The Bugle #24

...“At least this

Bugle’s in tune!”...

Edition 24

Autumn 2011

Who is

the man

behind it

all?

Find out inside!

AUTUMN 2011

THE

EDITORS NOTE:

Dear reader,

Summer came and went and now Autumn is quickly going to turn the leaves from green to autumn

colours. In this edition, you will see we have our usual great range of articles, stories and poetry which has

been put together by the team. Also in this edition, we had the great honour of welcoming Alan Berry (founder

of Bethany Christian Trust). Alan sat down with the group for a good two hour discussion. Remember as Alan

Berry said ‗that however hopeless a situation feels, there is always someone ready with that ladder for you to

climb out…‘ Also many thanks to Adam our trusty volunteer who helped put together this edition. It would

have been a lot more work without you!

Best Wishes FF

Page 2

We are here!

Written & put together by the Bethany Press Team.

The Bethany Press Team puts together each edition of The Bugle magazine. We

meet almost every Wednesday from 1.30p.m.-3.pm at our Learning Centre at 65 Bon-

nington Road, Leith

What is the Bugle?

Well the dictionary says that it is a musical instrument like a small trumpet. Our Bugle is a quar-

terly magazine. As beginners we at The Bugle are first learning our trade as reporters, editors

or just plain gofers. In time we hope The Bugle will become a much read and much sought af-

ter local magazine that people will enjoy and discuss until the next issue.

Where is The Bugle available?

From hostels, drop-ins, libraries, churches, doctor‘s and dentist waiting rooms… look out for

it!

Who are we looking for to write for The Bugle?

Anyone! But especially people who are or have been homeless. Most members of our Press

Team have been, or are currently homeless.

The views expressed in The Bugle are not necessarily those of Bethany Christian

Trust.

If you have any comments on The Bugle or would like to

get involved give us a call or write to:

Felicity Fyall

Bethany Community Education

32 Jane Street

Edinburgh

EH6 5HD

[email protected]

0131 454 3119

The Team Enjoy The Best Of The Fest In The Great Scottish

Page 3

AUTUMN 2011

THE

WHAT’S INSIDE:

The team speaking to Alan Berry, page

10—12

We go exploring in the rain down the

Royal Mile

Scotland win major tournament- the latest

from the Homeless World Cup P.21

Edinburgh Festival Experience P4

The choice of life P5

Poetry from the team P6

What’s in a year P7

We are the homeless P9

In The Spotlight with Alan Berry P10-12

A wee bit of creativeness P13

Contempt of my sobriety P14

Bobby Mclean P17

Food Glorious Food P18

Footprints in the sand P21

Scotland win Homeless World Cup P22-23

Plus lots more in between!

On most pages are quotes from the men‘s group

about questions they were asked, so enjoy the

thoughtful and funny insights!

The Edinburgh Festival

My Edinburgh Fringe Experiences

I have seen

seven shows

this summer,

six of them

were free and I

only paid for

one. One of

my favourite

things about the

festival is the

amount of fa-

mous faces you

see just roaming

about the streets

and relaxing with

a pint in the pubs

and beer gardens

with all the punt-

ers.

On many occasions over the years,

I have met several people whilst

being up town and attending

shows. I bumped into Melvyn

Hayes, from the old BBC sitcom “it

ain’t half hot mum”, who informed

me that I looked like his former co-

worker on the show, Don Estelle,

who played gunner Harold Sug-

den. I also met Scottish comedian

Craig Hill while

walking down

Chambers Street

back in 2005, and

he was very

friendly.

This year I met Mi-

chael Winslow, the

man with 1000

voices from the Police Acad-

emy films, after his show at

Bristo square. I received his

autograph and he informed me

that he had started researching

his family ancestry, to which I

offered my assistance.

The previous summer I had done

a family tree for an American per-

former by the name of Water-

house, he asked if I could help

and I was happy to do so. I fol-

lowed through with my offer to

help with Michael Winslow‘s fam-

ily by going to the Kirkgate Com-

munity Centre to use the com-

puters on to the census. I found

out that one ancestor, Sarah

Winslow, married a

Mr Smith in 1787

and had four off-

spring, two of which

married into Clark

and Dow families.

The following day I

presented my find-

ings to Michael in a

typed genealogy, to which he was

most impressed and taken aback

with my efforts and was keen to

find out more about his family

history. We exchanged numbers

and addresses and he gave me the

address for the film studios in

America should I have more find-

ings for him.

By Seoras Roibersean

Page 4

Michael Winslow

Craig Hill

Don Estelle

Melvyn Hayes

AUTUMN 2011

THE

What do you think is the most

important lesson you have

learnt in life so far?

“It does not take two to Tango”

Kevin Gordon

What is the most important ad-

vice someone has given you?

“Variety is the spice of life but monotony

brings in the groceries”

Gerry McKenna

Page 5

AUTUMN 2011

THE

At a waterfall in the scrap yard

Through a rainbow‘s trickling voice

I gave you Noah‘s promise

But I‘ve also gave you choice

I‘ll never leave or forsake you

And your pen won‘t thirst of ink

The great Jehovah-Jireh

Said my child take time to think

I give to you the thunder clouds

In Satan's desert land

The Lord of Heaven‘s Armies

Said this is My command

Pentecostal Baptist,

Brethren of the Lord

Show this world My Majesty

My double edged sword

I spoke through Jeremiah

Tonight I speak through you

Many will be chosen

But who will be my few

I‘ll make your journey awesome

To spread My Word a new

I‘ll finish what I‗ve started

The question is will you

I gave you faith, I gave you

hope

And all my Love for you to

cope

I‘ll use you well if you stay true

The choice My child is up to

you

Start at the beginning

It‘s the furthest from the end

Fulfil your destination

Go where I chose to send

Heaven‘s not a lottery

Tonight it could be you

It‘s written in the Bible

I‘ve prepared a place for you

Just look above and see the

stars

I named them one by one

I AM the Holy Spirit

The Father and the Son

The Choice Of Life

Be still and know that I AM

God

And every breath will say

I‘m not Frank Sinatra

I did it Yahweh

I wrote the beginning of this

poem

And now come to the end

I‘ve used a recovering addict

In this message that I send

I asked the Lord for guidance

Like Footsteps by the sea

I realised my comforter

Has wrote this poem for me

By - Ronald William

Haughie

Autumn Morn

Once captured by the tall Elm tree

on this crisp autumn morn

Rays of sunshine glistening

I do gaze upon

A new day dawning

skylarks singing raindrops forming

gulls now heard calling

copper leaves elegantly falling

Her beauty enjoyed

by one and all

the Elm‘s appeal

still lives on

Peter Yates

Fireworks Fireworks light up the sky

As you and I walk past.

