The Rucksack Project is a global initiative designed to enable all to assist the homeless, especially during the chilling winter months.

Matthew White, Founder of the project encourages individuals to obtain a rucksack (with shoulder straps) and fill it with helpful items.  Once full, the rucksack can be given to a homeless person. He suggests visiting charity shops to purchase items and reminds us that items can be collected incrementally over a period of time.

Suggested items to with which to fill a rucksack include:  A pair of socks, thermos filled with hot soup, warm hat and gloves, underwear, a sleeping bag, tins of soup with ring pulls, a spoon and a fleece.

A video report follows Rucksack Project volunteer Amy, as she obtains items to fill a rucksack.  She then participates in a flashmob in Bristol with other volunteers, who distribute their rucksacks to homeless people.

Amy found that items can be obtained in a variety of ways, including using things found at home.  She observed that it is important to speak to others about what you are doing and discovered that charity shops and friends would even donate items to her for this project.

Of course, homelessness is not just for winter and there are many volunteer organisations working on a daily basis to help assist the homeless.  A fantastic initiative based in London called ‘The Children of Adam’ comprises of volunteers who meet at 6pm every Sunday at Lincoln’s Inn Fields, in Holborn, London.  They bring with them food, clothes, sleeping bags, toiletries etc. to distribute to the homeless.  Children of Adam is a volunteer run project and no funds whatsoever are paid towards overheads; Those taking part bear their own costs.  Children of Adam also have a just giving page for those who would like to support their work but are unable to attend personally.

Let us not forget the responsibility of our government whom we ‘elect’ to serve us as a community and to support and manage the welfare of our society as a whole.

As a constituent of a ‘democratic’ society, one must always be active in holding our Government to account especially with respect to their neglect and failure to fulfill their duty.

Peace be upon you.