大象传媒

10:30-12:00hrs

I carry out an admin trawl of our (rather crude) database in order to answer an FOI request. One surprising result - we have closed 172 cases in the last year. This means that all of those individuals we have had some interaction with are no longer causing ASB [anti-social behaviour]. This actually feels like we do make something of a difference.

12:00-14:00hrs

I am writing a statement in support of an application to extend an injunction. We are trying to present evidence for an incident that occurred after the court deadline to do so had expired so not straightforward. Also tricky as serving evidence on the defendant could well lead to recriminations for witnesses so we need to tread carefully. Whilst I am writing this answer several queries from police and colleagues come in regarding people Streetwise are dealing with.

14:00-17:00hrs

I go and take a statement from a witness in the Bear Pit to support an injunction to ban a problem drinker/spice user who recently assaulted paramedics and is causing wider issues there. Whilst there I see a street drinker who needs court papers serving. I call my colleague who comes on the hurry-up with the papers. Our lady is talking to the dealers in the Bear Pit so we ask CCTV to monitor us in case it goes wrong. Thankfully she wants to talk to us alone so we have a long chat and explain a few things to her. Establish that she thinks she is the centre of the universe. I go back to the office and write up the statement.

17:30hrs

Time to go out on patrol with my police colleague.

18:05hrs

We find a beggar we’ve been looking for and serve him with an injunction application. We also give him the keys to his council flat (he’d been locked out following a gas service) and arrange to meet him at 11:00hrs on Monday AM so we can try and organise some referrals - get him and his partner some help with furniture, gas and a bank account.

18:25hrs

Find another beggar. He has a tenancy but needs some help with his bills. I agree to refer him for some tenancy related support.

18:37hrs

Find another beggar. He tells us that he is rough sleeping (I am inclined to believe this given his presentation). He says he has been in Bristol for about a year and has been told by Outreach that as he has no local connection and so they can’t help. From experience that is unlikely so I suggest that I speak with Outreach and see what they say. Agree to try and find him under the archway where he sleeps.

18:56hrs

Find another beggar. He says that he has somewhere to live but has no money coming in and can’t work. He has a key worker and is meant to be meeting him on Monday although he might be unwell as he has pneumonia. I get his phone number and agree to pass it onto the keyworker.

19:14hrs

We find our longest running case begging. He says he has fallen off his script because he missed an appointment as the surgery wrote to him at an old address. He signs a consent so we can talk to the drugs team. He says that he has sorted out his rent arrears and bank account which we had been trying to help him with. I hope this is all true but he isn’t renowned for being straight with us so we’ll see.

19:25hrs

Found a chap we recently got an injunction against begging outside a chop shop. He wasn’t very happy with me so I let my colleague speak to him.

19:28hrs

I went and spoke with another guy who was begging along the road. I wanted to see him to congratulate him for getting into housing. He said he was up there because he was waiting for his ESA [Employment and Support Allowance]. I agreed to visit him at the hostel and issue some food bank vouchers and said I would ask the hostel to issue some meal tickets.

19:57hrs

Was called over by a busker. He explained how he was living with his girlfriend but she was a big drinker which led to fights and he would go and stay out. He had seen Outreach but hadn’t been into see them as he was struggling to look after his partner. I agreed I would pass his number onto them so they could contact him.

20:00-20:30hrs

Eat.

20:30-22:00hrs

I write up the evening's notes onto the database and make some of the referrals I had agreed to throughout the night. Some will have to wait until Monday when people are back at work again.