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Hello Everyone,
Some of you will know me for my efforts to raise funds for causes I couldn't walk away from.
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/search/?search=julie+croley
In 2005 I made a pledge to the founders of The Hub http://dorsethub.org.uk/ in Dorchester that I would raise as much as I could to ensure the invaluable service they offer Homeless people remained open another year.
Sadly when my pledge was reported in the local Echo the back lash was gob smackingly unfavourable. The NIMBY’s spewed their disgust in letters to the Editor, ending any point to a fundraiser which was not going to be supported.
I had by this time received many Auction Items in response to my heartfelt letters requesting support from very generous kind famous people who felt "The Hub" was vital and some suggested there should be far more of them . I passed the Items to Julia’s House, Dorset’s children’s Hospice . They held their own Auction Event , raising more than 3K for the Hospice.
A few months ago life has brought me to live in the South ofFrance , just a few minutes drive from the beautiful area of Canne. We joke that there is so much wealth here you can smell the money.
Which doesn't sit so well with me , yet being in the sun and sharing this wonderful summer with some great people is giving me time to recharge my battery for my next project.
Seven years on and my thoughts keep nagging me to think about and come up with a way to help the growing numbers of people finding themselves existing on the streets.
Me and mine have faced this situation 3 separate times . Fortunate for us we had people who stepped in to help and support so THAT moment where we had no where to go but the streets never happened.
The reason I'm sending you this......I’m going to create a book which will tell experiences of people who have faced or lived through being without a roof over their heads. My vision is for the proceeds of the sales to go towards helping people who find themselves in this dreadful growing situation.
Through research I’ve discovered many famous people have known homelessness prior to fame and fortune . I’ll be asking as many of them I can reach for their experiences as well as asking everyone who reads this who has been through it to share their thoughts.
As many of the worlds economies are being brought to its knees we are facing a Tsunami size number of people loosing their homes .
Reported in the Lincolnshire Press recently “SOUTH Holland (an area in Lincolnshire) is experiencing a rising tide of “hidden homelessness” as people pay the price for the ongoing financial crisis.
It is feared scores of people could be sleeping in their cars parked up in laybys and at roadsides after losing their homes.
South Holland Citizens’ Advice Bureau said it has seen the problem spiralling since the beginning of the year as the recession has a ripple effect on families.”
http://www.spaldingtoday.co.uk/news/latest-news/rising-homelessness-is-hidden-problem-1-3765858V
If you know someone or you yourself have experienced homelessness please get in touch and please share this with everyone you know.
After posting this on my facebook page I've received a lot of support and a great idea to go down the Ebook road from Lord Knight of Weymouth .
Any ideas or advice you have I'd really appreciate.
Thank you for reading this.
Julie 
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Hi Julia
There is a book currently doing really well about a man who lives in Islington and befriended a cat, he lives in a hostel but this is temporary accommodation and a lot of people you see begging on the streets are in similar situations. I once got to know someone who was begging outside the local supermarket and we got quite friendly to the point that I was going to offer him a room where I was staying at the time. As I got to know him more I realised he was taking drugs including heroin and he said to me he actually preferred to live on the streets because this way he had a more complete sense of freedom, he had no bills to pay or responsibilities. This was a huge learning curve for me. Obviously not all people would say the same thing or have the same experience. I think with the recent floods there are probably many more homeless people too who would never choose to be in their position and I really feel for them, very few people would choose this but there are people who do. I think that communities are a good option. There are many dotted around the UK, some are religious, others are not. In Wales there is a teepee community as far as I am aware this is still continuing. The advantage of communities is that you work and get much cheaper accommodation, sometimes in large houses with dorms that cut down on all the costs. So it's not all doom and gloom. There are others with mental health, drug and relationship problems and need the support of other people because they can't look after themselves. In the past there were psychiatric hospitals that would house them and presumably this is still the case today for some people, and rehab centres. It really is a huge issue and very multi facted. There was one time when I didn't speak to my parents for a while and stayed on a friend's sofa, so I have a limited experience to draw upon and luckily I pullled myself through a difficult time. I hope some of this is useful to you. If anyone is reading this who is homeless than I wish and pray for you to have the strength to find a solution and to write your story too as I am sure Julia would be grateful to hear from you. Also, writing itself is therapeutic. The Big Issue started possibly for this reason and has given many homeless people some support, although as I said earlier on, these people are often in housing that is temporary, some waiting for passports and refugees from other countries and so on. In Charing Cross there is what is known as cardboard city, where homeless people sleep on boxes, I wrote a poem about this once, will post it in a minute!
Night in London
And the river flowed
Through the City of Souls
Silver sky shining
Light beams on your face
Your eyes sparkled
On the paper patch
You looked at me
The river silently sleeping
Like a mirror
She shone on the few shillings
I tossed to your feet
You slept. We all slept.
The night froze.
We were all alone.
The stars were barely visible.
N.B. Julia I was writing about what I have encountered personally in the UK and my knowledge has its limitations. I have heard some stories I can't even repeat about homelessness in some other parts of the world, where children are trained to beg more or less from birth. When I visited Sri Lanka the first encounters I had coming out of the airport were of beggars coming up to me and there are many children in the world who are homeless too. Have you heard of Christina Noble by the way, she has a foundation for homeless children, in fact one of her offices is round the corner from here, her book is well worth a read.
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Susan Hello and thank you for all you shared .
I will take from what you say which I think I can use to connect with others.
Your poem touched me . I've been writing since 2003 . Started as therapy and went from there.
Stay close , lots of love .
Julie x
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Julia thanks for your reply on such an interesting topic, I want to thank you too because following on from your post, I am now sponsoring a child in Mongolia and I feel very happy about it, it would not have happened if it weren't for your post
I contacted the Christina Noble foundation after remembering about her book, she went from Ireland to South East Asia and was affected by the amount of homeless children on the streets there, her book was really inspiring.
So Julia is your writing in print too, it would be interesting to read if you are able to and wish to share?
Susan x
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-Susan- (25/07/2012)
Julia thanks for your reply on such an interesting topic, I want to thank you too because following on from your post, I am now sponsoring a child in Mongolia and I feel very happy about it, it would not have happened if it weren't for your post
I contacted the Christina Noble foundation after remembering about her book, she went from Ireland to South East Asia and was affected by the amount of homeless children on the streets there, her book was really inspiring.
So Julia is your writing in print too, it would be interesting to read if you are able to and wish to share?
Susan x
WOW ! How magic works never seases to amaze me !
I beamed with joy hearing what has manifested from an idea which came from my naggiing thoughts. The book I wrote in 2003 is on my computer .I'm happy to send it to you on an attachment . Whats your email address Susan?
It's hot hot hot down here on the French Riviera so I'm off to my favourite place in the world . The Beach. Have a brilliant day ! X
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