Huddersfield Change Project

26/05/2024

🍹☀️🍹

18/01/2019

SWEP ACTIVATION NOTICE :-

"Severe Weather Protocol activated in Kirklees:

The overnight temperatures are forecast to be extremely cold for the next few nights. Therefore, the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) will be triggered from today, Thursday 17th January 2019. The SWEP will be in place until the temperature is forecast to rise above zero. The SWEP provision is available for anyone in danger of sleeping rough regardless of priority need under the homelessness legislation, eligibility or recourse to public funds. The provision can also apply to those people in situations where they may have a right of occupancy but cannot get easy access to that accommodation.

This provision should be accessed through the Housing Solutions Service (01484 221350) between 9am and 5pm or through Clare House (0300 304 7936) out of hours"

Please, if you see someone sleeping rough or someone in need, ask them if they would like to take advantage of the SWEP activation. The numbers are in the post above, and anyone can ring them.

Huddersfield Change Project got 8 people off the streets and into accommodation last winter using SWEP. This year, we're not there. But you are.

Please let me know if you need any support, suggestions or help with this. And please let me know your experiences with the SWEP activation and phone lines.

Thank you for reading 💞💞

Dave Kennedy 180119

💞 OneLove 💞

08/01/2019

"ESCAPE?"

In a piece of writing before Christmas, I wrote about those people less fortunate than ourselves, and I made a prediction that someone would take their own life locally whilst we were enjoying the Christmas holidays.

This wasn't a difficult prediction to make, but it was a prophecy that came true as there were 2 incidents recently. One of the victims was in her early 20s.

And these 2 were just the ones that made the news.

What compelled me to write about this was the comments in the news post about this, as always. In and amongst those who wrote kind messages of support for Su***de victims and their families, there was - As always - An abundance of comments from people insisting that they had the key to stop these su***des.

Their solution? To make bridges and well known su***de spots "safe" by using barriers, high fences, barbed wire or higher railings on them.

There is a fabulous group called Bridge The Gap who have gone a long way towards helping potential su***de victims by placing notes and posters at well known spots such as Scammonden Bridge and the Besançon Bridge in Huddersfield.

But will making bridges "Unjumpable" stop the desperation of these people? Will they arrive at their chosen spot and see the barriers and think "Oh, I'm not able to jump from here. I think I'll leave it for now?"

No.
They won't.
They'll find somewhere else.

And the point is this - They haven't found any, or enough, support, for their deep-rooted and often long-lived issues in their locality which will help them in the first place. Places which are desperately needed to offer support, understanding, comfort and sanctuary for people in all walks of mental instability.

Yes, there ARE places like this. But they are few and far between, and some have waiting lists of up to 6 months.

And a lot can happen in a DAY for someone who feels so desperately alone in life, never mind in 6 months.

But the part of the news report that upset me the most was the section that started with the line "Local Councillors and MPs have called an urgent meeting to review the situation at the bridge".

Their solution? "We have outlined plans to secure the bridge and make it safe from future "Jumpers". This will cost around £200,000 and will take up to 18 months".

And this smug, self-haloed bigwig in an office went home that evening believing that he/she had solved the situation.

No mention of urgent reviews of mental health support, of local services, of Su***de Awareness etc. Just a bridge that can't be scaled. And in those 18 months while they're working on that bridge, several more people will take their own lives because very few people in society know what the way forward is. And the £200,000 could have been put towards existing or new support centres instead of a bridge.

Because, however blunt it sounds, there are plenty more bridges around. And high rise buildings. And cliffs. And railway lines....

But there are very few people who work towards helping in these issues. And even fewer who understand. So, as ever, society relies on Volunteers like Bridge the Gap, Silence of Su***de, Stamp out Su***de etc to do the work that is ESSENTIAL to help save lives.

We'll never wipe out Su***de. But we can all help to reduce it by spreading awareness, by offering sympathy and support, by funding charities like the aforementioned and by offering understanding instead of glib comments like "Make bridges safer", "Another selfish bastard has blocked the road today" or "That's one less pisshead off the streets" - All of which were written under the post about the death of a 24 year old young lady.

Thank you for reading 💞💞

S.O.S - Silence Of Su***de

Supporting Stamp Out Su***de

The Basement Recovery Project

💞 OneLove 💞

25/12/2018

"ALONE?'

Christmas Day is always a time for friends, family and loved ones to come together.

Not everyone, however, is encompassed by this. I'm not just talking about the people who are physically alone at this time of year - Whether it's because of bereavement, separation, old age or by choice - I'm referring in particular to a portion of our society who don't have to BE alone but who most definitely are.

Look through a smile. Read through superficially happy eyes. And you will often find solitude behind them. A room full of merry relatives doesn't necessarily mean that no one in that room is alone.

Someone engaging in conversation is not necessarily wanting to talk. They just feel as though they absolutely must "take part" so as not to be accused of bringing everyone else down. For being miserable. For spoiling things.

Mental Health Issues, Depression and internal fear and solitude don't choose when to surface. They're not seasonal, and they don't go away just because everyone else is having a lovely time. If anything, the joy of others, coupled with alcohol in abundance, merely accentuates these feelings.

And the fact that we feel that we absolutely must suppress them, because we're told to, makes this time of year a lot worse for us if we're not understood or medicated.

Someone who lives with a mental disability needs a bridge to cross, not a dam to hinder them.

Help them by talking to them, by understanding that they're not "Miserable" on purpose. Hug them. Squeeze those tears out of them with your love. Let your shoulder be a pillow, not a boulder.

