I've removed a couple of posts relating to Crisis Open Christmas (COC).
This is because Crisis contacted me and asked me to do this. Apparently, while nobody is questioning the veracity of the posts, the presence of the content was not helping negotiations aimed at securing centres for COC 2007.
Obviously, I wish to support Crisis in their aims, so I agreed to pull the posts.
Note to those who posted comments, specifically Adam, Samantha, Jenni and Lydia - your points were taken on board by me and (I trust) others who read them. I apologise that by removing my posts, I also removed what you said.
Posted by dompannell at December 4, 2007 10:35 PMhi, dom
Doe,s this mean that Crisis is undemocratic in their objectives..regards jenni
Not really, Jenni.
I could have left the posts up - it's my personal blog, after all. Nobody can force me to do anything with it (unless I'm libelling someone, I guess).
For some reason, it seems the posts were irritating someone in a certain Borough Council - not something I'm unhappy about, actually.
Anyway, I agreed to remove the posts so that Crisis could continue speaking to the Council, which they are doing, without creating unhealthy tension.
I think that means that both my opinion (in favour of COC) and yours (in favour of discontinuing COC) were read by both Crisis and the Council, which is fair enough.
You and I don't agree, which is also fair enough.
My view can be summed up by the fact that every year COC helps nearly 100 people get back into the housing system. As long as that is happening, COC is relevant.
Posted by: Dom Pannell at December 7, 2007 8:07 PMthanks dom..
Nearly 100 back into the housing system,so this equats to about £3500 per person, if figures are correct in what COC is asking for this year,£350,000, surley this amount of money, could be better spent on rent,and deposits, and some left over for longer support,than just seven days..
just a thought,regards jenni
your figures are not right Jenni
The week is about a lot of things and housing is just one part - albeit essential. Access to services such as doctors, dentists, chiropodists, etc. are other reasons why the real rough sleepers regularly come to COC. That all costs money
Even if your maths was correct, it strikes me as remarkably good value: £3,500 wouldn't pay for a lot of time in the corporate world - perhaps a day and a half of a reasonably senior management consultant, for example.
Posted by: Dom Pannell at December 16, 2007 4:25 PM