Foraging and Homelessness

[BunnyMazonas]

A little caveat; my other half was homeless for quite some time before I met him. I became close to the group of fellow street urchins that had helped him to survive, taught him how to get by and kept him out of trouble. They were so protective over him (youngest of the group). So, obviously, I have quite a lot of sympathy for the needs of homeless people.

The other day I was picking up a few essentials in the supermarket, and a clearly homeless man came to me and asked for advice regarding which of the more stomach-filling things in that aisle could be eaten without cooking. He didn't know that a makeshift cooking pot could be made from so many things, so didn't think he'd be able to cook anything.

It occurred to me that knowledge on some basic foraging; about edible wild greens, berries, etc, could really help homeless people. Now, ideally they would be getting access to food in shelters, but I know all too well that more often than not this simply isn't possible. I have far too many friends who survived at some point in their lives by sorting through bins.

The biggest issue is access to some sort of venue for teaching this stuff to homeless people, and getting together people with the right sort of knowledge to share the information wisely and safely.

Do you think efforts in this sort of area would be effective or helful at all? I'm not hugely experienced or knowledgeable WRT foraging and bushcrft- very much a beginner- so wasn't sure if there would be any particular pitfalls or restrictions that might make it impractical?

 

[demographic]

It could well be helpful to them and makes for an interesting thread also.

 

[Retired Member southey]

One part of me thinks it would be of great help, if they have access to land on which to forage, but there is a big problem of permissions to take from some one Else's land, if they were to cook, where would that happen? could you impart enough knowledge to stop them eating a poisonous thing? I'm not trying to say any one homeless is un teachable, just what would be the incentive for them to return to your next lesson?

I'll add that being homeless is something I know nothing about.

 

[locum76]

A lot of charities which tackle homelessness also provide support services such as how to cook. It might be worth contacting one of them and discussing your idea. It might be worth giving FareShare a shout too.

 

[BunnyMazonas]

I'd never heard of fareshare before. They look like a great organisation; thanks for the link!

 

[_mark_]

The supermarkets have started sealing off their bins with gates topped with menacing spikes, making foraging dangerous if not impossible and this valuable food source.

 

[BunnyMazonas]

The supermarkets have started sealing off their bins with gates topped with menacing spikes, making foraging dangerous if not impossible and this valuable food source.

Now that is just needlessly mean. I remember when I used to work part-time at a supermarket. The amount of perfectly edible food we threw away, especially from things like the rotisserie and bakery. And that with a shelter just 20 min down the road. It always seemed stupid that we didn't take that food down to the shelter, let alone making the bins inaccessible!

 

[Retired Member southey]

It does make me very angry that corporations think this is an acceptable way to act, just because they cant sell it doesn't mean it's not of use to someone else, why not just give it to local shelters, I'm sure they would only have to send them a letter saying first come first serve, then the shelter could distribute it as needed, It seems very hard minded by the stores if you ask me. Have you gone to the local council to ask who would be the best groups to approach?

 

[locum76]

FareShare take stuff the supermarkets are throwing out and deliver to hostels and associated charities.

 

[Retired Member southey]

oh right brilliant, thats cool then, Is it a national charity?

 

[locum76]

Yeah, the charity I work for runs one of the franchises.

 

[_mark_]

I have asked many supermarkets to contribute these items to support organisations/projects, also bakery's and all but one have politely refused, and the only one that agreed was down to the very kind manager, whom if found out would lose his job for sure. I think the op's idea is very good indeed. Food is often very low on the priority list for the homeless.

 

[_mark_]

FareShare take stuff the supermarkets are throwing out and deliver to hostels and associated charities.

That's amazing, how did they get consent?

 

[locum76]

FareShare has a very good management structure, meticulous H&S guidelines implemented to supermarket standard. They have national support, dedicated chill chain facilities at all of the depots and enough clout to deal with Supermarket senior management teams at a strategic level.

Joe Bloggs asking about such things on the shop floor gives supermarket managers the heebie jeebies - what if one of the homeless guys gets food poisoning and sues us etc, etc, etc.