It‘s lighting up the way

You hear the children say

―it‘s better than watching the telly‖.

All different colours

And a lot of smoke,

No need to worry it‘s a wonderful bight,

You can smell the fireworks from miles around

But don‘t you worry you won‘t fall down.

Fireworks mark the end of the Tattoo,

Where thousands stand and watch for yet another

summer has past.

They show them on a big screen

So you can tell your friends what you‘ve seen.

Listen to the music

Giving each firework its own procession.

By Janet Coulter

Poetry From The Team

Page 6

AUTUMN 2011

THE

BLOOD BROTHERS

Dear Mr. Donor

I was almost a goner

But thanks to your honour

I‘m no longer a loner.

Eddie K

Page 7

AUTUMN 2011

THE

For most of people a single year is a small

part of a lifetime when the life expectancy is, bar-

ring fatal accidents, above 80 years. We live as best

we can. Many live life at a hectic pace so there is

no time to think of death. The young and those

happy with life feel quite immortal. If they ever

think of it, death is like a foreign country ‗a long

way off,‘ so why spoil a beautiful day by thinking

about it at all.

Mathematically speaking, with an expec-

tancy of 80 years, a single year is 1/80th of a life or

1.25% of a lifetime. That means having a bad year

doesn‘t need to spoil or shorten your life expec-

tancy so most bounce back from a bad year and

can face life optimistically.

That statistic and optimism only applies to

people living relatively secure lives, under a roof

and surrounded by friends. A homeless person

can be male or female but to keep your interest

alive I will limit my thoughts to the male gender.

He certainly has no roof to shelter under, has few

friends, and is very unlikely to be offered work to

help him feed himself or be helped get a roof over

his head. As he has no private place he is forever

being scrutinised, made to feel useless, a burden

on society and shamed as such.

We all take heed of how others see us. We

take on the identity they have given us by how

they see us. It drastically affects the individual and

lowers the life expectancy of one seen as a waste

of space in a value judgement system or society.

Now, let‘s look at the prospects of a home-

less individual. Poor health from wearing what-

ever clothes he can scrounge, forced to endure ex-

posure to rain, snow and wind. His certainties are

he will be always hungry, weak, feeling depressed.

Most homeless are denied medical care. OH yes

there is medical care on offer, not much use if it is

miles away from the needy and he can only walk to

avail himself of that ‗service.‘ Friends are as bad

off as he is and remind him, by that association,

just how low he has sunk. If friends drink too

much, so will he because it is always better to join

the group than be seen as a loner, an outsider.

For such a man, there is very little REAL

assistance on offer. Yes Society says it wants to

help him but then we hear ‗but not in my back

yard and knowing that he has no faith in the soci-

ety that has downgraded him so even if he wanted

to be worthy who is going to help him? Am I

hearing you say, ―But we put up hostels so they

can get off the streets.‖ There are too few beds

available and are of overnight duration. What of

the day after and what does one night‘s sleep offer

the bone tired?

1 year on the streets, homeless, depressed,

unwanted, is a lifetime of pain and sorrow where

the struggle is unrelenting and soul destroying.

Think of freezing nights out of doors and then

think ‗how long can you survive?‘ for that is the

life expectancy of a homeless person. Now imag-

ine how much harder it must be for a homeless

woman?

Alex Anderson

What’s in a Year?

Why should a homeless person try

to break out of this depression that

we, society, have served him.

Work-shy, ne’er-do-well, sponger,

thief, are just a small sample of la-

bels given to the homeless person.

Page 8

AUTUMN 2011

THE

Childhood was innocence explored

pain, pleasure, good and bad

and with a measure of safety

helped us find a way through life

tasting new fruits, learning more.

As an adult, later in life,

seeds sown and responsibility birthed

we tried to guide the child to see

our idea of the best way forward

but pride made teaching hard

wanting so much to be heard and lead

We alienated the listener.

Now here in the autumn of life

We know time is short

And as there is less need

To be ‗in control‘ of the child

Knowing letting-go helps us

Get our message heard

We are better grandparents

than we were to our children.

The ripe fruit knows

all it needs to know

and as free will is a good teacher

it pays well to remember

as parents we made mistakes

as grandparents we corrected them.

Knowledge is the true maturity?

Art work by Miss McDonald

Autumnal reflections

What do you think is the

most important lesson you

have learnt in life so far?

―If it sounds too good to be

true it probably is!‖

Stuart Crothers

What is the most impor-

tant advice someone has

given you?

―Stick it out at school or you

will regret it when you‘re

older‖

Alex J. Anderson

Page 9

WE ARE the homeless – the dispossessed

Even Auschwitz could not possess us

We escaped through the smoke vents

It was a gas.

I am homeless – the friendly old Jamaican

On Leith Walk – no possessions but handouts

From cafes - Leith possesses me.

I‘m the king o‘ Leith

We are the homeless – the travelling folk

―Get along, move along - Go, move, shift‖

When did you last hear that song?

Yeah – the cant‘s lost its voice.

My dad was homeless – a wee Polish lad

Conscripted by Wehrmacht, sent tae France

Legged it right intae Allied forces arms

Dispossession became an obsession.

We‘re all homeless have-nots – so the Deil‘d say

But let‘s cling to Election and selection

We dare possess, that which we profess cos

Nae smoke vents in hell, I guess.

