STEALING FOOD

Hard up culprits caught stealing food have been having a hard time this last week, along with the police who cautioned them and handed over food vouchers. One could hardly miss the the cries of self-righteous outrage from the general public. In days gone by they'd have been bayng for blood, or a spell in the stocks at the very least.

Just prior to this incident I confess to an outburst during a meeting at SCC when a fellow councillor expressed the opinion over the planned setting up of food banks in the area, 'They don't really need the food they're stealing', he said.

Talking out of his backside, I felt, along with many other middle class, middle aged people who become our elected representatives to top up their pensions as they near retirement after moving down here to buy properties at a fraction of London prices, following a lucrative career somewhere in the city.

Am I cross? Certainly I am, but that is not to say we all have to be tarred with the same brush. There are those who genuinely do care, and remain in touch with the rest of the population, trying to help address their problems.

When I organised my first Christmas carol marathon in Ilminster some years ago, on behalf of the Samaritans, I was surprised at the number of local residents that approached me quietly to tell me about their near destitution. One young couple's story was so compelling that a fellow caroller went to the supermarket to buy them food herself. Too many of us living in this beautiful environment forget that hardship is not confined to big cities, it is right here, on our doorsteps.

I was once so hard up that I will always be grateful to the friend who arrived on the doorstep with a boot full of food for me. Fortunately my circumstances are much improved these days. Last year, along with fellow District Councillor Angie Singleton, and Connel Boyle, head of Neroche School, we highlighted the issues surrounding the provision of free school meals. Why? Because we've all been 'free school meal' kids ourselves and can identify with those in similar situations.

Later in the week there was much amusement over tales of those who steal things from hotel rooms; whether it is the odd bar of soap or shampoo, or astonishingly in some cases, TVs, bed linen and even the taps. Hoteliers were saying that it was just not worth their while pursuing the culprits.

Back down to earth, how many of us, hand on heart, can truthfully say that at work we have never taken the odd sheet of paper or pen, used the photocopier for personal copies, taken the odd stamp to post a letter, made the odd personal 'phone call? Very few I suspect. So let's not be hypocritical in casting judgement on others, it's all still stealing, which ever way you look at it.