Tramp Lady at the Services

[ArcticMonkey]

Has anyone else seen the tramp lady who frequents the service stations lorry parks up and down the country?

I've seen her at the Golden Fleece Cumbria, Wooly Edge and just the other day i saw her at Cherwell Valley.

She seems to carry her worldly belongings in a couple of bags and travel suitcase, she looks unkempt with teeth missing and appears to have mental health problems, it's quite sad to see.

Does anyone know her backstory and does she hitchhike from truckers all day and everyday?

[Juddian]

Whatever her story, many of us could have fallen through the cracks at one or several points in our lives when things went pear shaped for us, luckily other things kept us afloat.

There but for the grace of God go i, used to be the saying, as true today as ever.

I have a deep loathing of those who closed the residential homes for the mentally unwell, a chap called Enoch Powell had a hand in that, admittedly no not all were good or run well.
However those places at least offered a sanctuary for those needing help to rest their heads in peace and get a hot meal, but more importantly they kept damaged people at their weakest and most vulnerable away from the streets, usually the poorest of streets well away form those who make such decisions, where scum have and continue to prey on those needing help and protection, care in the community my arse.

[TheFlyingTanker]

Whatever her story, many of us could have fallen through the cracks at one or several points in our lives when things went pear shaped for us, luckily other things kept us afloat.

There but for the grace of God go i, used to be the saying, as true today as ever.

I have a deep loathing of those who closed the residential homes for the mentally unwell, a chap called Enoch Powell had a hand in that, admittedly no not all were good or run well.
However those places at least offered a sanctuary for those needing help to rest their heads in peace and get a hot meal, but more importantly they kept damaged people at their weakest and most vulnerable away from the streets, usually the poorest of streets well away form those who make such decisions, where scum have and continue to prey on those needing help and protection, care in the community my arse.

Enoch Powell was a back bencher after the Heath government, so I am surprised he'd have much say in the closure of them. But if he did before that he deserves a bit of a slap.

That said it was Thatcher who truly screwed them over as all the mental asylums (bar those for the criminally insane) were shut in the 1980s. Those are where often you would often find the homeless of today. Reagan across the pond did the same. Care in the community is basically just a few halfway houses who keep them hoped up on drugs and sent out amongst the populace!

[yourhavingalarf]

Sadly...

Care in the community rapidly became ostracized by the community.

[TheFlyingTanker]

Sadly...

Care in the community rapidly became ostracized by the community.

It was doomed right from the get-go.
What the heck were they thinking would happen? That poor, unemployable and often incapable homeless folks would somehow enter the workforce (so the government could get more tax out of them too maybe).

The asylums were not exactly paradise, but employed a lot of locals and provided a safe-haven (usually) they could call home.

[Night-and-day]

I’ve not seen her for a while,Peterborough services last year I think. I always give her some food or any moto vouchers I have. Don’t know her story though, I’ve never asked

[the maoster]

[Juddian]

Hell Maoster, you've aged some since that pic was taken

[Gidders]

My wife used to work at Stanley Royds hospital ,Wakefiel d until Thatcher closed it.The administrator got a bigger bonus if he closed it before the estimated date.He did.
Predictably the site is now executive apartments.Another winner for the Tory government of the time.

[Juddian]

My wife used to work at Stanley Royds hospital ,Wakefiel d until Thatcher closed it.The administrator got a bigger bonus if he closed it before the estimated date.He did.
Predictably the site is now executive apartments.Another winner for the Tory government of the time.

I had to deliver a load of new cars to a temporary compound in SE London area, circa early 90's, Dartford feels right but could have been anywhere within 20 miles south of the river.
When i got there i've arrived at a large mansion type stately home almost, set in the most peaceful extended gardens, all walled in, turns out it was a former asylum that was closed along with the others, what struck me was just how peaceful the place was, an atmosphere worth soaking up.
I had no knowledge until then really what had gone on re the asylums, learning about this travesty affected me enough to phone to discuss these things with my cousin who happens to be a Catholic Priest, he was as angry and upset about these places of peace and safety being shut down as anyone.

As Flying Tanker says, just what the hell did those heartless swine expect was going to happen to the poor sods being chucked out into a hostile world they may have had no previous knowledge of apart from fearful memories.
Not to worry the right sort will have trousered large undeserved sums, maybe even a gong or three to sweeten the deals.

[Franglais]

Make a sentence containing these words...Leopards...Spots....Change....

What on earth does anyone think is really meant when politicians talk about "efficiencies" regarding health care, social care, mental health, etc? Care is not measured by "efficiencies"!

Promise a tax cut of 1penny, and shout about how great the "free market" is for everything and they win all the votes going.

Did you make a sentence containing those 3 words earlier? Try these 3 then.... Reap...Sow....You

[toonsy]

Tramp lady with teeth missing at MSAs far and wide?

Isn't that carryfast hitching between trade movement jobs?

[Big Truck]

"Schelly" sadly there is a FB page about her and hopefully the truckers on it look out for her.
Have seen her a right few times over the years about the services,
think she sleeps rough in among the trees in some with the Rats!!!!!!!

Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk

[Gidders]

The occupants of Stanley Royds were literally abandoned,some having been there many years and still thinking in £ shillings and pence.Being put in a hostel with their social money which lasted one session down the pub then back to hospital for a meal while it was still open.Others lived under trees in the grounds.Outrageous way to treat vulnerable people totally unused to what we consider a routine life.

[alamcculloch]

I had a mate who worked in one of those hospitals. They trained the inmates where possible on the farms and had work shops for the more able people. Some were really institusionalized and just couldnt cope for or by themselves. The closures meant that they were made homeless.

