Dean, 25, Is Homeless, Living On The Streets Of London. He Has CP

I am writing something extremely close to my own heart today as well as personal. It is so important, an incredibly sad story, yet a ‘coincidence’ filled (and you know I don’t believe in coincidence) run of events that is equally as happy. Please take the time to read and to watch the video at the end, both to see how drastically wrong things have gone, but also how we can each play a part in turning things around for the better – permanently.

The week before Christmas, my Mum, myself and twin 10 year old nephew and niece, took Christmas presents to give to the homeless. These were just made of small things, each present included a hat, gloves and a bar of chocolate, just something for as many as possible to be able to open on Christmas Day itself, or there and then if they wanted to.

It was while doing this that we came across a young homeless man, and while no one should be homeless in this day and age, as the kids gave him his present it became clear that something was very, very wrong. He could barely speak, the thin red top he was wearing was covered in stains, he was sat all by himself with a sleeping bag that someone must have given him at some point.

He wasn’t interested in the present at all, just kept hand signalling that he was hungry and my Mum went straight to buy him some extra food and drinks from the little kiosk that was close by while the kids helped him to open the parcel so that he could at least start with the chocolate bar inside. He had trouble opening it, as well as the drink so we loosened the cap for him and put all his things together in a bag and stayed trying to talk to him, trying to find out if he was lost but the only answers he was giving to anything was ‘no…’

It was getting late, we’d been out all day, the kids were cold and I was starting to feel anxious about my Mum, too, so we went to hand out the remaining and then came back to try and find this young man again. The bag we’d given him with all his food and new belongings was sitting on the floor where he’d been, and we spotted him walking away with his sleeping bag. Whether he’d been moved on or not we had no idea but the kids ran after him with his bag, explaining that they were ‘his’ things and that he should keep them because he would need them. He took them, said thank you and carried on walking.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt so helpless or heartbroken in my entire life. This was so very, very wrong. This guy should not ever have been on the streets and we were truly worried that he wasn’t going to survive.

By this time, we had no choice but to make our way home, and the moment I got back I began calling all the organisations I could think of, including Street Link. They said they could only help if we had a fixed location of the guy, he could have been anywhere by then but I was practically begging for someone to at least go and have a look, with a very clear description of him that you just couldn’t miss.

I wrote to friends, too, anyone who I thought might either be in the area or who might know someone else in the area, to see if they could look for him and call the number advised with the location so that someone might be able to get him off the street and into the care he so desperately needs. The following few days were very difficult, in tears a lot, waiting for the phone to ring or an email from someone, anyone, to say they’d found him but no such call came. The kids were also mentioning him every day, he’d clearly made an impact on them and they, too, were worried about him.

My Mum went back again after Christmas but couldn’t find him, and I had a wander around on a later date and had no luck either. Then last week, my Mum went back with my niece, this time to donate hot chocolate and blankets to the Street Kitchen that had set up there at the time and was stunned that they bumped right into him!

“I know you!” she said in surprise, “Do you remember me?” His thin red top had been replaced with a coat he’d been given.

“Yes,” he said, and then said to Lacey, “I hope you’re being nice to your brother!” she was thrilled that he remembered her, too. For a 10 year old who really wants to help, it meant the world to her that he did.

Someone had found him and taken him to the Street Kitchen, so at least now he was getting some sort of help and people were starting to watch out for him. My Mum spoke to one of the girls there who said she’d even since taken ‘Dean’ herself, to various homeless charities to try and plead his case with him for help because he really shouldn’t be on the streets, has Cerebral Palsy and needed caring for, but were turned away by all of them, but for us it was a great relief to know that he wasn’t completely alone now, and that there were others who were there with him, watching out for him at the very least.

Another week passed, and yesterday my Mum was on the Indiegogo site looking for something in particular and was stunned to suddenly see a photo of Dean on one of the links! The chances of finding this were even less than finding Dean himself!  On the 18th January, the young lady who as far as I’m concerned is an earth angel, Vanessa Threadgold, has set up not only a fund raiser to try and help to keep Dean off the streets, but has updated to say that a legal aid solicitor is now taking on Dean’s case to get him the help he should have had all along! This is still going to take likely months to sort. He has been homeless for five years!!!

Please watch this video and you will see for yourself why I am so incredibly angered by our not failing, but FAILED system, and if anyone can help to contribute to help Dean in anyway possible, be it a donation so that Vanessa can help him even more, or by simply keeping him in your thoughts and absolutely willing the happiest possible outcome for Dean, and/or by sharing this link and being a part of this miracle in the making, you will not only be helping Dean himself, but also to highlight how this treatment of the most vulnerable just simply cannot be allowed to continue any longer! It is the most appalling sign of the times!

A massive thank you to anyone who can do anything to help at all, even if it is just willing for the very best and sharing the link with others so that they, too, might be able to help in some way.

Much love and thanks again,
Tracie  

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/homeless-dean-london

Update from Vanessa 28th January:  “Had a mini set back today.. The council are trying to say they shouldn’t be responsible for Dean and he should be passed to Westminster as he ‘resides’ in London more.. If they class sleeping on the street as any kind of residence God only know how they must live just delaying tactics to try to make him give up.. In their eyes he’s still on the street and it’s not easy to fight from that position.. The setbacks and rejection cut ten times worse but thankfully he is on it.. We are ready to play hard ball!”

Unacceptable!