thoughts of someone taking part in the event!

Preparing to be destitute

Tomorrow I’m taking part in the destitution fundraiser in Birmingham. It is with some trepidation that I’m taking part in this and also a sense of relief that it will only be for 10 hours unlike the many destitute asylum seekers for whom this is a daily issue.

In common with destitute clients I am a stranger in the city – I’ve been to Birmingham a few times before but certainly not enough to know the city even fairly well.  Instead I will be reliant on friends and friends of friends to help me out.  Without this local knowledge it will be hard for me to access many of the services that might be open to me as I just won’t know about them. At least I won’t have the language barrier that so many destitute clients have, so I will be able to ask for help or at the very least directions for when I get lost, I have no sense of direction.  It also looks like it is going to rain, I won’t be able to while away my time sitting in the park as I’d hoped, although I will be able to come prepared, not a luxury many destitute people have.  I keep watching the weather forecast in the vain hope the rain clouds won’t be on the next bulletin – so far no luck.

I have been thinking a lot about food and how far a pound will go, or a few pounds if I pool my resources – however I look at it it just isn’t going to be enough and I know that at the end of the day I can have a big meal and won’t be having to go to sleep on an empty stomach.  I really don’t know how I’d manage if I really had to survive for more than a few days with such limited resources.  I’m hoping that some of the upmarket shops will be doing food tastings so I can try expensive treats – I somehow doubt this would be an option for me if I’d been destitute for a while.

I really hope that this day helps to raise awareness of the issues facing destitute clients and also raises some money to help the Refugee Council in Birmingham continue the much needed, but very limited, financial support it gives to destitute clients.

Comments

[Claire Toche]

Hello from the 'banana bunch', the day after the event! This is from Tsehay, Nick, Vahid and Claire. Well, we didn't make it to the blogging computer but we did blog in a traditional way throughout the day (with pen and paper) and here is the account of what we thought and did yesterday.

We had a really lovely team and started with lots of enthusiasm and positivity. This was at 10am though...

12.15pm
I'm freezing, my feet are soaking, I feel tired... About 7 hours to go. I know at the end of the day that I can envelope myself in a lovely bath afterwards. Destitute asylum seekers can't.
Nick.

Same time
We have finally sat down after 2 hours of taking pictures around Birmingham and we find that the one place we can sit in the dry and warmth when having no money is outside the toilets in Debenhams. It feels like heaven right now!
But we are getting looks and feel we might get thrown out soon.
Six pictures to go...
We are feeling so proud of ourselves right now because we managed to spend only £1 and we have 20 bananas: a bargain! Our spirits are picking up as we have something to focus on again: eating.
Claire.

2pm
I've lost my train of thought. I can't concentrate on languages and making banners and finding definitions of refuge (our tasks for the day), never mind surviving for myself or finding a place to stay tonight.
Tiredness and fatigue. I've had 3 bananas. It's not enough.
Seeing things in shops that I think I might buy, I know that I can tomorrow, i.e. a pair of shoes. But asylum seekers just can't at all.
Nick.

It's 2.10pm and we are sitting in the Central Library discussing the facts about asylum seekers and refugees.
We've taken all photos and are about to start making up our team banner. I feel very well. However I just had a cigarette that I asked somebody at the door for. We will have something to eat shortly and will go to the meeting point at 3pm.
Vahid.

4.30pm
We have had a bargain: lunch which knocks any major food conglomerate into touch and makes Gordon Ramsay seem like a greasy spoon cafe chef. We split our remaining £3 and bought bread, cheese, chicken, beautiful cherry tomatoes and grated cheese. Would never have been able to do this in a supermarket - where asylum seekers have to use their vouchers. If you're going to make someone live on £35 a week, why on supermarket vouchers?
We are now in Borders finishing our tasks. Slightly jaded and tired now.
Nick.