Eddie_K,

We Are The Homeless

AUTUMN 2011

THE

An optimist may see a light where there is none, but why must the pessimist always run to blow it out?




―Never judge a book by its

cover‖

Davie Allan

What is the most im-

portant advice someone

has given you?

―The difference between

right and wrong‖

Davie Allan

What is the most important

advice someone has given

you?

―Don‘t take advice from police

cos it‘s always rubbish!‖

Steven Beckham

IN THE SPOTLIGHT…. With Alan Berry

Bethany Christian Trust is a registered charity based in Edinburgh. It was set up to relieve the suffering and meet the long-term needs of homeless and vulnerable people. The Trust's vision is that through Christian love in action, home-lessness will be reduced and vulnerable people empowered to live independently within society.

The charity was established in 1983 by Rev Alan Berry, then minister of South Leith Baptist Church, in response to the needs of the many homeless and vulnerable people he confronted daily. On the 17th of August, the team had the pleasure of meeting Alan Berry MBE to see how he was enjoying his retirement.

Before Bethany was set

up, you were minister of

South Leith Baptist

church. What made you

think about setting up a

place such as Bethany?

Well, after the Second

World War, the docks at

Leith underwent severe de-

cline, and the area gained a

reputation of roughness and

prostitution. When my fam-

ily and I moved to the area

in the mid 70s, there were

clouds of unemployment,

depopulation, and decline

brooding over the area. The

disused railway station be-

came a gathering point for

down and outs and a darker

sub-culture flourished in a

climate of deprivation. It is

in this context that the Beth-

any story really begins.

Each week, the

need for help and accommo-

dation became increasingly

apparent. They were unem-

ployed, from deprived back-

grounds and with other so-

cial issues. The need would

not go away, nor would the

conviction that somehow we

were to be involved in the

answering of our own

prayers for this need. I was

aware that while I was

preaching about the love of

God and the responsibility

of Christians to demonstrate

that love to others, there was

often a

gap between knowing the

word and doing it. The chal-

lenge of the Parable of the

good Samaritan , Matthew

chapter 25 and the letter of

James took on a new signifi-

cance. In late 1979, I shared

my vision for a Christian

hostel with the congregation

at South Leith and asked

that they pray about whether

this was the way forward,

and if so,

whether

they were

willing to

help make

it a reality.

I came up with this bright idea, that the burns club had closed down, back in 1981, and the building was on the mar-ket, and I said to the church, I think it is a good idea if we bought that building, and used it as a homeless hostel. This went down with the congregation like a lead bal-loon, South Leith church is a great church, but this was out of their safety, nobody took it on board. But the ‗hound of heaven‘ (when God is on someone‘s case to do something), was after me to do something about it, and two years later, the four of us (my wife (Anne, David

and Les) got together, we knocked together a founda-tion document to set up Bethany Christian Trust, and we began to look some-where to do this work. We had very little money and we needed to have permis-sion to be used for a hostel. To set up a homelessness hostel was difficult, one of the things being NIMBY (not in my back yard). To be

truthful, no one really wants a homeless hostel in their back yard. 2 years down the line, the building which we had our eye on had been sold, and the owner had set up a com-mercial hotel. But then her circumstances had changed and she wanted

to sell it on. When we bought it we were able to immediately do the work we had a major loan on our hands -but we were on our way.

How was the name

Bethany chosen?

When you look at the bible,

and see what Bethany was

like, I felt it was a good

name. Jesus had kindness

shown to him, and was wel-

comed and made to feel at

home in Bethany. He was

housed and fed, and things that

happened in Bethany happen

all the way through B.C.T, so

for this reason I think that it is

a very good name.

You were living on the job

with your family in the hos-

tel on Casselbank street.

How was that?

We lived and ate with the resi-

dents. There were 26 men,

with a wide range of needs

including drug and alcohol

problems: you name it, we had

it. We as a family were living

with these guys, and it was

pretty hairy at times. It was

interesting, it affected our son,

but it was in many ways it was

the making of our daughter.

She was 16 at the time.

I remember there was

this one guy, he had been on

drugs, anyway, one night, he

had been put out. The front

door of the hostel, big solid

doors and the big strong old

fashioned chains would be

wrapped around the handles,

so if the door was opened, it

wouldn‘t open much. So he

was put out, but he remem-

bered that he had left his radio

inside. So he was banging

against the door in a rage and

trying to break it open. One of

our staff members went to see,

and he was really pushing

against the door, with such

force that when the staff mem-

ber opened the door, it of

course slammed in his face. So Page 10

AUTUMN 2011

THE

this really got his blood

rushing. So he went out

onto the street and he threw

himself through the window

and smashed through it into

the dining room. He ran

through the corridor to-

wards his radio, and after

getting it was going for the

staff member. But another

resident was following him

and came up behind him

and grabbed him and es-

corted him out.

Anyway, the point I

am making is that it was very

hairy at times. But the rap-

port that I had with the resi-

dents was it could be may-

hem in the lounge, and I

would walk in and it would

be quiet. They were very

respectful.

How do you feel about

Bethany now? Are you still

happy with the direction

which it is going in?

I‘m very excited about the

future of Bethany with what

it is doing and continuing to

do. Don‘t get me wrong,

Bethany is not perfect, but I

am very happy with the di-

rection in which it is going.

One thing I don't

like, one of my pet hates if

you like, is when I get intro-

duced from Bethany Trust,

when the name is shortened.

I do not know that organiza-

tion. Shortening it to Beth-

any is ok, the trust is fine,

but when people run these

two together and miss out

the Christian part, they miss

out the most important part.

It is the reason why Bethany

came into being, and it is

still very Christian, and as

long as that continues I will

be happy.

But I am very

pleased with everything that

the trust is doing, I think

community education does a

very good job, I think things

such as The Bugle are great

and exciting and doing a

very worthwhile job.

