is the lesser problem. Dangerous heat is far more of a killer.

 

[Robson Valley]

Farm kids grow up with outdoor skills taught by the rest of the family.
I'm convinced that the kids never see it coming but you learn in conversation that they can do it all.

Chances are, city kids are raised by family who have no more outdoor skills to offer.
Not much wrong with that, many have no aspirations to cook a sausage over a smokey little fire
in the pouring rain in the middle of nowhere! Please pass the mustard.
Smells like chicken soup, looks like powdered orance juice and tastes like coffee.

The cross-over might be farm people moving into the towns and cities
yet encouraging their youth to pick up on the comforts of living in the outdoors.
Essentially, this is what happened to me. I was highly employable for my "outdoorsmanship".
This lifestyle was seperate and apart from the quickly learned job skills for limnology.
One summer, the nearest road was some 50 miles away by river and I was happy with that.
Aircraft dumps of food and fuel and I got out some 4 months later. Easy living off the grid, too.

I can't believe that youth today go looking for much as wilderness experiences.
Too bad, but the best we can do is leave an open offer.
In fact, I have to sit on my hands.
Maybe my grandsons get a sniff of the outdoors but that is not for me to decide.

 

[Paul_B]

Parents get to decide a lot for their kids until a certain age/ level of personal development. That's why we're getting into the great outdoors (such that it is in the UK) with him as much as possible. Hiking, cycling, cycle touring and looking at the world outside.

Schools do their bit, and there's a terrific movement for forest schools and nurseries for kids, but ultimately parents are the creators of active, healthy, outdoors experienced people. What a responsibility!

On a side note, I believe forest preschools have a higher number of men working in them than their normal preschools in the UK. It's probably true to say that the higher Male presence in the bushcraft / outdoors environment pays off in that respect. With the dearth of quality Male role models in modern society it's a positive. Sorry if this is being political.

 

[Laurentius]

Last week I walked down Argyle Street central Glasgow in the early morning and saw tents in shop doorways. It is wrong to criticize the homeless, a casual passed by does not know their circumstances, or their abilities, physical or mental. This is the 21st century. I have worked with a project for many years that assists people in such situations, I can't remember any of the "hang em high brigade" getting involved. It is also worth remembering that Thursday 10th October is World Mental Health day, that's the day after tomorrow. As for protesters, the warmth of their camaraderie will keep them going.

I will try to avoid politics but I did recently attend the Labour Party Conference in Brighton, and just as it is at home lots of homeless people on the streets. I took the time to talk to one of the guys I passed by every day on my way, they are doing what they can to survive.