At 3.40am on Wednesday morning Trevor Blaney from the Pop Up Soup Kitchen – a community initiative providing food and support for the Island’s homeless – received a call informing him several homeless people were being evicted from the field they had been living in.
Update:
The landlord has disputed several of the points made by Trevor (see comment). OnTheWight are seeking to speak to the landowner to clarify the position.
By the time he’d defrosted his car and got to the location on the outskirts of Newport, Trevor said the eviction had pretty much been completed.
Blaney: No court order or notice
He said there had been no court order or notice to those who have been living in a camp on the land for the last four years.
Adding that “massive tractor” bulldozed the camp (including the tents and belongings of another four people who were on staying overnight on the Bus Shelter) into the back of a container. The corrugated shelter was also flattened and removed from the site.
At this point, it’s unclear who the landlord is, but it’s been confirmed to Trevor that the Isle of Wight council had no connection or involvement in the eviction.
TV footage revealed location
It’s understood that homeless residents have lived there, on and off, for four years undisturbed. The location of their temporary home was revealed in TV footage broadcast last week during the launch of the Bus Shelter – a local initiative that has been receiving national recognition for providing beds for homeless Islanders on a converted double-decker bus.
Trevor Blaney told OnTheWight this morning that he was “beyond words” at what had happened.
Donated items removed
Some of the items trashed and removed from the site included tents, stoves, sleeping bags etc had been donated by the Soup Kitchen.
As Trevor explained,
“People have run marathons and carried out sponsored silences to raise the money to pay for these items that are now destroyed.”
People dealing with complex issues
You could be forgiven for thinking that the launch of the Bus Shelter immediately solved all the problems for the Island’s homeless, and although it is a wonderful initiative that will help many people, it can’t help everyone.
It’s clear that some of those who have been living rough are dealing with serious mental health issues and addiction problems.
Trevor explained further,
“They are so deep in mental illness, or their addiction, that the basics we all take for granted doesn’t register on their agenda.
“Due to their state of mind and addiction, they’re not able to help or provide for themselves.”
This was something Trevor identified whilst working at the Downside Centre (where the former night shelter operated from before closing earlier this year) and led to him setting up the Soup Kitchen.
He says he will continue to support these people who need his help.
Your support needed
With so much equipment – gas bottles, sleeping bags, mats, camping stoves, cutlery etc – having been destroyed, now more than ever donations are vital to the Soup Kitchen.
If you’d like to support the efforts of Trevor, who is out day and night across the Isle of Wight helping the homeless, you can donate via PayPal to: [email protected]
You can find out more about the Pop Up Soup Kitchen by visiting their Website or Facebook Page.
