THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

I'd just like to say (NOT that Donmentor has suggested this) that you don't just rock up at a food bank and go 'I'm starving, I've got no money' and they go 'that's ok. See that big room full of food? Just help yourself. Need any more? Come back tomorrow'. I feel that is the way the undercurrent is in much of the media. It isn't like that.

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

1.2% is just those that have been found out. The reality must be more than that. How much more is, of course, anybody's guess.

No facts then?

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

Perhaps if we were to give those claiming benefits credit cards that would help. No one's going to abuse a credit card are they! Oh wait...

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When you make your music, do you think about the man in the street? No, I've met the man in the street. He's a Ladybit.

More Donmentor opinions that, when challenged with actual facts, cause him to shrink away from a thread.

Like the time he claimed I went to public school.

Or the time he claimed Lewis Hamilton's driving was as dirty as Michael Schumacher's.

Or the time he claimed a mate of his had to go in first class to get away from the yoof coming back on the train from Preston, even though that would have involved moving through four carriages.

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It's Pete's train set, and we should all feel honoured to be granted the privilege of paying to play with it.

I've no idea where you get that first one from. Secondly my comment re Hamilton's driving is my opinion and not stated as fact. Thirdly you must be mixing me up with someone else.

When I am asked to provide facts to prove that dishonest people exist in our society I know I am wasting my time commenting any further.

Christ, I don't know why I'm doing this, but this is seriously my last attempt to try and get my point across...

When you say:

...I say, well, firstly, I'm not happy about foodbanks as a country as rich as the UK shouldn't need them. Secondly, of course there are scoundrels, thieves, scumbags and bastards, although your posts imply a relatively high number which you are simply unable to prove... but, thirdly, and far more importantly (for me, at least, despite how little my view really matters) is that if the number of freeloaders at foodbanks is 1%, 10% or 90 % doesn't matter to me. As long as the people that really need food have access to it, I can put up with scumbags taking what they don't deserve.

By the way, on your way out of your local supermarket, take a look in the trolleys where they collect for the foodbanks. Maybe y'all contribute items, in which case fair play to you. But, overall, it's pretty grim fair. Generic pasta and porridge and tins of legumes. Stuff that will keep you alive but not exciting. I can't see many people seeing that as desirable stuff to undeservedly claim.

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

Two points in particular stand out here.
1. "Taking what they don't deserve". Yes OK, we have agreed there are some who will always cheat 'the system' (in this case food bank welfare) but just to emphasise K's point - you don't just walk into a sumptuous supermarket type setting and help yourself to whatever the hell you like and in whatever quantities you say you need.
2. The point about what is on offer as assistance is very well made.
(I don't think I have ever disclosed any personal details about my 'real' self and job on here. EVER. But, although it's not my job I actually have some experience of helping out with this sort of thing)

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

It isn't many. I used to volunteer at Sparkhill Food Bank in Brum and you could count on one hand the people you'd suspect were abusing it. 99% of people were genuine cases and I recommend you go and volunteer at on and see some of the shameful desperation we have in our supposedly wealthy society.

Very Very good post mate.
That's my experience too.
AND, I have to say, if you DO suspect someone of 'taking more than they should' that person is almost always someone who is in a pitiful state (No.... no 'pitiful' is the right word) are you really going to 'steam in' because they've taken an extra tin of beans or loaf of bread?
FFS food banks in the UK...How has this become acceptable?

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment