Solitary chicken - need advice

[Alis girls]

I dont usually watch this sort of programme as so depressing but I found it quite an eye opener. Keith Allen, Mel B, Trinny Woodall and a rufby player (nice guy forgot name) all went to live with famillies on notoroius estates with in 2 cases 5 kids or more and in Trinnys case she was looking after an old dear. The rugby guy was with a couple who worked very hard but lived hand to mouth.

Two of the mums had at least 4-5 kids ( an awful lot of boys) and no father figure seemed to be in the picture. the houses were small , pokey and very messy (maybe a sign of depression) Education was poor, diet was poor and the overall picture was very sad.

Trinny was living with a lady who lived in a town house who slept downstairs as she couldnt make the stairs. Her ex husband was her carer.

One thing I found mildy amusing was the old dear had a commode which Trinny had to empty - and we watched as she did this down the kitchen sink not sure if trinny had probs getting upstairs but thank heavens it was only a number 1

The other thing was everyone seemed to smoke - large amounts from the piles of dog ends. Also one family were over run with rats.

if you get to see it - it is captivating if not sad viewing, and not entertaining at all, but youc can see why youths go off the rails. As a mum of 2 boys I take my hat off to any single parent who gets them to adulthood un scathed.

[Lesley]

I didn't watch as I didn't think it would be good for my blood pressure

 

I saw the trailers - I've been in that situation but didn't live like that. I feel they choose people who will make good TV and never show the ones who are making a good job of it.

 

(I did manage to get my son (and daughter) through unscathed and, now in his thirties, he's very proud of the fact that his name has never been in the 'Up in Court' section of the local newspaper when many of his schoolfriends have..........it's the first bit that my father reads I think )

 

Trinny!!!

[Alis girls]

yes I've lived in council accomodation thankfully witout kids, with sweat shop in above flat and drunks next door. Plus drug addicts breaking in and knife weilding thugs and wouldnt wish it on anyone. I think some people want their 5 mins of fame and dont worry about the consequences. Unfortunately I was one of the viewers who found it not entertaining but had to watch it.

[cockadoodle1]

Keith Allen stated on breakfast tv that the family he was staying with consumed 600 ciggies a week. Surely if people can afford that sort of expenditure albeit bought on the cheap through illegal suppliers then why are television companies highlighting people like this. Overun by rats, this can only happen if you dont clean your house! I have no sympathy with these sort. when money probably going to them in income support could be redirected to much more worthy causes. Rant over

[chickencam]

I thought about watching it, but chose reading by the fire instead. Might give it a go on iplayer when I have some ironing to do.

[Redwing]

I didnt watch it as so many of these things are filmed in filthy living rooms with a widescreen telly and sky box in the background

 

If these people really are on the breadline in the proper sense then I have the utmost sympathy for them though - I've been 'down and out' and its not a good place to be

[chelsea]

I saw it..

 

I could not believe how dirty the houses were

 

I did feel sorry for the upset mum (who was from the "working" family) she was so ashamed that her son had taken the wrong path.

[Lozmk1]

it made for truly fascinating viewing, i too was alarmed by the rats and the fags! high praise to keith allen tho for cleaning all the muck up and COOKING! (i dont think of him being like that!) i can relate to the "working mum" who had the nice clean tidy house but lived hand to mouth as thats how we were brought up, its done no harm though so theres proof it does turn out good sometimes, im looking forward to the next installment!

[chickencam]

I must agree that I have more respect for Keith Allen now, he cleaned cooked and cooked with the children.

[Alis girls]

Yes I always felt he was a bit scummy having seen how Lil has turned out. I suspect mel B will chuck money at the family shes with and I hope Trinny wont continue to use kitchen sink to tip the contents of the commode down. A fit girl like her should be going up the stairs and using the loo. Imagine washing your brekkie pots in the sink after i will have to stop watching if she does. Hope you;ve all eaten

[Guest]

it just wound me up, just because you're poor doesn't mean you can't clean your house, yuk! Lazy, dirty scroungers!

[Egluntyne]

Unfortunately these people are caught up in the cycle of deprivation, ie generations of low attainment in education, unemployment and poor housing.

 

It says much about us as a society that we have been unable to find a way of helping people out of the mess that they find themselves in.

[Guest]

that woman who Trinny is staying with was helped out by citizens advice as she had a £30,000 gambling debt. It was written off but she still spends almost £50 a week at bingo and goodness knows how much in the slot machine at the bookies. She's claiming carer's allowance and disability benefit, that's where her benefits are going!

 

I feel genuinely sorry for people who are deprived but who want to better themselves but i think the producers have deliberately chosen those families who don't seem to want to be helped. That fact that Keith Allen had to clean that woman's cupboards out says it all! She can afford 5 kids, a dog, a smoking habit but can't be bothered to clean her kitchen cupboards, no wonder she has rats!

 

The mother of the family Mel B is staying with doesn't seem to be depriving herself of food!

 

I had hoped the prog would enlighten us (me) about how awful these people's lives were thru no fault of their own but I'm sorry, they're responsible for a lot of the problems they are having!

[Guest]

I.... I feel they choose people who will make good TV and never show the ones who are making a good job of it.

 

...

 

totally agre with you there. The Secret Millionaire prog is far better, that shows the ones who DO try to make a go of it and totally deserve to be helped.

[Alis girls]

i didnt see any of the trailers just happened to switch tv on and started to watch it. I agree with everything said - Poet is right in that no one really wants to hlp themselves in it. We see it in the NHs as you do as teachers and social workers. They cant afford loads of kids but con tinue to get pregnant and seem too daft or dumb to use contraception . Fags cost money but its found for that.

i didnt know about the old womans debts or any of the other stuff - i only wondered if anyone had watched it (said in a wailing voice )

[Janty]

Best one that we saw as teachers was the recent government initiative to give 'poor' families laptops to help childrens' education. One teacher recently asked a year group of children how many took advantage of this scheme. Loads of hands went up. Then he asked how many still had their laptops...most hands went down. Apparently there is a good trade in them down the local car boot.

 

[Jules.]

Sounds interesting- I didn't see it but I'll try to view it on line.

 

At the moment I would consider my family to be living hand-to-mouth, we are certainly well under the limit for our annual income to enable us to obtain full working tax credits. But we still can afford life insurance, the mortgage ( hurrah for the mortgage repayment protector policy!) food & heating, but not much else. And we have a lovely, clean & tidy house, apart from the kitchen which is falling to bits

And I couldn't afford to smoke, even if I wanted to

 

Debt/depravation is a vicious circle, and we are only just seeing the start of it, with the 1st generation of deprived, unparerented "adults" becoming parents themselves. If I didn't have my faith I'd despair.