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Charities’ soup runs to continue
HOMELESS charities got the all clear to hand out free food after council attempts to ban them in time for Christmas failed.
Westminster was calling for new legislation criminalising the distribution of free food to the homeless in central London.
However, the 32 charities operating soup runs are now free to carry on with their work after London Councils – the umbrella group representing all local authorities – rejected Westminster’s controversial plan.
Councillor Angela Harvey, lead member for housing, warned: “Action needs be taken to restrict the over-provision of soup runs that fail to address the complex needs of rough sleepers. The average life expectancy of a rough sleeper is 46 years and they are increasingly vulnerable during the winter months.”
Since the widening of the EU in January there are increasing numbers of homeless immigrants coming to central London from Romania and Bulgaria.
Many are not able to receive benefits or be given places in hostels because they do not have work permits.
The rough sleeping immigrants depend on free handouts to survive.
Richard Burdett, editor of the homeless magazine The Pavement, said: “With the move away from providing free food to homeless people in some day centres – which is vital to those who cannot or will not claim welfare – soup runs have borne the brunt of providing sustenance.”
Westminster Council was compared with Charles Dickens’ cold-hearted character Ebeneezer Scrooge in the London Assembly when Mayor Ken Livingstone criticised the proposal.
He said: “We need to support the homeless and those in most need of our help, not make it illegal. Westminster’s attempt to criminalise the activities of soup runs is wrong”
Chairman of the Soup Run Forum and a spokesman for the Christian charity Housing Justice Alastair Murray said: “Soup runs are often in touch with the most vulnerable at the margin of society. Soup runs are part of the solution to homelessness not part of the problem.” |
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