Northampton Community Safety Partnership took to the streets recently in the awareness-generating event. They were joined and supported by homeless support agencies and aimed to educate the public about the best way to donate money to homeless people.
The leader of Northampton Borough Council, Councillor David Mackintosh, spoke to a local newspaper about the sentiment behind the event. Cllr Mackintosh is quoted as saying:
"People naturally want to help others who they think are suffering, but giving money to beggars is not the answer. Often all you are doing is paying for the very thing that has driven them on to the streets in the first place. It is far better to give to one of the many support organisations in Northampton that are set up to help them turn their lives around.”
Information was given out at the event about the best methods to give money to ensure it gets used properly and responsibly. As well as face-to-face chats from homeless support groups, these kind of events also benefit from printed material like leaflets, which can be crammed with information that passers-by can take with them to digest at their own pace. Many companies offering flyer printing in Northampton have worked with local organisations on similar projects in the past.
The event also received support from local police services and was held near the local library.