A homeless man who lost his home after a family tragedy has spoken out against the drunken revellers who hurl abuse at him. Mark Madsen, 40, has been sleeping rough in York for about four months following the death of his aunt, with whom he was living.
Mr Madsen, a former mechanic and factory worker, begs for money to buy food. He says most people are kind, but Friday and Saturday nights bring trouble. 'It's when people have been drinking that are bad. They give a bit of abuse, “Get a job!” and scream at you,' he said.
The abuse leaves him feeling 'really bad', especially as he worked for years. His defiant response to those who insult him is simple: 'Don’t judge a book by its cover.' He finds begging embarrassing but necessary to eat and drink.
Mr Madsen attends Carecent, a breakfast club for the homeless, where he has met others. He believes many on the streets struggle with mental health issues, not addiction. 'Not all people on the street are on drink or drugs,' he said, noting that half of those at Carecent do not use substances. He hopes to move into shared housing and resume playing football.
In a separate incident, another rough sleeper, Callum Donaghey, was turned away from a pre-paid room at a Holiday Inn Express in Manchester due to a company policy against accommodating homeless guests. After public outcry, Mr Donaghey received help at a rehabilitation centre.