Because, trust me, an act of kindness can save someone's life. Especially at this time of year.

Someone will take their own life today, Christmas Day 2018. That person will feel the weight of their mental burdens today more than ever.

Look for the signs, offer your love, catch their tears and, most importantly, continue this on the other 364 days when we don't celebrate Christmas.

You can be a hero and a lifesaver without even realising it.

Thank you for reading 💞💞

S.O.S - Silence Of Su***de

mind.org.uk

The Basement Recovery Project

Supporting Stamp Out Su***de

24/12/2018

Wishing everyone a very happy & peaceful Christmas 💞💞
Love from Dave, Rosie, Danielle & Emily ###xx

💞 OneLove 💞

05/12/2018

HUDDERSFIELD CHANGE PROJECT.

For those of you who don't know, Huddersfield Change Project is no longer in operation. This has been the case since early 2018.

This time last year, the HCP team were getting over 200 rucksacks, filled with daily essentials donated by the public, ready for distribution to the homeless and less fortunate people in our town. On Christmas Eve, and over the Christmas period, we distributed these in Huddersfield, Halifax, Dewsbury, Brighouse, Uppermill, Oldham and Manchester. We also donated to 3 local hostels in Huddersfield.

This time last year, we were running 2 weekly Street Kitchens at Huddersfield Open Market which provided hot meals, Tesco surplus food, hot and cold drinks, clothing, daily essentials and, most importantly, love and support and hugs and handshakes to over 30 people each time we were in place.

This time last year, the HCP team were out on daily outreach visits to Huddersfield with drinks and snacks, gloves and hats, toiletries and a lot of smiles for anyone who needed them.

This time last year, Christmas was approaching and it was cold and wet, there were 6 people sleeping rough in Huddersfield alone which absolutely made a mockery of Kirklees Council's figure of "Only 5 people sleep rough in Kirklees". If they had gone out in all weathers, at sunrise and late at night like HCP did, they would have seen this for themselves.

And now, this time THIS year, there are still people sleeping rough. There are still people begging on the streets. There are still people who are sofa surfing, living in abandoned houses or in a friend's house or living in temporary and emergency accommodation. All of these people are homeless. They have no place to call their own.

And we're not there to help them.

There are still groups like Simon on the Streets and One Big Family who do outreach work in Huddersfield and I tip my hat to their fabulous work.

But the dream that I had in November 2015 - The dream that I chased up, followed up, implemented and then brought to hundreds of people locally - is no more. That dream wasn't for my benefit. It was for the benefit of those less fortunate than myself. I had been in their situation, I had beaten addiction and I had thoroughly pi**ed off a lot of people in Huddersfield during my difficult times.

And, in bringing Huddersfield Change Project to my home town, I not only changed the town's perception of homelessness and I not only brought hope to a lot of people but I also felt that I'd gone some way towards making amends for my past and for my mistakes.

And "I" became "We". We were a team, we were loved, we were needed and we loved what we did.

Due to other teams of people who didn't like what we did, we ended. The doubters, the haters, the journalists who wrote a disgusting 3 page feature about HCP and about me which made several unfounded accusations, succeeded in ending Huddersfield's first ever street kitchen and one of Huddersfield's lifelines for those in need.

I'm not bitter. I did my bit. So did TEAMHCPs Rosie, Linzi, Claire, Hayley, Claire 2, Colin, Vicky, Rob, Danielle and several others.

But the reason for this post is to let people know, or to remind them, that HCP are no longer up and running and no longer accepting donations. I've written it because several people have messaged HCP recently offering help and donations.

There is a young lady called Hollie who has successfully started a weekly Street Kitchen recently. There are the 2 aforementioned charities. And there is you - The person reading this.

Those people are still out there and they need your help. They didn't choose to be there. Please don't let them down. Take a look at the hundreds of pictures on the HCP page if you want a reminder of what we did. It CAN be done, because I did it, TEAMHCP did it, and you can do it too.

Thank you for reading, and for all your past support 💞💞

Dave Kennedy - Huddersfield Change Project Founder.

facebook.com/HCPKENNO

💞 OneLove 💞

25/09/2018

05/09/2018

💕 OneLove 💕

03/09/2018

10:30am, Huddersfield, today.

"This town doesn't need Huddersfield Change Project", they said. "All the services are in place for these people, they said".

Welcome to 2018.

A loveable society that picks and pulls at anyone who tries to do some good.

I've seen 3 new faces regularly sat out in the streets recently, and several who were regular and grateful visitors to HCPs street kitchens.

I hope the authorities, support groups and other organisations are giving them the full support they need by visiting them on street, talking to them and guiding them. Winter is coming.

But hey, HCP weren't needed. The doubters got me arrested for theft. Then the charges were dropped. By now, I've gone back to work because, clearly, Huddersfield knows how to deal with our homeless and less fortunate folk.

But from what I've seen today, it really doesn't.

Thank you for reading 💕💕

02/09/2018

Actually, ignore the bit that says "I'm sorry".

I'm not sorry for being me.
No one should be sorry for being themselves.
The only people who should be sorry are those who chastise us, write us off and gossip about us.

Talk. Listen. Understand.
It's not rocket science.

mind.org.uk

💕 OneLove 💕

18/08/2018

Local Su***de and Mental Health Support groups are leaving these wonderful signs on bridges and places that are known for su***de attempts. If only society in general took the same understanding and sympathetic view of people in these situation as these Support Groups do ...

https://www.sossilenceofsu***de.org/

mind.org.uk