Housing Justice News Release 14 January 2005
For immediate release
Homelessness Sunday 2005 poetry competition shortlist announced
On 30 January 2005 thousands of children and churches all over the country will be marking Homelessness Sunday.
The theme of this year's events is: Homelessness hurts children and young people - it is a national scandal that in one of the richest countries in the world more than 1million young people have their futures stunted as a result of being forced to live in bad housing.
As Christians we believe in the sanctity of life which means life in all its fullness for everyone young, old or in between. For those who want to get involved in campaigning to change this scandalous situation where so many children suffer there are many activities -
Housing Justice is asking people to sign cards calling on government to take action to end bad housing for the next generation of children - these are to be returned to the Housing Justice office.
There are local initiatives to raise consciousness amongst local church communities - details of which are included in the Homelessness Sunday pack.
There has also been a first ever poetry competition amongst school children aged 11 to 16 to raise the issues of bad housing - the final shortlist of 10 has now been arrived at with the winner to be announced on Homelessness Sunday. Examples of the high level of entries received are available below.
Homelessness Sunday Poetry Competition
Selection of shortlisted poems
Outside
Outside is cold
Under the bridge
Taking
Sweet Cider
In pain over
Drugs and now he’s
Exhausted
Craig Brown, Blackpool (14)
All Day
All day he reads the papers
Stumbles on the words
But he has all day
To understand the world.He has no work or money
No fine and good degree
But he knows more than anyone
About you and me.From his damp corner of cold
He watches us all day
Absorbs all he sees
Whilst he is wasting away.He dreams of cosy warmth
But hungers and stained sleeps.
It’s been so very long
He’s forgotten how to weep.
Alma Smith, Edgware (16)
The Fireplace
Mind caught up in a whirlwind,
No place to go, no home to go back to.
Eyes dart back and forth, squinting in the night’s sky.
Mouth waters for enzymes,
Longing for satisfaction of the stomach.Each footstep towards the middle of nowhere traces memories in my head.
I remember the fireplace, the warmth,
The feeling that I too belonged.
The cold seeps in, floods the feeling in my body.
If mummy were here she would wrap me up warm,
Warm like the fireplace.I see a small corner,
Do I stay or do I move on,
Move on for better refuge.
No, I bend down in rest in this tiny corner.
I curl up into a ball, afraid of being kicked into the big bad world.
My hands shelter my head, my eyes barred from vision.My memory of the fireplace becomes vivid,
The embers dance around my body.Someday, the fireplace will be mine again.
Adedolapo Dosunmu, Barking (15)
I’m just a guy like you ya know
I’m just a guy like you ya know
I feel stuff just the same
Even thought I haven’t done too well
In this life game.I’m just a guy like you ya know
I have ambitions too
Even though I sleep in a box
I’m no different to you.I’m just a regular guy ya know
In fact I’m a family man
My wife reckons I’m a loser
But I’m her biggest fan.So here I am on the streets again
A whisky bottle in my hand
And in my pocket a small bag
Filled with a substance like sand.Here I am again
I hang my head in shame
I’m just a guy like you ya know
I seek love and fortune and fame.
Rachel, Norwich (14)
Ends
About Housing Justice
Housing Justice is the national voice of Christian action to prevent homelessness and bad housing. It was formed in April 2003 through the merger of two long-standing housing charities, the Catholic Housing Aid Society (CHAS) and the Churches National Housing Coalition (CNHC) bringing together more than 60 years of experience of working for change in the field of housing.
Housing Justice provides frontline services to people in housing need and campaigns to improve housing policy. Housing Justice funds a network of 10 housing advice agencies and numerous community projects, and develops models of good practice for frontline services that local groups can adopt. In total Housing Justice is actively involved in 35 communities across England and Wales.
Housing Justice Regenerate, funded by the Home Office’s Civil Renewal Unit, supports resident-led regeneration in 15 guide neighbourhoods across the UK. Regenerate brings together residents who have transformed their estates with those who want to embark on the regeneration process to share thinking and offer support.
Housing Justice works with and for homeless and badly housed people of all denominations, and with those who have no religious beliefs. All our services are offered to the whole community and, wherever possible, we work in partnership with others who share our values, regardless of religious beliefs.
For further information on Housing Justice see www.housingjustice.org.uk
Contact
Luke Evans 020 7723 7273
email media@housingjustice.org.uk