The Hallifordian - 2016-2017

25 To be homeless must surely be one of the worst fates to befall a person. Imagine having to roam the streets day after day, constantly looking for shelter. And what about the boredom, hopelessness and despair of your situation? Can you imagine not being able to keep yourself clean and not being able to wash your own clothes? When your whole world is squashed into a few bags I suspect life must be very depressing indeed. It must be a tough person who can avoid their pride being shattered simply trying to get through each day and night. Imagine the humiliation of having to beg for food. Or, think how embarrassing and hurtful it is to be the subject of the suspicious glances from strangers or even a target for their scorn or their hostility. As Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘Poverty is the worst kind of violence.’ I know it is a nightmare I would hate to endure. To simply blame the situation on drug or al- cohol addiction is too simple. During times of reces- sion many ‘normal’ people find themselves in debt and unable to cope. This can lead to a downward spiral which plunges them into a life of wandering vagrancy. And the statistics suggest that it’s getting worse. Sadder still, more and more children are ap- pearing on homeless registers in the UK preferring to choose a life on the streets than the alternatives elsewhere. The Bible teaches us to help the poor and the needy whenever we can. The parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus is a salutary warning about not helping those in desperate need – particularly those who we see and chose to ignore on a daily basis. As the Head of Religious Studies at Halliford School I wanted to put a project together during the advent season to encourage us all at Halliford School to do something positive for the homeless. Mr Cunningham, Mr Smith (Liaison with St Peter’s Church, King- ston) Ethan Job, Alexan- der Clifton, Oliver Parsons, Jayden Hutchings and Headmaster, Mr Wilson. The idea was simple. I asked the staff and students at Halliford to take a plastic rucksack and fill it with at least three things useful to a person living on the streets. It became known as the ‘Street Bag Project’. My target was to get ten bags to donate to St Peter’s Church in Kingston-upon-Thames which runs a homeless shelter. To my surprise and delight the response was overwhelming. Both the students and the staff entered into the scheme with commit- ment and enthusiasm. Halliford folk are always so generous when it comes to charitable causes. How- ever, this time I really think they outdid themselves. Mr Cunningham, Head of Religious Studies ‘Street Bag Project’A charitable enterprise for Christmas