Homelessness in Milton Keynes - Portrait Series
From looking into the idea of identity and loss of identity I thought about the different ways people lose their identity and thought about homelessness. Many people each year are faced with facing the brutality which is losing everything you have worked for and own to not be a part of society and live in difficult situations. In Milton Keynes, 1 in every 110 people are homeless, which is a very shocking statistic as the young city expands this number is increasing everyday. There have even been deaths from the cold as Gareth Turp, a young homeless man died in hospital back at the start of February.
"One in every 200 people in England is currently homeless"
"One in every 200 people in England is currently homeless"
I have started researching news reports and articles of the growing number of rough sleepers in Milton Keynes. A lot of these articles main focus is showing the "tent city" which is made up of a numerous amount of camping tents pitched underneath the underpasses which connect the city. The images which are used don't show the people living in these situations, as the main focus is the tents and not the people themselves. I find this enraging as it seems to me to be a gimmick to sell papers and not really highlighting the issue that there are people living in tents freezing their asses off.
"Living on the streets is isolating and affects people's heath. Winter conditions make it even harder. Our housing and homelessness teams are working incredibly hard with partners to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to have access to shelter. If they're at risk during the severe cold weather." Nigel Long, Milton Keynes councillor and cabinet member for homelessness
"Living on the streets is isolating and affects people's heath. Winter conditions make it even harder. Our housing and homelessness teams are working incredibly hard with partners to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to have access to shelter. If they're at risk during the severe cold weather." Nigel Long, Milton Keynes councillor and cabinet member for homelessness
From researching into homelessness in Milton Keynes; I would like to speak and photograph the people who occupy these tents as I feel as though the media is misleading people. From my research findings, two days after Christmas one of these tents and tenants faced fire as someone is alleged to have set fire to one of the tents as an attack of arson. This potentially could be an attack from the misinformed citizens of Milton Keynes, as they are frightful of the rough sleepers and them accommodating the underpasses.
As a woman, I can see how late at night if I were to be walking under the underpass and there were a group of any kind of outcasts, I would feel uneasy too. However, from looking at the situation from a somewhat vulnerable point of view, I would like to have that challenge to go and speak to these people face to face and show that they're too just people just with a lack of identity.
As a woman, I can see how late at night if I were to be walking under the underpass and there were a group of any kind of outcasts, I would feel uneasy too. However, from looking at the situation from a somewhat vulnerable point of view, I would like to have that challenge to go and speak to these people face to face and show that they're too just people just with a lack of identity.
Bibliography
https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/homeless-community-mourns-death-in-milton-keynes-1-8386764
https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/fifty-milton-keynes-homeless-people-given-accommodation-by-council-before-christmas-1-8296366
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5285348/workers-forced-to-sleep-in-tents/
https://www.mkfm.com/news/local-news/shelter-highlights-2396-people-homeless-in-milton-keynes-and-that-may-be-an-under-estimate/
https://www.mkfm.com/news/local-news/conservative-councillors-accused-of-identifying-sexy-areas-for-more-spending-after-calls-for-more-money-for-rough-sleepers/
https://www.thebussheltermk.org/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-42781377
https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/arsonist-set-fire-to-homeless-person-s-tent-in-central-milton-keynes-1-8308306
https://www.mkfm.com/news/local-news/drugs-being-sold-in-tent-city-according-to-local-businessman/
https://www.ft.com/content/cf591084-de4d-11e7-a8a4-0a1e63a52f9c
https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/reports-of-two-rough-sleepers-found-dead-in-milton-keynes-1-8381069
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