Current donors to our branch include M&S, Greigg's, the MOD, Nestle, Halls, Morrison's, Pret a Manger etc.

If you're up for a challenge it might be worth looking into setting up a franchise - be part of the solution.



Rob

 

[BunnyMazonas]

I think I may have just found my next charity to start donating to.

 

[_mark_]

Many thanks for the info.

 

[Metatron]

Not to be rude but teaching them to forage may not be the most productive use of time, getting/helping them make a homeless application for housing maybe. Local government have legal duties toward people who are homeless and they will at least put them up in a hostel and help with food. They can also help with metal health and drug addiction problems if they are an issue.

There really is no need to be homeless in the UK, a lot of the time if its not a drug/metal health problem, or they are not aware of their rights, then its a lifestyle choice. We have loads of homeless in Brighton, most are homeless because they choose to be and tend to squat somewhere. Most are friendly and very hippyish.

 

[ged]

Do you think efforts in this sort of area would be effective or helful at all? I'm not hugely experienced or knowledgeable WRT foraging and bushcrft- very much a beginner- so wasn't sure if there would be any particular pitfalls or restrictions that might make it impractical?

A couple of things come to my mind right away.

Theft, and sometimes violence, is a way of life for most homeless people. I can't blame them for that; if I were homeless, jobless and friendless I would do what I had to do to survive. But let's keep our eyes open, and not get all misty about the misfortunes of some of our kin only to be horribly disappointed by them. Once upon a time a good friend of mine took pity on a homeless man who was begging in the street in Oxford. He invited the fellow to his home for a meal, and gave him a coat. They spent most of the night chatting and the man left early the next day. The following evening my friend's house was burgled. All his musical instruments and audio gear, TV, kitchen equipment and a large quantity of clothing -- far more stuff than one person could possibly carry -- were stolen. Over the next few weeks my friend recovered most of what was stolen from him by going around the second hand shops in Oxford and just buying the things back. He later saw the same homeless man in the street wearing some of the unrecovered clothes. He didn't invite him to dinner again.

It's a lot easier to find food and shelter in a town all year round than it is out in the woods. Without seriously breaking the law, bushcraft can support you temporarily, for a few days or even a few weeks. But thesedays, especially in crowded places like most of the UK, it can't be a way of life unless you're exceptionally good at it and you're prepared and able to keep well ahead of the law. To begin with, if I'm out going out in the wilds one of the most important things on my checklist is a good knife. In most towns, just having one on your person could get you arrested. So I'm not sure that bushcraft as most of us think of it here would be the right thing to teach homeless people.

There was a very good thread on this forum recently:

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51197

The government spending cuts haven't even started to take effect yet. I think we can expect homelessness to become a bigger issue in the next few years. I don't have any answer other than what Boxer used to say:

"I will work harder".

 

[British Red]

There really is no need to be homeless in the UK, a lot of the time if its not a drug/metal health problem, or they are not aware of their rights, then its a lifestyle choice.

Thats probably the most ill informed, trite, over simplified and down right worng post that it has ever been my misfortune to read

How long have you been homeless?

How much time have you spent working with the homeless?

I suspect the answers are "none" and "none".

I suggest that you educate yourself a little better on the realities of homelessness in this country before pronouncing from such a woefully ignorant position

BTW - I have been homeless, worked with the homeless, and moved from homelessness to senior management positions in (amongst other companies) supermarkets. This is one subject on which I feel qualified to speak with some authority.

If you think the young girl being abused at home, but too young to qualify for any form of housing benefit is making a lifestyle choice, you need to wake up fellah.

Red

 

[Metatron]

Thats probably the most ill informed, trite, over simplified and down right worng post that it has ever been my misfortune to read

How long have you been homeless?

How much time have you spent working with the homeless?

I suspect the answers are "none" and "none".

Red

I did some volunteer work back in my university days, when I thought I could make a difference. People are always ready to blame something or someone else for their problems, instead of taking personal responsibility.

Just read your edit: You should inform child services and the police.