I want you to meet Charles Kerr. A real life Robin Hood, who takes from the rich and gives to the poor.

All of the proceeds from this post will go to Charles.

Today I went out into Nottingham town center to join in with the festive madness and finish off my Christmas shopping.
It is very rare I take my phone out with me and I prefer the Juke-box in my head to a Walkman or an I-pod. The Town hall has a giant clock, so I just don't feel the need and I very rarely miss much by doing this. You should try it sometime, very liberating.

Today however was different.

I assume many others feel this way too. For myself, Christmas shopping has always come at a price, and I am not talking about the one on the tag. For every homeless person I pass by, while meandering through the crowded high-streets, a part of my heart gives out a whimper. I despair to think about how different our lives are. Myself, with a bag-full of plastic and cloth that was equivalent to a months food, and the homeless person, with just a sleeping bag and a Dog.... Me with a warm home to return to and the person in the doorway, already home....

This uncomfortable truth is the reason I made an extra effort to keep some change in my pocket, to give out to whichever homeless folk I came across today. Never be afraid to give your money to any homeless person, yes there may be the odd 'Shyster' here and there, but the odds are heavily stacked in your favour and it's more than likely you will be helping someone who is very in need. Do not be fooled by ideas like this...

If you think this is the way forward, you would be sadly mistaken, for reasons I won't go into today.

What I will say is this, and I would advise that you remember....

( As far as I am aware, the following is NOT the view, of Charles Kerr. The following comments should in no way be associated to Charles/'People of the streets'/or any other parts of his good work. This is the opinion of @article61 and this is my profile! So I WILL put my own take on things....

The wanna-be Deity, behind the vending machine idea, is 'Big Brother' and I hope I don't have to remind you of their attitude towards the homeless.

The vending machine project, is about bolstering the notion, that it is wrong, to give money directly to the homeless and instead you should somehow put money onto a credit card. With some expensive credit card and banking 'jiggery' the homeless person can finally access goods, from the vending machine ie food, clothes, drinks etc etc.

From my skeptical, some would say cynical, point of view, I would suggest that this only serves to remove personal choice, for everyone involved in a good deed...

At the same time as earning a tidy profit for the companies involved, and there WILL be profit, in one form or another.

These vending machines, however well intended, reduce the homeless persons options to what is available in the vending machine.

It also reduces, the 'do-gooder's', options as to how he/she might want to help.

I might agree with the vagabonds wishes, to go buy some 'Buckfast super-strenght Lager'. If I weren't so conditioned to be afraid of the poor, I might even go join him behind the church for drink??

Who knows how we would act, had we not been poisoned by political propaganda, against the homeless...I'm sure if we weren't so apathetic, we would all protest to any police officer, who harasses these poor folk. Much like we should protest the shop owner, who puts spikes in the floor, to prevent any of the plebs affecting their vast profit margins.

This is how 'Big Business' treat us and it time for a change. Don't you think?

So back to my my story and the reason I wanted my phone...

As I walked through Broadmarsh shopping center, laden with gifts and excited about the thought of opening a bottle of Trappist Beer(This stuff is a rare treat for me), I passed by a shop front that really caught my eye.

Whilst I was there the place was very busy, it even had an important looking gentleman, who was wearing a huge gold chain around his neck.
(not actually him but a good likeness)

Now that's either a Mayor of some-kind or 'Big-Poppa-Pimp-Daddy' has just dropped by to appease his conscience?!

I walked around and looked at the various things on offer. I was more than willing to show my support to such a hands on approach. I settled on one of the calender's and as I approached the desk, I was fortunate enough to meet a guy, who was partly responsible for the project
These young lads and their gangster pose. He does smile, I've seen it
He is more than forgiven though, just for the smile on this guys face...

Out of shot in the photos above, were two Hairdressers. Both with a line of people, waiting to get spruced up!

I had to stop and talk to Charles...

This young man, that I assume is in his early 20's!( my god I daren't tell you what I was doing at his age...) has obviously put a lot of time and effort into this honourable venture and boy! IT DESERVES YOUR ATTENTION.

I wanted to make Charles aware of Steemit and the benefits it could bring to his cause. We spoke about the photos on the wall and the other things on offer that day. I then asked if it would be OK, if I did an article about him and his good work? Obviously, he was more than OK with me doing this and as I told him more about Steemit, the more he wanted to know.

I think we may have a few new members....

So without further a-do, lets meet Nottinghams, Millenial, version of Robin Hood, Charles Kerr and some of his Merrymen...

His passion and enthusiasm has me convinced that this is a worthy cause. It gives direct access to anything Charles, and his team, could muster. I doth my cap to you all...

You know what they say. "When in Rome.." What??! Julius Cesar would love this jumper...You know you want one :) ( They are sold in the shop opposite )

So whether you want to go get one of these awesome jumpers( and I wouldn't blame you), or you just want to find out more about this amazing project, here is some info to get you started..

So come Guys and Girls! Lets support this great project!!

I will donating HALF of the proceeds from this article to Charles Kerr!!!