But I am very proud of

Bethany and what it has be-

come, and nobody is more

amazed than me. When we

took the first steps in 1981,

we were entering the un-

known. Nobody knew how

it would go. It was a falter-

ing start, however they say

hindsight is the most exact

science known to man and,

looking back, it was good in

that in 1981 the church did-

n‘t make a move for the

building of the old Burns

Club on Casslebank Street,

which was directly opposite

the church. If the church

had bought it in 81, it may

never have worked. 2 years

later when it was bought

independently of the church,

but supported by the

church, I think that this was

much better, and we could

draw in the support of other

churches, rather than just

Leith Baptist Church, and

now we have over 80

churches in Edinburgh now

supporting Bethany.

Is there anything you

would have done differ-

ently?

Well, not everything that I

dreamed of happened. My

dream was that we would

have a rehab centre out in

the countryside. And we

bought a farm with this in

mind. But at the time, there

was no one to run it. I could

have made that work, but I

couldn‘t be the chief execu-

tive and run the rehab cen-

tre. However, again with

hindsight, I don‘t think that

I would have done anything

differently no. As everything

we done led us down a path.

We sold the farm for a good

profit, and this allowed us to

move into West Lothian,

and we now do great work

through in Bathgate. We

have a custom built facility

for men and women which

meets all the needs. And this

would never of happened

had we not bought the farm.

But there is very

little that I regret, but that

doesn‘t mean that everything

was perfect.

In the 1990’s the 7 levels of

care really came into frui-

tion, why are these so im-

portant?

Well, Gordon Weir (who

was the director of care at the

time) and I were discussing

what stages we would like to

see people take to become

independent.

Anyway one day I was talking

at a church in the South of

Edinburgh and I asked them

to imagine that they were

walking through a forest, and

someone has set a trap, and

you fall into this pit. Its deep

and its sides are to slimy too

climb out and you are

trapped. So I asked the chil-

dren, if you were shouting for

help, and someone re-

sponded, what would you

hope they would have with

them? And there was this wee

boy near the front waving his

hand up and down so that I

would see him, so I ask him.

What would

you ask for? To

which he says

in a voice that

can be heard

right to the

back: ―a mobile

phone!‖

―And what

would you use

that phone to ask for?‖ to

which he then got on to the

answer I was hoping for,

―To bring a ladder.‖

―That‘s exactly the answer I

was hoping for‖ I replied to

the boy.

If you fall into the

pit of homelessness, you want

someone to put down a lad-

der which allows you to climb

out.

‘If you fall into the pit

of homelessness, you

want someone to put

down a ladder which

allows you to climb out.’

Page 1 1

AUTUMN 2011

THE

ties opening up. I would like

to see us operate and have

an influence throughout

Scotland, so we can help

organizations that are strug-

gling. But I would like to

see us in the West of Scot-

land, and I think that it will

happen soon enough.

How did you feel about

retiring? And also, how

did you feel about receiv-

ing an MBE? How is

Elizabeth?!

The last time that I spoke to

her she was fine (the group

laugh)

I got the MBE be-

cause of Bethany, because

Bethany had happened, and

because of my work with

Bethany. You only get about

a minute, it‘s a very brief

time, she will ask you ques-

tions and then put the MBE

on, shakes your hand and

pushes your hand away, and

you have to walk backwards.

So I was very proud to re-

ceive the award because it

shines the light onto the

name of Bethany Christian

Trust and the work that it

has done.

You also received the Ra-

dio Forth Local Hero

award!

Which was amazing

because I was retired for 8

years!

The 7 levels are fairly

straight forward, this is what

they are now:

1. Street Work

2. Emergency accommoda-

tion at Bethany house

3. Specialist Units

4. Supported Housing

5. Home Furniture Provi-

sion

6. Community Education

7. Community Integration

We come in at vari-

ous levels. People benefit

from different levels. So we

are there for people at all

levels, regardless. And we

are there for them should

they fall and we are able to

pick them up again. Quite

often it can be a revolving

door. People didn't take the

help first time round, but we

have an open door to them,

people can come back, and

do.

Are there any new steps

that you would like to see

Bethany take?

Well, the trust is moving

forward at such a pace, that

it would be presumptuous of

me to say that we should be

doing this rather than that.

There are a lot of opportuni-

Which are

you more proud of,

the MBE or the Local

Hero award?

Well they are

not on the same shelf.

(laughs)

These awards

are really a credit to

Bethany rather than for

what I have done. So its

good for Bethany to

receive the awards. I am very

proud of what Bethany has

done and what it as achieved

and I hope it keeps going

forward..

But on the question

of retiring, I felt I had

brought Bethany as far as I

was able to take it. I think

there is a right time to hand

it over to someone else.

Iain and I are very

good friends, but he will

admit that he couldn't do

some of the things that I

done, such as living with 26

residents, that wasn't his

scene.

So at 65 I felt that I

had done my part and I felt

it was the right thing to do .

The person needed when I

retired was very different

from the hands on per-

son I was. And he has a

great team around him.

It‘s the way it

had to be. My part has

been played, and its

down to Iain now. I‘m

very proud of the trust,

and what it has gone on

to achieved since I re-

tired, and I am sure that

it will continue to go

from strength to

strength.

So I have no regrets

about retiring at all.

We were just wondering

what your secret was for

staying so young?

(Laughs) Well I‘m never one to

sit back, and I stay young by

sticking hard at it.

And I hope the Lord gives me

a few more good years.

But it has been an absolute

pleasure to be here meeting

you guys and I look forward to

reading the magazine.

Why did your wife Anne

choose to write the book?

Anne always had an ambition

to write, it‘s a lot of work, get-

ting material, it took her

months. The book was written

by my wife. But the picture of

the homeless person on the

front of the book—that's me!

The reason why is because we

weren‘t going to use anyone

that it could affect a relation-

ship with a member of their

family, when the book came

out my daughter said that‘s

ridiculous using a picture of a

homeless person, what are they

going to think? She had to look

a bit more carefully...

In the spotlight... With Alan

Berry

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THE

Art work by Sue Johnston



A wee bit of creative-

Eddie put together some movie quotes. Which films do they come from?

