Guild sandwich thieves steal from Help the Homeless Society

On several separate occasions, some students have posed as members of the Help the Homeless Society and wrongly collected sandwiches from the Guild Shop which should have been donated to a homeless shelter.

The Help the Homeless Society, who collect unbought sandwiches from the Guild shop and Starbucks on campus to give to The Whitechapel Centre have been unable to donate to the homeless on several occasions as non-member students have taken the sandwiches for themselves.

The first incident occurred in February and the Guild are now asking volunteers to provide a form of ID before giving the sandwiches away.

The society first became aware of the problem when the Guild informed them that a pair of students asked for the sandwiches when the actual volunteer had already been to collect them.

Society member Aggie Milner said: “When I picked up the sandwiches from the guild shop the other day the woman working there asked if people who collect the sandwiches could have some form of ID with them to confirm they were volunteers.

“They’ve had a few instances where people are saying they’re part of the society and aren’t.”

The Help the Homeless Society at the Fresher’s Fair last year.

President of Help the Homeless Society Beth Meadows told The Tab: “I am so shocked and disappointed that people are trying to steal the sandwiches students give up their time to deliver to the Whitechapel Centre, Liverpool’s leading homelessness charity.

“I can’t really comprehend as to why people would do this, our society is meant to be a source of charity and community cohesion, not theft.

“It’s unfair that we have had to feel nervous about such a well functioning project like the sandwich delivery, which has been running since the society began in 2014.

“I am ashamed of the people who have attempted to steal from the homeless and can only hope that they will not try again as the Guild are now ID-ing our volunteers.”

The society have spoken to Harry Anderson and the Guild are going to continue to help prevent any students unfairly taking any food from the Guild shop for themselves.

The society has also provided breakfasts for refugees throughout the year.

Eleanor Hancock, Vice President of the Help the Homeless Society said: “”It’s really disappointing to know that someone out there is taking from the people who most need it in society.”

The Help the Homeless Society are trying to find any information about who has taken the sandwiches and ask students to contact them via [email protected] if anyone has any information.