Amongst all the noise, the hype, the Social Media and Mainstream Media about Brexit, the EU, Independence and Trump there are real issues that need to be addressed right now!
There is absolutely NO POINT in shouting about how much Scotland is politically different from the rUK and Westminster. There is no point in proclaiming that we want a more just society and country and that an Independent Scotland is the way to achieve this. There is no point in shouting about the travesty of Conservative governments treatment of the poor, the homeless and the disabled unless we are prepared to do something about it right now!
Doing something about it right now…means holding All our political representatives to account…and that includes the SNP and the Scottish Government!
If we want to do something about the injustices and the travesties that we perceive, we must shout loud and clear about them! We can’t just wait for the Holy Grail of Independence to magically appear!
I am about to do something that I have never done before, and that is to highlight with the persons permission a circumstance that I want you all to publicise…retweet it and share it widely …..Shout loud and hard in outrage!
This is Alisons story as told to me… and I leave it to her own words.
The following is what she has sent out to MPs and MSPs and everyone that will listen..
I am writing to beg help from even one of you. I tried my local MSP (also included in this mailing list) but I have been trying to get help since March. I have also written to my local Councillor and MP and MSP. All three of these people replied almost identically about the Homelessness Housing Points and offered no real tangible support. These housing points have made no real difference in my life and I am now two and half weeks away from homelessness..
I do not keep well (and described as disabled) and I fear that I will not survive homelessness. I have also already tried to get help from my local housing office (Kilwinning) and the Homelessness Team (North Ayrshire) – They are not interested.
Gastrointestinal Slow Transit (confirmed by Gartnavel Hospital) (cannot eat food or digest food properly. Living on NHS Prescription drinks), Degenerative Neuropathy (lost feeling in hands and feet – spreading to rest of arms and legs – struggling with controlling muscles), Autoimmune Disease that affects Heart & Major Depression (triggered by this homelessness situation). Current Medication: AMITRIPTYLINE 25mg tablets, BUSCOPAN IBS RELIEF 10mg tabs, BUSPIRONE 5mg tablets, CONSTELLA 290mcg capsules, CYCLIZINE 50mg tablets, DIHYDROCODEINE 30mg tablets, GLYCEROL 4g supps (adult), HALOPERIDOL 500mcg capsules, LANSOPRAZOLE 15mg capsules, NEFOPAM HYDROCHLORIDE, NAPROXEN 500mg, OMEPRAZOLE 20mg e/c capsules, PROPRANOLOL 40mg tablets, PRUCALOPRIDE 2mg tablets, RANITIDINE 150mg tablets, VERSATIS 5% 10cmx14cm patches, ZOLMITRIPTAN 2.5mg tablets, TAPENTADOL 50mg, HYDROCORTISONE,
Effects on Life: Cannot eat without being sick (food comes up undigested), cannot control bowels, sleep (pain), cannot stand for too long, be outside for too long, have not been able to work, poor mental health, unable to break down medication (pills either come up undigested or pass through entire system intact).
I lived in my private let for 12yrs but my landlord wants to sell up and move to Tenerife. The Council no longer prioritises or even keeps properties for disabled people so, due to my illness, there are already properties that I am excluded from to start with.
I have kept a record of my attempts to get help (I tried to do this right before writing to you)-
17th March 2015 Received letter to end my tenancy. Housing, Shelter and the Homelessness Team refuse to help as it’s the wrong form.
12th May 2016 Received the final Section 33 notice to quit the house that I’ve lived in for 12 years. Homelessness Team refuses to help until October. Kilwinning Housing Office just tells me about the points system for housing. I contact CHAP in Ardrossan and explained everything. They said there was nothing they could do. They did phone the Housing Office. The Housing Office said they were fairly sure that something would come up.
3rd June. Wrote to John Ferguson Cllr. He tells me about the points system for homelessness (in an identical way to what my MP told me). It changed nothing. Homelessness Team tells me that the Local Housing Office will add the extra points for housing in September, 2016.
Received reply from Scottish Government (on 13th October) about the lack of support for homelessness. Ironically they say it’s not their responsibility.
14th October. Received reply from Kevin Stewart MSP, Minister for Local government and Housing. He also tells me that he cannot help and that it is not the Scot Gov’s responsibility (letter scanned in) – the responsibility is the Councils. The Council tells me they only have to follow Scot Gov policies and even then a lot of it is down to luck. I don’t have luck. I don’t know what I’m going to do. No one is taking responsibility. I used to wonder how people ended up on the streets – now I know how. A vicious cycle from a hellish system that is definitely designed against disabled people.
