Homeless sick thin man at Surrey Quays Shop Centre

Today was at Surrey Quay Shopping Centre, there was this man there, apparently a regular some one said, but he was extremely thin, wasting away, with shorts on very thin legs not very tall, about 30's, limping on left leg, had toes up as if he could not put his foot to ground, myself and others gave him some change. He was hang about outside the shop centre by tesco end. I think he should be in hospital or a care centre, he looked so ill like near death really. Maybe others have seen him around there? Obviously no one knows his story as like with any one. but with medical help and other services yet people are left in this way and neglected by the system.

Ladywriter, he is at Surrey Quays every day and has been for at least the last four months. Sat waiting for my wife, I've watched him relieve passers-by of a good few quid on a number of occasions. I've also seen him, more than once, in very close proximity to the bookies on Lower Road and he seemed not to be struggling so much to walk as I had witnessed up at the shopping centre. Probably just me being a cynic.

Hi Gary

thanks for info. he looked very sick to me today,I dont normally give money away as obviously we need it for ourselves, not to sound selfish but you know where I am coming from. and realise homelessness can happen to anyone, its first time I have seen him, but a friend said she told me same, he up thee a lot, I didnt know if he was homeless or had a home or what, but now you mention he at the bookies, assuming you seen him going into it placing bets.

If I was in his place I would be more concerned about my health and the way I looked then putting on bets. if that is what he is doing. We at times dont even do the lotto to save the extra for food and stuff. so if he wins millions I guess we wont see any of it,

But I guess when I saw him I was just horrified at the way he looked and was thankful that I am not that way, despite my agonising back from a trapped nerve.

thanks for reply Gary, appreciated.

I don't know this fellow and have never seen him, but I know the area well and I would bet my last sixpence that he is not placing bets in no bookmakers, if he is going in there it's to "score", if he's hanging around there, it's to score.
He's a drug addict and begging for the chance, to score. I've seen some really good friends, with potential, fall to that lark, heart breaking.

boroughonian I have never seen him before but hadnt been surrey quay in ages since I hurt my back been first time I visited there in a while. As for looking to score drugs, I dont know how they can even afford to buy them. I have seen these cop shows with people doing this and that stuff is like a weeks worth of shopping food to me. so people will just give him change not drugs. but if what you say is true then its a warning to all not to mess with drugs.

I can only describe what he looked like, mixed race around 5F.3In tall, extremely thin, wasting away, he could not walk properly and had shorts on and a top. shoulder length coloured mixed hair colour. he could not put his foot on the ground and was up on his toes on his right foot limping, with no shoes or shocks on, just bare feet. hobbling along near to tesco end. others say he been there every day over last 4 months. I know there are lots like him but he seemed to stand out for some reason. If I knew it was for drugs I would not have given him any money but you just dont know really. their situation, background, even if he was in hospital or anything, my father has dementia and once got out of hospital and was wandering streets for 8 hours in romford. luckily my Dad showed up at next hospital with cuts on his face so on. people seeing my dad in street would not know his story. thats the problem, so glad he was found. he is now in care home at later stages of dementia. but at least he is safer in the care home then he was at that hospital.

Ladywriter1968 wrote:

boroughonian I have never seen him before but hadnt been surrey quay in ages since I hurt my back been first time I visited there in a while. As for looking to score drugs, I dont know how they can even afford to buy them. I have seen these cop shows with people doing this and that stuff is like a weeks worth of shopping food to me. so people will just give him change not drugs. but if what you say is true then its a warning to all not to mess with drugs.

Ladywriter, believe me, I spent too much of my time trying to coax a good old school friend off the stuff, to the point that it was more likely I would wind up on it than he off it, I had to admit defeat in the end.
They earn fortunes Lady, really they do, I would guess that begging is not the only means of earning money (benefits aside) for this poor soul, it may well be that he was "in it" (cold turkey) and sitting down collecting money is infinitely easier than going out "earning" (stealing), he'll do the latter when he's high on it.
Terrible business, and yes, if we needed it, a warning to us all. When my kids were younger we were living off the Old Kent Road, I used to point the "skagheads" out to them, it was my way of educating them, but to be honest, my wife and I would have known if they had half a cigarette, never mind Heroin, we was interested!
Not all children have parents that give a sh## unfortunately.

So really at times when you think you are helping home less or what you think may be homeless by giving them change you are actually doing more harm then good, do doing a good deed can turn into a bad one. because could be possible they only spending it on drugs. but you think you are helping thinking its for food etc.

but there is a true thing I have learned about life, We have to help ourselves. I have had friends before reliant even on depression meds. Ive had this, but I learned another way to deal with it, by replacing negative with positive thoughts. I know its not hard drugs but still something that controls your thoughts and pain. Maybe its a way of blocking out pain instead of facing it, just like hard drugs. less paperwork for gp. ok I am going into another area now. but I am now thinking that maybe that man was a drug addict. Since I have never been around them, I dont know the signs to look out for, like say they have spots on face I just assume its cause of malnutrition or being homeless etc. Well you know what I mean anyway. But if he was on drugs, let it be a warning to everyone that look,, this is where you end up if you take drugs. wise up everyone. he smelt a bit as well. he just looked so thin and weak. He must been in his 30's though at a guess. and looked part paralysed. he looked half dead to be honest.

Might be worth contacting these guys with his description and where he hangs around : http://www.thamesreach.org.uk/what-we-do/rough-sleeper-services/london-street-rescue/