“When it comes to all of these letters and pieces
of paper they keep handing us about the injunction, possession notices and so on, they’re only doing it to cover their own backs. They’re doing so to appear as if they are providing a solution that will make the BORN SL6 ‘problem’ go away. When in fact, they have created new ways of ignoring us and pushing us out. They aren’t giving us any option or solution when we’re asking for their help. Instead, they’re just making us disappear.
BORN SL6 Lily Thomson
J: “The impact of the shelter closing has been huge. The volunteers would do anything for you. We had hot meals, a safe place to sleep and felt secure for 5 days a week. We were warm and dry and everyone got on. They even helped us with getting medical and psychological help. This is why its closure was unprecendented. It didn’t cost the council a thing as the room was donated by the church and the bills were paid by voluntary donations. We never did get an explanation about why it was taken away. So we’ve decided to take a stand, camping right outside the Town Hall as a demonstration of our situation and need for assistance.” B:”We just want some recognition.” T: “Welcome to the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.”
J: “We’ve been informed about some of the costs concerning us being here. Currently, there are five security guards watching us at night, their agency charges £225 per man a night. The council also put a fence up around the Town Hall for 12 hours, costing them £1800, but becuase of public uproar it was taken down.” E: “When they kicked the group off the land to do that their claim was that the site needed ‘cleaning’. But that was a complete lie. Such a thing was never an issue, even though the group were never provided with bins or bags and had to resource such things themselves through me to maintain the site. I didn’t have to do a thing to clean up after them once the fence was put up because it was clear they had been respectful and disposed of waste themselves. That fence was put up to keep them out, like animals. Shameful.” J:”When you think about it, this borough money they’re spending is a waste. Imagine if it was used properly, It could have lasted the shelter until Christmas.”
J: “I’ve paid into this borough for over 30 years of my life, and when I’m in need this is what I get in return? Did you know, at this moment in time, a single male being put on the list for occupancy could have to wait up to 25 years for assistance? I could murder someone, go to prison, serve my time and when I come out I’d still have to wait for somewhere to live. I ain’t a greedy bloke, I’m not asking for a riverside apartment or anything like that. I just want to get the shelter open again. I just want what is right.”
F: “I’ll hopefully knit enough squares to make myself a blanket by the winter. This lady from the shelter donated loads of wool to me and I’ve learnt quite a lot of patterns and stuff. I can spend all day doing this.”
J: “Everyone is on thin ice. I think that is why people in Maidenhead are so supportive toward our cause. They also realise that we don’t know what the outcome of our assessments tomorrow will be.” B: “You can get a mixed reaction from the public toward homeless people. I think the majority of public hostility toward the homeless is due to ignorance.But I’ve been truly shocked by the amount of support we have recieved. I wasn’t expecting it. We’ve got more food dontations than the food bank! Maybe if we become one we won’t get moved. J: “The ones who look down on us live in a credit nation. They’ve only got to be made redundant, then miss a rent paymentand they’ll be out here with us. No-one is ever far away from our situation. Take me for example, a year ago I was in a private flat, laptop, TV and a full time job. It doesn’t take long to belly up.”
R: “I’ve been on the street for longer than I can remember. Physically, the first night is always the hardest. Psychologically, it never gets easier. When I think about it, I’ve been around these parts for 6 years in June. Henley, Burnham, Maidenhead. After this assessment with the council they will have me in with the Queen at Windsor Castle!” J: ‘We’ve all bent the rules, I’m not denying that. But at the end of the day that man is as straight as an arrow and as strong as the bow that fired it. Roger doesn’t deserve any of this.” B: “The streets are killing him.”
B: “They were being so condescending in that assessment. I’m a grown man! Don’t treat me like a fool.”
M: “We did our assessment together. The council want to put Chelsea in care because she is 17 and have offered me a loan for accomodation. I will have to find it myself and then pay them back £10 a month.” C: “Wherever Michael goes I’m staying with him. We love each other and have supported each other since the start of all this. Why would I walk away from him now?” M: “They say they can offer me this loan but won’t mention the kind of prices I should be aiming for when searching for accomodation. What if I find somewhere and then they say they can’t afford to lend me that amount? I’m stuck because they’re not giving me specific information I need to move forward.”
F: “We’ve just been searched by police because they’ve had a report from another officer that allegedly claimed we were passing items associated with drugs. All we had been doing was passing the sewing needle and thread to fix the dog’s coat! They would have loved to have caught drugs on us on a day like today and had that story as a headline. What an excuse to demonise us once again.”
C: “After the Court Ruling on Friday 15/4/16 Slough County Court all homeless (defendants) people were interviewed (assessed) by RBWM. This Council does not have homeless shelters therefore the assessments were for private or social housing. At the time of writing, none of the homeless were considered to be a priority. Although most had health issues and were in the process of turning their lives around with the support from doctors and various organisations. The local church hall was until the 1st of April, a nightly shelter, but has since closed its doors. Due possibly to the ‘opening license’ coming to an end. This needs reviewing with the council and looking into extending the license. This has been put to the council but it appears that unless the homeless push for this, nothing will be done by the council to help these people.”
M: “How can you do anything positive or negative if you address a group of people as ‘persons unknown’? We’re here right in front of them, they have all our details. Yet still, we are classed as nothing.” J: “After all of this, we’re still all non-priority. Because of the injuction given to ‘persons unknown’ we have got to move from our site here. But we are not going nowhere because we have nowhere to go. The fight goes on.”
J: “Rejection is a word that springs to mind when I think about homelessness. Both from family and society. Everyone has their own problems. But we stick together, like our own kind of family. It’s all we’ve got. You have to understand no one gets it right all the time.”
T: “Home sweet home ... Again.”