1. ―Asps. Very dangerous. You go first‖

2. "Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans, no more merciful beheadings, and call off Christmas!"

3. "Afraid? Now let's get this straight, Rubble, I don't need per-mission from my wife to make a decision. In my cave, I reign supreme, 'SUPREME'!."

4. "Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!"

5. ―I am not an animal! I am a human being! I am a man!‖

6. "Look, I really don't think they flew 90 billion light years to come down here and start a fight."

7. "Look, spaghetti arms. This is my dance space. This is your dance space. I don't go into yours, you don't go into mine"

8. "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine"

9. ―Prince Im-Ho-Tep thanks you for your hospitality... and for your eyes... and for your tongue... but I'm afraid more is needed.‖

10. ―There are children here somewhere. I can smell them.‖

11. ―I'm saying I'm an insect who dreamt he was a man and loved it. But now the dream is over and the insect is awake.‖

12. " I'm sorry I didn't build you a stronger ship, young Rose"



you?

―Be careful what you wish

for‖

Mark Rosbrough



you?

―Auntie Helen advised me to get

rid of Ms Brown for the sake of

my health and finance. I took it‖

Seoras Roibersean

What is the most impor-


given you?

―Always keep a roof above

your head‖

Ally Mitchell

Page 14

AUTUMN 2011

THE

CONTEMPT OF MY SOBRIETY

Gazing at the stars last night, what‘s this all about?

As I take a drink of wine, and cast another doubt

My head is sore, my eyes are glazed, my body‘s quite not right

My self destruction membership, I pay it every night

Now social drinkers listen, my point you will not see

And future alcoholics, who say that won‘t be me

It started at the weekend; I thought it was a laugh

From days to years of weekend drink, I found another path

My roads lead to redundancy, and little did I think

The job I‘d have on Monday, to find myself a drink

Money from ma mum again, for that there‘s nothing surer

Coppers bottles to the shop, to get myself a curer

I hope I hold it down this time, the last can made me sick

The devils strongbow super, he gave me it on tick

But gazing at the stars last night, the fog and mist so black

Remembering all my sober times, as my memories take me back

Could I get them back again, as I began to think

Mr Jeckle Mr Hyde, that‘s just me on drink

Ronald William Haughie Bethany Hoose

Art work by Miss McDonald

The pastor was growing con-cerned about sparse attendance, so he published this item in the church bulletin:

"This . . . is . . . the . . . way . . . the . . .church . . . sometimes

. . . looks . . . to . . . the . . . pas-tor . . . when . . . he . . . goes . . .

into . . . the . . . pulpit.

"Itwouldlooklikethisifeverybodybroughtsomebodyelsetochurch."




―You could pick up a worse book

than a Bible‖

―Get Jesus in your heart 1 Cor 13,

without love you‘re nothing‖

Stuart Wilson Art work by Sam Greer

Page 15

AUTUMN 2011

THE

Aye I‘ve worked. I dinnae work now, but I used to.

I learnt to play cards, and pool when I was working as

an engineer.

One day, I met this bugger who said he‘d beat me at

pool. He was full of how

good he was. I didnae bother.

I just played him, and beat

him. He still owes me the

money, never saw him again.

That‘s how good at pool I

am!

Aye I‘m trying tae keep right.

Got bother wi my neighbour,

and I might lose my flat if

there are any more com-

plaints.

My support worker is going

to be doing spot checks. I‘ve

decided to say no to those

who come round and party

in my flat. Sort of realised

they‘re not real friends any-

way, it‘ll be me who loses the house, no them, they‘ll

just find somewhere else to party.

That‘s something new for me, saying no. Trouble is

you want pals, but you‘ve got to figure our who‘s a real

pal, and those who are just using you.

If you would like prayer and good company come along to Leith Baptist church

At 27-29 Madeira street, EH6 4AJ every Tuesday morning, lunch and fellow-ship at 10.30- 12.30 all wel-come. Weekday prayer meeting 10.30- 12.30.




My mum said ―Take one day

at a time and don‘t drink‖

George Begs




―To have a roof above my head‖

―Not to get involved with

women!‖

Gerry McKenna

MORPHY‘S PROBLEM My favourite chess player is Paul Morphy, born 1837 in New Orleans, and died at the tragically young age of 47, in 1884. To me he was (for those early days of chess) as incisive as Bobby Fischer, and we‘re lucky to have his games re-corded for posterity. Morphy was credited with at least one chess problem, and here it is.

White to play and mate in 2.

Angels I would rather write about angels than fairies; firstly, I‘d like to enforce that angels are of the truth, as they are re-corded in the living Bible, and I can have confidence when I read about them in Holy Scripture.

Angels appeared at the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, in that great vic-tory over the world, the flesh and the Devil. So Jesus is alive forevermore. That means He can live in our hearts and we can all become Christians. Praise the Lord!

I‘d also like to say that I do not have faith in fairies – God commands us to have faith in God alone, and that is ex-actly where I put mine.

―Heaven and earth shall pass away but God‘s word endures forever‖ [Matt 24:35 ]

By Gordan Cameron

Page 16

All the very best Liz Lochhead Being a huge fan of the Scottish

writer Liz Lochhead, I went along

to the Scottish Poetry Library to

buy her new book ‗A Choosing se-

lected Poems‘. I couldn‘t believe my

luck when I turned around and saw

Ms Lochhead walking through the

door. Being the coward that I am I

sent my friend over to ask her to

sign the book. To my great delight

Liz came straight over and not only

signed the book but also stood

chatting with me about her earlier

works which I‘ve read and enjoyed

over the years. I found her to be

very friendly and genuinely inter-

ested in what I had to say. My all-

time favourite is one of her poems

called ‗The Choosing‘, which is

about two school friends meeting

by chance after a number of years

and discovering the choices in life

both have made. This poem like all

of her work is very real and relevant

to modern day living. Ms Loch-

head‘s play ‗Perfect Days‘ is a laugh

out loud comedy which I would

highly recommend to anyone living

in Scotland who likes a good laugh.