1st September – Phoned Housing Office. They have NOT awarded the extra 75 pts for Homelessness because the person that does that is on annual leave. I phone the Homelessness Team (Amanda Muir) and they contacted the Housing Office to insist someone else adds the points.
6th October 2016 – I’m not feeling good. I feel like ending my life. I can’t escape the dark feelings and I’m so tired of continuing on.
7th October 2016 – Spent day in hospital on a ventilator. I have no memories of yesterday beyond feeling like dying. I almost felt peace. I resent being brought back. Apparently my lungs just packed in and my liver and kidney damage has increased. I feel a bit more pain than usual but it’s getting hard to tell.
8th October 2016 – Left hospital with assurances from staff that things will be put in place to help me.
9th October – 15th October; After leaving hospital’s ICU, the home support that was promised has not materialised. Nothing has happened. No additional support.
26th October 2016 – Phoned Homelessness Team. They have no record of me and say that my worker Amanda Muir has moved to another post. She failed to allocate her cases to someone new so no one has been doing anything about my Homelessness that is rapidly approaching. They arranged a new meeting with a new worker.
27th October 2016 – Dr Simon Dover tells me that there is nothing else he can do for me. I take Adele as a witness who records the exchange. I will have to live out however long I have left in chronic pain.
28th October – Had Homelessness Team meeting with Sally. She seemed confident that I would not end up on the streets but could offer nothing tangible.
31st October – The Flexible Intervention Team that promised to help me have never phoned. Been waiting since 8th October. Tried calling them – the person in charge is on holiday. They promise someone else will call me back by the end of the day. They don’t.
31st October – Call from Mental Health Team asking if the Flexible Intervention Team have done anything. They have not.
9th November – Two and a half weeks left until Homeless. I am severely disabled and ill. There are no houses available. I have tried writing to my MSP and MP and Councillor – they repeat the same thing about it being a points system and there is nothing else they can do.
9th November – I write to every MSP in Scotland (126). I get 10 replies back and only Labour offers to help.
9th November – I write to all my local Councillors. Labour is the only one that offers to start making phone calls, contact the head of the Council etc. They phone every day to make sure that I’m alright. It’s the first time I’ve been shown any kindness since this started.
10th November – The Flexible Intervention Team gets back to me and they send Andy out to help me box things up. I can’t stop crying that day.
15th November – The clinical psychologist who helps me deal with the stress of my illness thinks I’m in crisis and a danger to myself. He’s right. I’ve been entertaining the idea of committing suicide on the 30th November. I feel worthless, ignored and I have the right pills to do it now. It would just be like falling asleep but never needing to wake up in pain again. They say suicide is a coward’s way but I think it’s the honourable thing to do. Nobody cares, I’m a drain on society and I contribute nothing meaningful to the world. I miss working, I miss have a social group, I miss charity work, running, hilllwalking…I miss me. And now that I’ve lost my house…there doesn’t seem like much point in continuing.
16th November – I start housing the cats. It’s not fair to leave them homeless as well so I’ll find them good homes. There does not seem to be anyone who is willing to help me so now I am writing to everyone. I am in danger of falling through the gaps and there is nothing in place for disabled people facing homelessness and I am at a loss at what to do now. I understand that people are busy but I really need someone to step up which I why I have written to all of you. I tried locally – they did not care. Please – I did everything right. I got an education, I worked hard for 10yrs working in the third sector, I paid tax and I tried my very best to make Scotland a better place. But I got sick. It could happen to anyone at any time and I am losing everything. I have already lost my health, my job, my finances and now my home. I don’t want to lose my life because nobody thought to have policies for homeless disabled people. I need help. I someone to care.
Will you CARE? Will You try to help Alison?
Please please share and retweet this widely …speak to whoever you can…
You can see from what Alison writes how desperate she is… Please Please Help her!
When I asked Alison if it would be ok for me to publicise her plight she responded by saying “Yeah if you want. But honestly – no one will care. I’ve tried”
Please show her that you do care by sharing this widely.
As for ALL those Councillors, MPS and MSPs…..What is the point in you unless you do what is Right for those in the most need?
Dont go washing your hands and passing the buck….DO SOMETHING!!!
