Declining seaside towns being used as 'dumping grounds' for the vulnerable

1 Samuel 22 :1ff

David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.

CT Studd.

“Some want to live within the sound Of church or chapel bell;

I want to run a rescue shop, Within a yard of hell.”

Too long have we been waiting for one another to begin! The time of waiting is past! The hour of God has struck! War is declared! In God's Holy Name let us arise and build! 'The God of Heaven, He will fight for us', as we for Him. We will not build on the sand, but on the bedrock of the sayings of Christ, and the gates and minions of hell shall not prevail against us. Should such men as we fear? Before the world, aye, before the sleepy, lukewarm, faithless, namby-pamby Christian world, we will dare to trust our God, we will venture our all for Him, we will live and we will die for Him, and we will do it with His joy unspeakable singing aloud in our hearts. We will a thousand times sooner die trusting only our God, than live trusting in man. And when we come to this position the battle is already won, and the end of the glorious campaign in sight. We will have the real Holiness of God, not the sickly stuff of talk and dainty words and pretty thoughts; we will have a Masculine Holiness, one of daring faith and works for Jesus Christ. Ct Studd

Does it not stir up our hearts to go forth and help them, does it not make us long to leave our luxury, our exceeding abundant light, and go to them that sit in darkness?" - Amy Carmichael

Not called!' did you say? 'Not heard the call,' I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters, and servants and masters not to come there. And then look Christ in the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish his mercy to the world." William Booth.

BRITISH seaside towns are suffering a “severe social breakdown” as holidaymakers desert the UK for overseas resorts, a report warned today.

By: Benjamin Russell

Published: Mon, August 5, 2013

0Comments

Blackpool local authority has the highest rate of children in care in the whole of England

Living standards in some of the UK's best-known coastal towns have declined beyond recognition

CSJ director Christian Guy

Levels of school failure, teenage pregnancy, lone parenting and worklessness are now rivaling inner-city areas which have previously set the benchmark for deprivation.

The report, by the Centre for Social Justice, found that Britain is spending almost £2 billion a year on welfare payments to people of working age in seaside towns.

It also said that councils in wealthier areas are using former hotels converted into cheap flats as "dumping grounds" for vulnerable people such as children in care.

The report, entitled Turning the Tide, called for action to revive the fortunes of seaside towns like Rhyl in North Wales, Margate in Kent, Clacton-on-Sea in Essex, Great Yarmouth in Norfolk and Blackpool in Lancashire.

Derelict holiday chalets await demolition at Pontins Holiday Camp

In one part of Rhyl, two-thirds of working-age people are dependent on out-of-work benefits, while 41 per cent of adults in Clacton have no qualifications, said the report.

Of the 10 wards in England and Wales with the highest rates of teenage pregnancy, four are in seaside towns - the highest rate is in Great Yarmouth - said the report. In some neighborhoods, more than 40 per cent of families with children are fatherless.

Blackpool local authority has the highest rate of children in care in the whole of England - 150 per 10,000 population - far exceeding the English average of 59.

The report said: "Whilst each town has its own particular problems, a recurring theme has been that of poverty attracting poverty.

"As employment has dried up, so house prices have fallen and so less economically-active people, such as single-parent families and pensioners, have moved in, seeking cheaper accommodation and living costs."

Following the report the CSJ has called skills to be improved in seaside towns

"Similarly, vulnerable people - such as children in care and ex-offenders - have been moved in as authorities take advantage of low-cost housing as large properties have been chopped into HMOs. Many parts of these towns have become dumping grounds, further depressing the desirability of such areas and so perpetuating the cycle."

CSJ director Christian Guy said: "Living standards in some of the UK's best-known coastal towns have declined beyond recognition and locals are now bearing the brunt of severe levels of social breakdown.

"We have found inspiring local people, services and charities working hard to turn things around, but they are struggling to do this alone.

"Some of these areas have been left behind. We must ramp up efforts to revive Britain's coastal towns, not just for visitors but for the people who live there."

The CSJ recommended measures to improve skills in seaside towns and devolve greater powers to local level.