Here are a few images taken from my visit to Westbourne Baptist church's open breakfast this morning. The lady in the top photo is the Murial, she is in charge of the running of the breakfast. She is looked up to by everyone involved in the programme and is very passionate about it, saying that she has 'always supported the underdog'. All the homeless community are very polite towards her and they see her as one of her own. She enjoys giving something back to the community as she used to suffer from alcoholism herself, and says she enjoys helping and seeing results in the people that she serves.
The guy in the next photo down is Paul. I have spoken about Paul before, and before he was skeptical about having his photo taken as he was unsure as to whether he was going to be kicked back out on the streets. Since then he has now found a flat for him and his dog and was happy to have my camera shoved in front of him.
Then the bottom photo is Tom, Tommo or Tommy. Known by nearly everyone in the area, he is a real character. Him and Paul are good friends and Paul tells me about how he had to help Tom when he had his first heart attack (of 2). It sounds as if he has had some stinking luck, from a guy who used to be sous chef at a well known caterers, and had the opportunity to cook in the Houses of Parliament. Unfortunately however, he says he had to cook for Maggie Thatcher! He is a long time sufferer of alcoholism and says that he has no intention of giving it in.
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