A night out in Nottingham City.

I was out this weekend, for a few drinks in town. This is what I experienced:

• 8 PEOPLE on the streets of Nottingham
• 11 PEOPLE  offering their bodies in exchange for money. 
• A man who appeared to be about 50, sleeping on St James street in a shirt, pair of jeans and with no sleeping bag or blanket.

Each and everyone of these PEOPLE is vulnerable and each and everyone being exploited in one way or another. Perhaps by an individual, a substance but all by the system.

I sat and spoke to a few of the PEOPLE who were rough sleeping and learned of their stories and exchanged names. Tried to offer some practical advice about services and give them advice. I sat and listened and spoke and had a coffee and I looked around me, at the amount of people who were just walking by and I realsied I had become invisible too.


I was am angered that people can just walk past humans, PEOPLE in pain, distress and not see it. They are so caught up in thier own existence that they failed to see life. That angers me, that dissappointts me and ultimately confuses me! Where is the compassion and/or empathy  for people less fortunate?
 Can you imagine being constantly ignored by the society in which you live and being disregarded?