Brrrr – It was seriously cold on my way to work this morning, grass curbs were crisp and crunchy and Jack Frost had definitely been busy doing his thing. Chilly temperatures come with a mixed blessing when our health is involved. We might not appreciate it at the time but we could argue that the subzero temperatures can help the public health service by killing off disease mongering insects and various viruses, but it also comes with a health warning.
On my way to work this morning it was the quantity of homeless people on the streets that worried me. I passed a man sat on the pavement, frail looking, shivering and clearly cold to the core. I stopped and had a chat with him then went and got him a sweet coffee, some toast and a cake for later. Whilst I was in the café the lovely girl that served me told me about an interesting campaign taking place around Brighton and Hove…
The nice thing is that there seems to be a bit of warmth on offer for the city’s homeless. Recently, Brighton has started a successful campaign called the Hot Water Bottle Drive, where homeless people can borrow hot water bottles and top them up whenever they like. The FaceBook page includes a list of the cafés and restaurants that have agreed to top up hot water bottles with boiling water, some of which are 24 hours. Handy, huh?
With the nights set to get colder, now is the perfect time to get involved yourself. Visit the www.facebook.com/Hot-Water-Bottle-Drive-Brighton-737123909727376 for info, petitions and event dates. All hot water bottles must be donated to the Sunday Love Kitchen by the clock tower.
Brighton has an increasing homeless population, and at this time of year, the suicide rate of people living rough is at an all time high. So with that in mind, the rest of us can ditch this bonkers ‘Blue Monday’ and our back-to-work scowls and celebrate what we do have, because in the grand scheme of things, it’s really not that bad.
Live one day at a time, life to the full and spread a little warmth… you know you want to.
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