[Punchy Dan]

If it’s the same one I gave her a lift some yrs ago ,she’s not English but does speak well I gave her £20 and dropped her off in Macclesfield.she was wearing a stainless steel bowl to protect against radio waves .

[Conor]

She's called Lorna and comes from Scotland. First saw her at Lancaster services several years ago when she was in her late teens. Saw her a few months ago and time hasn't been kind, I don't think she's even 30 yet. Once saw here sat in the foyer at 2am at Tibshelf services one winter. Went in and bought her a Maccy's meal.

Says she's interested in going back home to her parents but won't accept offers to.

Sadly I get the feeling from some of the things she's said that she gets abused by some of the drivers who give her a lift because she is under the influence. When I saw her last time and said it'd been a while since I'd seen her she asked if she had behaved herself the previous time.

A shame but she seems to have little interest in being helped.

[Pennineman]

There was a guy who used to wander around Baslow village in Derbyshire, he lived in a 'cave' just ff the A619 Chatsworh-Chesterfield road.

He always had a flask with him which I was told, the local village café used to fill it up for him.

If saw him near the village shop, I used to buy him a sandwich. He never actually spoke but did give a nod as an acknowledgement for the gift.

He got a bit of abuse from some car drivers blasting their horn as they past him on the road - don't get that myself ?????

He was eventually evicted from his 'home' by some newly elected council official (I suspect the 'Official' lived locally) and I never saw him after that.

Sad as, AFAIK, he NEVER caused anybody any bother.

[Yorkielad]

If it’s the Scottish Lass last time I saw her was in Wetherby,used to see her regular in Southwaite southbound when I was doing night trunk,saw her in Wetherby on days.

[waddy640]

Care in the Community was probably the reason the prison population rose in the late eighties and early nineties.

Across South London there were about ten mental hospitals this has reduced to about two now.

[dozy]

There often a lad & his dog outside Morrison’s in Grantham , we always get him a hot pie / sausage roll / chicken & the dog some treats , both very thankful , dog can’t get enough of the treats
Also put cat food / treats into cat rescue bin
Not much but it’s something , also couple over road struggling money wise , so mrs fetches little girl when ice cream van comes & they sit on grass & have a 99 with strawberry sauce each , little girls eyes light & my mrs loves having a sit & chat with little one

[peterm]

It's a diabolical state of affairs over here too. Too many homeless living horrible lives. As has been said "care in the community, my arse."

[the nodding donkey]

In a civilised society, " those who can, look after the ones who can't ".

In our funked society, "those who can, look after themselves, and [zb] the rest of you"...

[robroy]

There was a one years ago in the 80s, who used to frequent the old Red Lion pub next to the truck park at Aldgate,.she was known by the older drivers as 'A5 Annie',.she was [zb] ancient then, and used to walk round the pub in a miniskirt showing her knickers.....not a pretty sight btw.
Apparentllly she usedd to just hitch hike from one end of A5 to other before the M way was built. hence the name and , presumably on the game.

An old hand used to tell me tales of 50s trucking., and the 'ladies' who used to do much the same thing pre m'way days also,.spending their lives hitch hiking.
2 always stick in my mind, one was called ''Winnie the gobbler'' for obvious reasons ,.the other was called 'Peg Leg'' as she obviously had a false leg.
This guy (who worked for me at the time) used to say you could often see a truck parked up in a lay by, , where she'd hung her leg over the mirror arm, while they did the business .....not a lot of room in those old Thames Traders and Albions he used to tell me.

[robroy]

Make a sentence containing these words...Leopards...Spots....Change....

What on earth does anyone think is really meant when politicians talk about "efficiencies" regarding health care, social care, mental health, etc? Care is not measured by "efficiencies"!

Promise a tax cut of 1penny, and shout about how great the "free market" is for everything and they win all the votes going.

Did you make a sentence containing those 3 words earlier? Try these 3 then.... Reap...Sow....You

I blame Brexit.

[Star down under.]

Make a sentence containing these words...Leopards...Spots....Change....

What on earth does anyone think is really meant when politicians talk about "efficiencies" regarding health care, social care, mental health, etc? Care is not measured by "efficiencies"!

Promise a tax cut of 1penny, and shout about how great the "free market" is for everything and they win all the votes going.

Did you make a sentence containing those 3 words earlier? Try these 3 then.... Reap...Sow....You

I blame Brexit.

I blame Carryfast, he saw it mentioned on Google.

[corij]

know a fellow living in a tent nr St.Ives, ex army,ex trucker , army pension hes on a campsite swiggin wine he can be a bit [zb] tho dob you in if youv a bald tyre otherwise harmless and another lives in the dunes at Great Yarmouth i dunno if hes on a pension . Having said that it must be a lot harder for a woman to do the tramp life

[robroy]

she was wearing a stainless steel bowl to protect against radio waves .

Winseer in drag?
Infamy infamy,.they've all got it in for me.

[pig pen]

Has anyone else seen the tramp lady who frequents the service stations lorry parks up and down the country?

I've seen her at the Golden Fleece Cumbria, Wooly Edge and just the other day i saw her at Cherwell Valley.

She seems to carry her worldly belongings in a couple of bags and travel suitcase, she looks unkempt with teeth missing and appears to have mental health problems, it's quite sad to see.

Does anyone know her backstory and does she hitchhike from truckers all day and everyday?

If its the same Lady, she was in Oxford services teatime last night

[ArcticMonkey]

I'll buy her a meal next time i see her. Can't understand how anyone could take advantage of someone like her and abuse her.
She's likely suffered a lifetime of abuse, homeless people all have a backstory and have nearly always suffered serious abuse as a child.
There's a good YouTube channel called The Taboo Room where the Brummie lad asks roughly the same set of questions to homeless people he meets and these short 10 minute interviews are compelling and horrific when they give a brief insight into their life.