An interesting day today. I did a long stint at Alabare Place today and was in much demand by the service users and had several long chats with people using the drop-in. In particular a lady who has been on the streets for several nights now following her eviction from a flat in Salisbury. The rules relating to Council assistance for those on the streets is very restrictive and because she is not seen as a priority, and the weather is relatively warm at present, although it is also wet, she will not qualify for extra nights in a shelter. It was really distressing to have to leave Alabare Place this afternoon without having been able to resolve where she will sleep tonight. These cool wet nights must be horrible if you haven't got a nice warm home to stay in. I rushed to Stockbridge to pick Thom up off the Winchester bus arriving just as his bus was pulling off - perfect timing, although I did think I would be late. Tonight, in the pouring rain, Thom, Paul H, Sara and I spent much of the evening on Dean Station platforms filming Thom's A-Level project piece. This entailed Paul acting as a murdered man with a bloodied shirt. We were slightly worried what passengers on trains might think so we will have to hold up a board with the word "Filming" on it when we return next week (it wasn't quite a "wrap" apparently). Richard, Paul H and I ended the evening having a few pints in the Lord Nelson discussing, amongst other things, the pros and cons of Internet dating! I thought again tonight about my "parishioner" at Alabare Place and wondered where she had found shelter from this appalling weather.
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