(Feel free to contact him in a week or so and confirm my donation (https://peopleofthestreets.co.uk/)

I have informed Charles of my intentions and have advised him to use Steemit to further his cause. If this does happen I will be sure to welcome him and his friends to Steemit.

Please do not forget that current Government policies are gentrifying towns all across the UK, my own included. The Local councils are facilitating the upsurge in in homelessness by allowing the housing industry to raise prices, to a level that is no longer attainable by the millions of families having to live on low wage...Wages that are now set, at an unprecedented level of imbalance, to today's cost of living.

I myself, face a monthly battle to raise enough cash to keep a roof over the head of my Daughter and I. The debt I have accumulated puts me in a situation that makes this article very personal to me.

2 months ago I was facing eviction. I had been served a notice of eviction under the grounds of "None payment of rent owed". I had had an accident at work and the small debt I already had, with the letting agent, was then dwafed by the debt owed, once I had returned to work( I am a fully skilled HGV Mechanic with 20 years experience and I was being paid around £300 per week, until my injury which put me out for around 2-3 months. At this time I was receiving SSP @ a rate of £80 per week).

I will have it noted that my Landlord and Letting agent have been more than understanding. They have waited patiently for my injury claim to be paid. About 4 months before I received my compensation, my Landlord changed letting agent. As they had no history of my case, I soon received a 'Section 8' notice, due to the amount owed....

Now with a 'section 8', it specifically states that there is a debt, owed by the Tenant.

To apply to the courts for this particular 'Notice', there must be a sufficient amount owed, in my case it was £2000.

I couldn't really argue with my Landlord, so I went straight to my Local council, to access the entitlements, that 18 years of paying income tax would yield...

To my horror I was told that the council were unable to assist me and my 10 year old Daughter, in finding a house on the Council register. They had a system for helping those in need, but not those with a certain amount of debt. I informed them of the obvious contradiction, that if I had a lower amount of debt, the letting agent would not be allowed to apply for a 'Section 8' and therefore I would not need the councils 'help'. There reply was to shrug their shoulders and reiterate their protocol. Catch 22. I now had nobody to help me, in my most desperate of times. My only offering from the Council was to declare My Daughter and I, Homeless. At which point they would jump into action and put us up in some emergency accommodation, while they found us a home to live in. I don't even want to imagine what our lives would have been like, if I'd have accepted that poisoned chalice. I could just imagine the phone calls that would have been made to the offices of the Social Services. My friends at @familyprotection know all to well about how our public services conspire to fulfill the quotas of the Child Welfare industry. There was no way I was going to risk being under the supervision of the authorities and emergency housing....? Can you imagine the trauma that would cause my Daughter?

I take full responsibility for my own situation, I have never been great with money and I certainly do not fit in with modern 'society'. This makes life difficult within today's 'Kill or be killed' society( If you are interested in my perceptions, I suggest you type the words "Steve Hughes, While its still legal", into youtube, that should give you a good idea). I do however hold the council equally, if not more, responsible, for my perpetual money worries...

We have been selling council houses off, by the street load... and then selling off the land to private companies who go on to invest there land in private housing. Of which the council are allowed, only a tiny portion in return...

Fortunately my injury claim arrived in the nic-of-time and I have come to an amicable agreement with my Landlord, over the remaining debt. My current rent is £550 per month but I have agreed to pay £600. If I were to have to find an equivalent property, I would now have to expect to pay a lot more...

source - https://www.zoopla.co.uk/to-rent/property/nottingham/beeston/?category=residential&include_shared_accommodation=true&price_frequency=per_month&q=Beeston&results_sort=newest_listings&search_source=to-rent

With this being what's on offer, I would have to look for property in the more 'risky' areas of town...

I joke. My Daughter was born whilst her Mother and I lived at the infamous, 'Inham Nook Estate'. The low-wage community that lived there, was a shining example of the close community that tends to ask more questions of its representatives. Maybe that's why they are seen and treated like Bugs...

For the many youngsters who live on this estate, this article should be a stark warning to what awaits you, if you dare step on the grid.....

Please help these people. We can all make a huge difference if we follow in the footsteps of people like Charles Kerr.

We can make this world a better place, it just takes a bit of effort.

Here is the link to this fantastic group....https://peopleofthestreets.co.uk/

Please go visit this group and show them your support. Just make sure you let them know you found out from Steemit!! This platform could be so good for his cause and I know you will welcome him to the group. So please send a message to Charles and the team at https://peopleofthestreets.co.uk/ and help him see how the folk on Steemit.com are as good as gold ;)

PLEASE

Remember. ALL of the payout will go directly to Charles and the People of Nottingham.

I have tried to make the effort to present this in my usual fashion and help you see that it all ties together with the mass corruption running through world governments, so please give generously.

PTYAY
Rebel Dan

All sourced info from -
https://peopleofthestreets.co.uk/
https://nottstv.com/watch-worlds-first-vending-machine-homeless-installed-nottingham/
http://www.pressat.co.uk/releases/students-launch-a-unique-2018-calendar-to-challenge-perceptions-of-homelessness-with-the-photos-taken-by-homeless-people-d69f9bab62ae706bb0fe1a720a982eac/