A new documentary focused on homeless individuals in Wicklow hopes to raise funds to ease their plight
The short documentary gives a voice to individuals living rough, cast out by government and society.
Grass roots production company Tealady Media has been working on the hard hitting, emotional short with the working title ‘Don’t Look Away’.
The voluntary project got underway six weeks ago in bid to tell the stories of those affected by the housing crisis.
An excerpt shows Michael, a single father from Bray who has been living in a tent for almost a year.
He found himself with no other options after his landlord moved back into the property he was renting last February. Michael has been unable to find accommodation since then despite being approved for HAP and being on the council housing list for over 8 years.
“There’s people coming here from all over the world being put up in hotels and nursing homes…I’m out here in sub zero temperatures…I’ve always paid taxes and contributed…to see what’s happening it’s wrong,” he says.
Others featuring include those sleeping in cars or ‘couch surfing’ with friends or family, following changed circumstances such as marriage breakdown or having to leave the family home.
The documentary aims to address the misconceptions around homelessness as it follows people unable to find accommodation for a variety of reasons.
Michael speaks of his difficulty in getting any assistance from the government, politicians or the council.
Tealady Media said that disparity of treatment was a common theme among the homeless people they had spoken to. “Michael questions the justice of government policy that accommodates certain people in hotels with multiple welfare benefits and supports, while he and others are sleeping outside in sub zero temperatures with no support,” they said.
“Bray has three hotels and one nursing home which are being used to house refugees and asylum seekers. Bray has one 12 bed homeless shelter which is full and has a long waiting list.”
“The ‘Don’t Look Away’ fundraiser aims to offer assistance to the homeless people the volunteers production have worked with through provision of supplies such as food, blankets, cook stoves and fuel, warm clothes and most importantly, recognition of their worth and humanity.”
“There is huge sympathy, empathy and support across Ireland for those suffering homelessness.”
“Why are they still on the streets?”
The team are fund raising for the documentary which they say will shine a light of what needs to be done for those living on the streets. https://gofund.me/
