BBC Home
Explore the BBC
BBC News
Launch consoleBBC NEWS CHANNEL
Last Updated: Sunday, 14 December, 2003, 11:06 GMT
Church hits out at beggar poster
Church leaders from across Nottinghamshire have signed an open letter to Nottingham City Council criticising its beggars poster campaign.

The posters warn shoppers not to give cash directly to homeless people , claiming it only fuels their drug or drink habits.

It depicts a polystyrene cup bearing the message "90% of the money given to beggars goes straight to drug dealers".

More than 30 members of the church say the posters do not make it clear there is a diverted giving scheme across the city.

Reverend Andrew Deuchar, from St Peters Church in Nottingham, told BBC Radio Nottingham the posters send out the wrong signal.

He said: "The immediate image is of homeless people being responsible for the guns or the drugs.

"And this goes right against the message of the chief constable, who has said publically that the ones on the streets are the victims, not the perpetrators."


SEE ALSO:
Beggar jailed for ignoring injunction
12 Dec 03  |  Nottinghamshire
Warning over beggar tactics
05 Dec 03  |  Nottinghamshire


RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites


PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

News Front Page | World | UK | England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | Politics
Business | Entertainment | Science/Nature | Technology | Health | Education
Have Your Say | Magazine | In Pictures | Week at a Glance | Country Profiles | In Depth | Programmes
Americas Africa Europe Middle East South Asia Asia Pacific