I would just like to say a huge thank

you to Liz Lochhead for taking time

to talk with me. ‗All the very best -

Peter Yates‘.

AUTUMN 2011

THE

The Men‘s Scottish Music

Group

I was getting housing

support, but it came to an

abrupt end when the company

who were supporting me felt

that I no longer needed sup-

port.

That‘s the biggest favour

that they have ever done for

me. The company contacted

several places to get me help,

one of which was Bethany. I

got an interview with then staff

member Tim Porteus, the rest is

now history.

I started coming to the

Bethany news group on a

Thursday. Tim found out that I

was interested in sports so he

talked me into going on Leith

FM, Leith‘s radio station. Then

I got involved in the Bethany

magazine The Bugle.

While I was doing my

sports slot on Leith FM, I was

asked to meet Scott Murray, a

tutor with the Scottish music

group who was going to be in-

terviewed on air that afternoon.

We got talking and he asked if I

could play any instruments, to

which I replied no. The nearest

that I ever came was the fiddle,

because my Grandfather made

them and he played, however I

never got round to it.

The Scottish music

group started as Scott and a

volunteer Patrick came to the

Men‘s group one Thursday, and

shortly after that they were giv-

ing their own day on Monday‘s.

And so, week by week the

group grew and grew, with new

people coming along each

week.

Then Scott put up a no-

tice asking men for comments

as to why they come and what

they got out of it.

Scott put all the com-

ments together and

wrote a song, The

Men of Bethany. The

YMCA where the

Men‘s Group is held

had their AGM, and

we were asked to

perform a few songs

for them. Last

Christmas, we were asked to

perform at a Christmas concert,

however it was sadly cancelled.

I really enjoyed coming

along to the Music Group on a

Monday, although it was

changed to Wednesday shortly

afterwards. It really helped me

because the singing helped me

greatly to improve my speech

problem. But sadly, it was all

coming to an end.

Our last concert was go-

ing to be on the 18th of June.

The group teamed up with

three other groups from other

organisations, The Rock Trust,

The Strafford Centre, and The

DLMD project. We would be

performing our last concert

with these organisations at the

YMCA. Myself and tutor Scott

Murray wrote a song about Ed-

inburgh‘s two football teams,

Hibs and Hearts, called Two

Field’s of Dreams, and was very

well received. The concert was

really well planned and it was a

huge success and we went out

with a bang

A big thank to Scott, Patrick

and Gica, and would also like to

thank Ruth and Sarah for their

work behind the scenes and for

all the help and guidance that

they given me.

Bobby McLean

How I Started At Bethany and That Night of 18th June 2011

Page 17

AUTUMN 2011

THE

Page 18

AUTUMN 2011

THE

Nobody can fail to be affected by the distressing

scenes of the famine victims of Somalia. A disastrous

cocktail of the worst drought and resulting famine in

sixty years and aid relief not being let through by rebel

military extremists. Thousands of people are escaping

from Somalia over the border to Kenya to over-

crowded, under-resourced refugee camps. Yet it is

from Kenya that our supermarkets are sourcing cheap

fruit and vegetable products in their eye-catching 3 for

£2 offers. I feel something is not quite ethical about

getting cheap grub from a continent that suffers so

much from lack of rain.

In fact it is these deals, which are con-

tributing to their lack of water. While we are all be-

coming more aware of the damage of our carbon foot-

prints and the need to reduce our Co2 emissions

bringing cheap fruit and vegetables from the third

world means not only do we increase the carbon foot-

print by the air transport, but we are also removing

water from their eco systems. The BBC 2 documen-

tary ―the Future of Food‖ showed how the vegetables

carry water with them so when we eat our green beans

as part of our five a day we are also depriving these

countries of their water. Regions in India, that pro-

duce Iceberg lettuce, are even depleting their under-

ground water wells as opposed to producing native

crops. The last thing we need to bring into northern

Europe is extra water.

Grow local, eat local is good for us, and good

for the world, people and planet. Having a permanent

abundance of what we want, when we want is not ac-

tually good for us. Things eaten in season taste better

and contain the nutrients we need for that season of

the year. Fruit especially does not travel well - having

had the fortune to live in the Rioja Region of Spain

that has a bounty of fresh food and vegetables, not

just the grapes for their famous wine, I know what

eating recent picked fresh juicy peaches are like. Fruit

should ripen on the tree but what we get are prema-

turely picked so as not to bruise while travelling and to

ripen at home. My friend Miguel always says the man-

gos he gets here are just not anywhere near the ones

form Venezuela; I know exactly what he means.

Scotland

does have quality

produce and a diet

to keep out the cold

of our damp north-

erly climes. Mother

nature also provided

us with oats to make porridge, oats having been recog-

nised as a food that, reduces cholesterol naturally.

Sadly we have given up on the porridge but are eating

more stodgy ready made food than ever.

So while people in the third world are dying of

hunger we in the west are getting fatter and more and

more unhealthy. Bombarded by fad diets, slimming

aids and products the diet industry is making big fat

profits from the fact that we have lost the plot as far

as food is concerned. We should admire the French

whose chauvinism regarding their food have lead them

to ignore all types of food fads and diets they eat a lot

of creams and butters but paradoxically their health as

a nation is much better than most of west.

And lets us not forget the amount of waste

produced by all the packaging and transportation that

supermarket presentation requires and sell by dates. A

super market‘s dream to sell more produce, it is quite

easy to tell when most food has perished and don‘t

forget the amount of preservatives and hormones that

are added.

Supermarkets though a convenient efficient

business model, one that Margaret Thatcher adored

and imposed on the country‘s economy and see where

that has got us! Many of the ills we have today can be

traced back to those years: the run down of manufac-

turing de-regularisation of everything and anything.

Followed on by pointless, expensive to implement EU

rules dreamed up by over paid researchers.

Food Glorious Food

Page 19

AUTUMN 2011

THE

Supermarkets have thrived in this economic

model but they are like an invasive predator species.