5.20pm
We are in Borders looking for books and drawing a banner. Everyone is cold and they are happy to be cold and shaking. Nick is funny and wants to take his socks off because they are very wet. It was very very good to be with this group, the happiest group and we are going to beg for coffee....
Tsehay.

Actually we didn't beg, steal or cheat!
I don't think on the whole we had too much trouble with the food deprivation aspect of today as much as smokers struggled with not having cigarettes.
Also, I found that having nothing to do when you are stuck in a particular place for an endless amount of time is a bit depressing. I didn't mention it so as not to put a downer on everyone else but around 4pm it became a little difficult to keep the positive energy going for me. I have a feeling others may have felt that way too.
But on the whole we had a great day and time to reflect on what others are going through every day, without hope of a quick escape to warmth, food and comfort.

Thanks for this experience Nic!
Claire.

[joseph]

I just want to say that I enjoyed today, this rainy day.

I feel happy to participate in this event, as it is a great idea to really show many things about asylum seekers in Great Britain.

[Hilary]

At first, £1 seemed so little. Then we put our funds together and all of a sudden, with five of us, we had... FIVE WHOLE BRITISH POUNDS! So, in the pouring rain, we decided to go to the market and we managed to feed ourselves on £2.15; breakdown as follows:

- packet of five wholemeal baguettes - £1.15
- packet of cheese triangles - 60p
- 1 lb of cherry tomatoes - 40p.
TOTAL cost of lunch for 5 people: £2.15! And at 4.35pm we still have change left. So we're going to treat ourselves to whatever is available at Poundland.

No but seriously... we were a team today. Alone, it would have been awful, and sad.

It's opened my eyes.

Must go now as the library only allows us an hour.

HT

[Nic]

The rains came, heaven sent, just to add a little keeness to the wind. And what do we do now, and what do we do now...Its not what we can do, its what we can't do that hits you first. We can't pop in to Costa for a nice foaming latte, no donuts for a quick energy burst. What you can do is think about food, warm food, with dry clothes. Nag nag nag, on it goes, the hunger repeats its mantra like a broken record, get food, get a hot drink.
Yes we can, sorry Obama, now we can't, not today anyway - Nigel

[Nic]

The glitter is everywhere... i have just remembered how much fun glitter pens are; why do adults gravitate towards serious pens when we could all be writing with red tingled glitter filled joy i do not know...

wow - today as been insightful. realised that having activities to do together has given us something to aim for; without this i think we all would have felt incredibly lost, especially due to our wonderfully seasonal weather...

i know after the 10 hours are up we'll be going home or going to the pub or just returning to our everyday lives whilst others simply do not have a choice to do this but i'm personally glad i've done this and pleased to see we have had so much support both in the planning of the event and in today's rain filled trudges around the city centre. I feel i now have more empathy with what destitution feels like and together with campaigning and policy work from the Refugee Council i see this as i useful tool to raise awareness and raise vital funds.

my shoes are wet but i've got 3 hours to go...

Nic

[Emma]

Well its 4.15pm, its been raining since I woke up and I look like a drowned rat, however Ive never laughed so much in theis kind of weather!! We are on the home staight now!!!! Looking forward to the Big Wok! Though i must say today has been a real insight and roll on next years!! Im hoping for sun though!!!!!!!!!

Emma

[Jonathan Ellis]

Hello from Boaz, Jocey, James and Jonathan - we have also blagged an hour on a computer to get as out of the rain! But we will be kicked out soon! What do now for the next 6 and a half hours?????? Ah well all for a good cause!

[Alan, Kesso, Alex, and Vanessa]

Hello from Alan, Kesso, Alex, and Vanessa - we've managed to blag temporary library membership from a kind man at the computer desk. So much for "you don't need a library card to log on" eh Nic? ;-)

And he gave us an hour for free as well, so thankyou, anonymous Brum Library Guy, your efforts have helped to keep the hungry and destitute dry for at least part of the day. Now, if we can find a kind publican...