Homelessness is not a disease. It is most often a result of unfortunate circumstances and turn of events which a person rarely has control over.
With the support of Dulal Ahmed from Crisis and Greg Mangham, CEO and Founder of Only a Pavement Away me and Ali bhai took a lunch hour tour of the West End today in his black cab where we met with Marie-Elise and her crack unit at the Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park, London, which has been prominent in supporting the vulnerable. We are very to be working with such a humble group and big name establishment.
When you share a vision it doesn’t matter which end of the spectrum you’re at because the magnetic energy will draw you all together.
Today we picked up 150 simply delicious and irresistible vegetarian meals for our homeless support with some being delivered to Ryedale Care Home rough sleepers hostel and Brocklebank Lodge homeless hostel. The rest I kept behind to share amongst homeless friends in Barking Town Centre as part of my rough sleepers bicycle outreach, otherwise known as #foodbike - an extension of #bookbikelondon
We also visited the Ryedale Care Centre which is housing rough sleepers as part of the local authority’s efforts to shield and isolate during the coronavirus pandemic.
Dulal and Greg have both been crucial in all this. It’s genius how they’ve mapped it out so paths connect and energies combine to extraordinary effect.
Emma is the sixth #homeless friend I’ve bumped into at Barking Town Centre who has been a regular visitor at #onethirdsoupkitchen
Oddly enough she hasn’t a clue about rough sleepers being put up in Hostels and has continued sleeping rough whilst trying to scrimp together a few pounds each day for food, drink, warmth.
She’s usually very jolly but seemed really down today and blamed it on the drizzle.
I told her I had a real treat from the Mandarin Oriental. I confessed to Emma that it was the first time I’d served food from a high end establishment. I couldn’t resist and joined her in eating one veggie pack too. I’m Diabetic so I blamed it on that.
It was delicious!
So thanks to Marie-Elise, Dulal and Greg, we have engaged on three levels today whilst serving #homeless friends.
1. Rough street sleepers
2. Homeless individuals and families in hostels
3. Rough sleepers in temporary Coronavirus accommodation
I’ve passed on hostel info to Emma for Crisis UK but have a feeling I’m going to have to take her there myself.
Let’s see what happens eh?
So, for the rest of June our team will be working closely with the aforementioned trio to supply various homeless projects I know with 150 meals a week.
It’s amazing how uplifting the gift of food is and today has been a real treat not only for the recipients but the volunteers too.
#thewanderinglondoner
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