While they have a place they are destroying communi-

ties with their large out of centre hyper markets: what

is saved at the till is paid for at the pump, their mini

city stores squeezing out local traders and they are also

harming agriculture. One simple example: Britain has

lost many, many varieties of indigenous apple because

the apples didn‘t fit neatly onto pre-pack trays for the

supermarkets. The consequence of this is making the

remaining varieties weaker with no cross pollination

and that is just one case in

point. Their solution is

GM crops which result in

seeds that don‘t repro-

duce but make the fat cats

even more money be-

cause new seeds have to

be purchased every year.

Food in this business model is a commodity

but it is essential to life and in every religion the mak-

ing and sharing of food plays an important part in the

spiritual life of the family and community, something

we are losing touch with because of the filling station

attitude we have acquired. We have to eat, grabbing

food, eating while working, at the computer, on the

move, habits disastrous for the digestion. None the

less we can all play our part by buying and shopping

locally for local foods and using the supermarkets for

genuine offers and remembering the French paradox.

Our health at personal, community and global levels

will be better for it.

Julie Ann

Thomason

I wanted to write a wee note, it‘s Douglas here and I

used to work for John Crabbie's. They used to make

green Ginger wine, I found out this information: ‗John

Crabbie created his old Scottish Green Ginger Wine in

the ancient port of Leith in 1801. Over 200 years later

it is still one of Scotland's favourite ginger wines, with

an array of the finest fresh ingredients from around the

world, including ginger, lemon and orange zest, wild

cowslips from Eastern Europe, fragrant Oriental cinna-

mon and cloves.‘


most important lesson

you have learnt in life so

far?

―To Surrender to God‖




far?

―Don‘t be defined by your

past‖ What is the most impor-


given you?

―Live to learn, die and for-

get it all‖

Craig Johnson

Page 20

Wee Aunt Maggie

Standing on Princes Street

selling the Big Issue

on her tired aching feet

She always says please

then cutely she winks

cheeky boys tease

they all shout

‗She Stinks‘

I do like to help

I Buy when I can

and then I feel guilty

on George Street

saying no, to

Wee uncle Tam.

AUTUMN 2011

THE

My home football team began its formation in October 1910 and the ground was Seafield Park,

which carried on a further twelve year occupation. It was not until season 22 - 23 that Sir John

Kynoch a textile factory owner gifted the ground and we have been there ever since.

They choice of strip is maroon red and sky blue shorts. Even the mighty Glasgow Rangers came to Kynoch Park for a pre-season friendly they brought a mixed team of adults and juniors. After a number of years fate did a hand by ways of be-ing drawn against each other in second round of Scottish Cup. Rangers went comfortably through 10-1 held at Pittodrie, Aberdeen as our own ground was below stadia criteria. The most recent match I attended was the Scot-tish cup third round, Edinburgh City versus

Keith 3-1 home side, considering previous round Maroons there nickname had beat Dalbeattie Star 2-4 away from Kynoch. Seoras Roibersean

The Origins of Keith Football Club

Conscience Issue

Peter Yates




far?

―Not waiting to have kids‖

Mark

Page 2 1

AUTUMN 2011

THE

A poem to share

‗Footprints in the sand‘ was written by the poet Mary Stevenson whilst in her teens in the late 1930s. She distributed the poem to those who were at a low point in their lives hoping it would give comfort. As so many did find comfort through the poem they too passed it on and soon the poem became known throughout the world.

Once read this poem stays with you al-ways and may give hope and guidance along the path of your life. Perhaps you could pass it on to loved ones at a time in their lives when they may be seeking comfort or reassurance. The truly magi-cal thing about this beautiful poem is that it speaks of each and every one of us. Peter Yates

One night I had a dream-- I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord and across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints, one belonged to me and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that many times along the path of my life, there was only one set of footprints. I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life. This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way, but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. "I don't understand why in times when I needed you most, you should leave me." The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never, never leave you during your times of trial and suffering. "When you saw only one set of footprints,

it was then that I carried you." Mary Stevenson

Footprints in the sand

Solution to Morphy’s problem:

R-R6

If 1.....PxR, white replies 2. P-Kt7mate. Or if the black Bishop moves anywhere, White plays 2.RxP mate.



you?

―Try and be happy at least

once a day‖

J Fleming




―Treat others the way you want

to be treated‖

Steven Greenwell




―To keep your mouth shut

and not to give too much in-

formation about yourself ‖

Page 22

The Paris 2011 Homeless World Cup took

place at the Champs de Mars, Paris,

France from 21-28 August 2011.

64 National football teams comprising home-

less and socially marginalised players from

across the world will unite for seven days of

gritty, fast paced street soccer.

For the players taking part the tournament represents

an unlikely opportunity to achieve a dream shared by

millions; to wear their national colours with pride, rep-

resent their country on the pitch and enjoy the adula-

tion of the crowd.

Players who previously lived on the outskirts of soci-

ety find acceptance, understanding and the courage to

re-evaluate their lives. The vast majority of partici-

pants go on to rebuild relationships with family and

friends, overcome addictions and find accommodation,

education and employment. Some have even become

professional coaches and players.

The year’s tournament is supported by legendary Arse-

nal FC manager Arsène Wenger and ex-

France international footballers Lilian Thuram and

Emmanuelle Petit, both World Cup winners.

Since the first Homeless World Cup first took place in

Graz, Austria in 2003 research has consistently demon-

strated that over 70% players change their lives

after participating in the tournament.

As the Homeless World Cup annual tournament

approaches its tenth year it continues to influence

spectators, media and governments to change their

opinions and approaches toward the issue of

homelessness. To date more than 70 grass roots

football programmes have been triggered world-

wide. Mel Young, President and co-Founder of

the Homeless World Cup said: “The Homeless

World Cup exists to end homelessness. The impact

of this competition is profound. It has engaged

over 100,000 homeless people since it started with

participants changing their lives for the better.

“The Paris 2011 Homeless World Cup is an oppor-

tunity for homeless people to move from being

invisible to stand proud on a global stage, and to

be true ambassadors for their country.”

Scotland are Paris 2011 Homeless World Cup

Champions!

