Sheffield Tent City

Sheffield Tent City is going up again tomorrow. In brief, Tent City was first put up in 2016 to provide much needed shelter for the homeless in the city centre. Problems with addiction, misguided choices, bad luck, financial problems cause homelessness and the man heading up the band of campaigners, Anthony Cunningham has himself been homeless.

I've never seen anyone campaign for others so selflessly. He makes regular Vlogs online, often passionately drumming up support and deriding a system that seems so uncaring about vulnerable folk. 

https://www.facebook.com/shefftentcity/

The group run a breakfast club, fundraisers in addition to providing moral and practical support to vulnerable people. The group has asked many times for a building to create a night shelter/cafe for homeless people, and an agreement was made to fulfil this with Sheffield Council. The month of June was cited as the month of action but sadly, halfway through June already with no sign of a night shelter. 

It seems really odd that the council are not investing or even recognising the humanitarian work being done here. I'm sure the public would prefer homeless people off the street as would shopkeepers. We know social care has slid backwards by 60 years but still - the lack of enthusiasm is alarming. Charities appear to be hog tied and gagged. They aren't allowed to rock any boats.

Then .. Boom! The Sheffield Star - amid serious abuses of humanity around the world, poverty and injustice - prints this story;

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.thestar.co.uk/news/sheffield-man-in-court-after-cannabis-house-blaze-find-1-8593656/amp

A neighbors chip pan fire had sparked a police check to see how much neighbors' houses had been affected. There was no evidence of 'production' and a misquote has been emphasised which Anthony feels former life has been brought into the picture to exploit a bias against him. Anthony has never hidden the fact that he has walked in the shoes of addiction and homelessness and this is what makes him such an impressive campaigner now; he is a big hearted family man who clearly values all that is good in the world.

To give the Star it's due, the paper did print one or two stories supporting Anthony and Co.s efforts, and admittedly the law as it stands was broken. Just seems odd that such a minor offence has been seized upon and made glaringly obvious - when the council have yet again missed their own opportunities to do something to support the vulnerable?
And the fact that this event happened around 5 months ago ... strange timing. Could it be possible that this is a smear campaign to reduce the considerable support the Tent City team have amassed over the past two years? (Ironic question).

It just makes me laugh - the people who throw stones probably wouldn't want folks poking about in their closet skeletons. It's hypocritical. 

Fact is - the promised night shelter has not materialised. The authorities may well plant a distraction to take the focus on the continuing deterioration of social support, but Anthony and crew are going about their business as usual - supporting the homeless.

Please support him and his team;

https://www.face-book.com/shefftentcity/