A homeless camp at St Peter’s Church has survived being battered by gale force winds overnight.
An appeal has been launched to raise funds to replace any equipment damaged or lost in the high winds which have seen trees come down in Brighton this morning.
But people close to the camp say that its residents are unhurt, and the tents are now being repitched.
Daniel Martell, whose flat overlooks the green which is home to the camp, said: “I looked out the window this morning and it seemed as thought the awful weather from last night must have really hit them, the tents were looking half demolished.
“I went down and had a chat and took some pictures, got an idea of what it’s like down there.
“They got hit pretty hard last night. everyone’s stuff is soaked through. About four blokes were down there trying to re-pitch tents sturdily down. They say they mostly need sleeping bags, new tents, more bins, bin bags, and food.”
The Blue Man restaurant on Queen’s Road has also agreed to act as a drop off point for anyone wanting to donate equipment.
These people are not homeless. They are choosing to live in tents to protest on behalf of homeless people.
Surely they should be given the option of The Caravan Club Tentsite and if they do not like it move them on.The whole area from the Pier to St Peters Church looks an absolute disgrace.
I passed this ‘homeless camp’ the other day on a family day out in Brighton. All I witnessed was the usual Brighton tennants super gang (drunks) and gaggle of drug users smoking cannabis in a tent, oh and the people from the camp relieving themselves outside the church. There was no sign of anyone offering information about their cause or reason for being there.. The high winds did the job the police should have done, but because its church land no one seems to be able or willing to do anything… surely they could be moved on as they are a public nuisance, behaving in a manner which could cause offence, and the whole area smells like a toilet!
I am homeless myself and choose not to pitch up in the homeless camp outside St Peters BUT have to reply to Donan Coyle (who I will never address as a sir) that it does not smell like a toilet and if you have never been homeless yourself then you really do not know what it is like to end up in that situation!!! Not all homeless people take drugs, drink alcohol or smoke cannabis which I can include myself in and unfortunately ended up in this situation for other personnel reasons which I choose not to broadcast. What angers me is that there are many people from other nationalities getting housed in the country and we are not looking after our own!!!!!! After leaving school I did work for 25years and had never claimed benefits and always paid my taxes. I then unfortunately end up in this situation and ask for a little help to just be turned away so have to survive somehow which yes, means living in a tent!!!!!!!! Why not have the decency to talk to us and understand our situation instead of thinking your above us which your certainly are not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well said Matthew. You have worked hard to achieve what you have, and I know you will get where you want to be eventually.
Please Donan Coyle don’t judge people without hearing their stories. By choice most would rather have a place to live in comfort and peace. Not one of us knows what the coming days have in store for us.
Thank you