An electric atmosphere at the Stade de

Liberte saw the players take to the

pitch to be welcomed by a wall of noise

and a sea of colour in the stands.

Match referee Hary Milas opened pro-

ceedings and within seconds Scotland's

Sean Lawrence had forced a fine save

from the Mexico goalkeeper.

Both sides were making chances but it

was Scotland who drew first blood when

William Hamilton slotted home.

Luis Fernando Sosa Cortez made

another fine save at the feet of

Lawrence to keep Mexico in it be-

fore a low drive from Morales

Montiel made the score 1-1.

Mexico started to boss proceedings

and only a fine double save from

William Lawrence prevented them

from taking the lead. However it

was Scotland who took the initia-

tive when Sean Lawrence's de-

flected effort foxed the 'keeper to

make it 2-1.

Homeless World Cup Final - SCOTLAND 4 : 3 MEXICO

AUTUMN 2011

THE

Page 23

A low drive from Mexico's Juan Jose Torres Men-

doza made it 2-2 before the break as space became

increasingly difficult to find. It ended 2-2 at half

time.

Scotland came out in the second half and enjoyed

plenty of possession in the opening stages of the

second period but it was Mexico who came closest

as a thunderous volley rattled the underside of the

crossbar before Will Lawrence made an unbeliev-

able save low to his right.

Two quick fire goals from Hamilton saw him seal

his hat-trick and Scotland take advantage of Mex-

ico's willingness to get forward. This gave the

Scots a 4-2 lead going into the final minutes.

Matt Ramsay saw a dipping drive clip the post for

(Continued from page 22)

Scotland and Rafael Rosas Avila shot just over as

the game opened up and Mexico pushed for an

equaliser, Rab Hare and Barry Gannon both having

to make last ditch blocks to preserve the lead.

Attempting to take the sting from the game Scot-

land began to keep possession and became more

measured in their play, but Mexico forced the issue

with a superb rasping volley from Perez Vasquez

which made it 4-3 with only seconds to go.

As a frenetic capacity crowd roared the final

whistle was blown and Scotland celebrated

winning the Homeless World Cup champions

for the second time!

Mel Young, 57, is recognised as one of the world’s

leading social entrepreneurs by the Schwab Foun-

dation for Social Entrepreneurship. It was when Mel and Austrian born Harald Schmied

attempted to invent an international language to en-

able homeless people to communicate with each other

around the world that the Homeless World Cup was

born.

They quickly realised one already existed – football.

The first tournament was held in Graz, Austria in

2003.

In 1993 Mel co-founded The Big Issue in Scotland, a

weekly magazine sold by homeless people in the

streets of Scotland now with a circulation of 40,000.

With the success of The Big Issue in Scotland, he co-

founded the International Network of Street Papers, a

global network of over eighty street papers sold in

(Continued from page 22)

every continent, of which he is Honorary Presi-

dent.

The combined annual circulation of these papers

is over 30 million helping 100,000 homeless or

long-term unemployed people throughout the

world every year.

In June 2002, recognising the potential of Fair-

trade as a successful tool to alleviate poverty,

Mel founded New Consumer Magazine, a lead-

ing ethical lifestyle magazine, enabling consum-

ers to use their purchasing power to change the

world.

Mel is the author of GOAL: The story of the

Homeless World Cup. He has received honorary

degrees from Queen Margaret's University; Her-

riott Watt University, Edinburgh and Glasgow

Caledonian University. He lives in Edinburgh,

Scotland and is a lifelong supporter of Hibernian

FC.

AUTUMN 2011

THE

Where can I get help?

Streetwork Crisis Service

22 Holyrood Road (0131) 557 6055, 24/7 freephone 0808

178 2323

24 hour provision of advice and support. Food, laundry,

showers & lockers available for those accessing support.

Support for Women:

Women’s Aid Crisis Helpline

(0131) 315 8110

Shakti Women’s Aid

(0131) 475 2399

Streetwork Women’s Service

(0131) 476 2023

Support for Young People

The Rock Trust

55 Albany Street, EH1 3QY

(0131) 557 4059

Medical Help

NHS 24 0845 42 42 424

Helplines:

Drinkline Scotland

0800 7314 314

Advice and information for anyone concerned about alco-

hol misuse

Frank

0800 77 66 00

24-hour drug helpline

Samaritans

08457 90 90 90

Shelter

0808 800 4444

Housing info and advice. 9am-5pm Mon-Fri

Crossline

0845 658 0045 Counselling helpline

Depression Alliance Scotland

0845 123 23 20 - Mon-Thurs 11am-4pm

Breathing Space

0800 83 85 87

Mon-Thurs 6pm-2am, Fri 6pm-Mon 6am

Food:

Grassmarket Mission

86 Candlemaker Row (0131) 225 3626

Various activities for people to get involved in. Free

Meals served Tuesday 6-7pm, Wednesday & Friday

12-3pm (limited space)

Little Sisters of the Poor

43 Gilmore Place (0131) 229 5672

Free sandwiches available for collection. Everyday

12-2pm and

5-6pm.

St Catherine’s Convent

4 Lauriston Gardens (0131) 229 2659

Free food: Monday to Friday, 9-11.30am and 5.30-

6.30pm

St Mary’s

61 York Place (0131) 556 1798

Provide sandwiches at 5pm every day.

Jericho House

49-53 Lothian Street: entrance on Bristo Place

(0131) 225 8230

Free soup kitchen: Wednesday and Thursday, 6-

7pm

Sunday 10.30am-1.30pm

Missionaries of Charity

18 Hopetoun Crescent (0131) 556 5444

Meal at 4pm most days (not Thursday)

Bethany Care Van

Free soup and hot drinks: every night, 9-9.45pm at

Waverley Bridge, and then other locations.

Salvation Army Regenr8+

25 Niddry Street (0131) 5231060

A drop-in that provides food for a small charge (£1

for 3 courses), showering facilities, a clothing store,

an advice service and various events organised

from time to time.

Documents

The Bugle #24