Help for the homeless

If he had not been part of the media system, would his situation have ever come nationwide media interest? I don't think so. He now has sponsored rehab at an expensive centre. What about all the other homeless people's needs?

Doctors are not at fault here. They are given a set time to see patients and nobody in this country is compelled to drink or take any notice of adverts. It's called having a mind of your own.

The homeless in this country need help and homes in which to live. How about affordable council accommodation for these unfortunate people?

• Roger Todd, Harwood Road, Littlehampton
  
  Although I am sympathetic towards ex-news presenter Ed Mitchell being homeless, I can't help but think that he brought a lot of it on himself.

Anybody who spends up to the limit on 25 credit cards (alcoholic or not) is heading for a fall.

I know from personal experience that living on the streets is a very hard way of life. I spent two years sleeping rough when I moved to Brighton six years ago.

I can't help but think if Mr Mitchell hadn't been famous then his story would have gone unheard.

There are plenty of people on the streets of Brighton and Hove who have been waiting for hostel or other accommodation for years but you never read about their plight.

They are no less deserving of somewhere to live or a job than Mr Mitchell.

In fact, most of these people are homeless through no fault of their own, not because they over indulged and had to get out of trouble using 25 credit cards. Yet nobody comes forward offering these poor people a roof over their heads or jobs. It seems to me that because he used to be on TV, people think he is more deserving of somewhere to live than any other homeless person.

Speaking from my own experience, I had to wait two years to be placed in a hostel. I then had to pick myself up and move forward in my life.

I had to sell the Big Issue to get by (which is actually a job in its own right and one which Mr Mitchell would not have been turned away from because of his posh CV).

I am now happily married with a new baby daughter, but no one got me where I am today but myself.

As I said, I am sympathetic towards Mr Mitchell but I am simply pointing out that there are lots of homeless people on the streets who need our help and we shouldn't just single out one person because of who they were.

• N Rollinson, Stonery Close, Portslade
  
  After reading the article about Ed Mitchell (The Argus, December 13), I was touched to see that so many Sussex people had kindly offered Mr Mitchell accommodation, work and even donations of money. I hope the gentleman takes advantage of these opportunities and swiftly gets his life back on track.

However, I couldn't help thinking about the other poor homeless souls who fail to get similar media exposure.

Many of whom have never even remotely experienced the type of lifestyle that Mr Mitchell was once used to. It is disgraceful, and a sad reflection on us all, that in an area as fortunate and affluent as Sussex, the curse of homelessness continues.

Perhaps The Argus could profile a different homeless person each week until every single soul has a roof over their head and food in their stomach. I trust that the generous response from The Argus readership would be the same. I'd hate to think that Mr Mitchell received such considerate offers because he has gone from "riches to rags", rather than "struggling in poverty to rags" as many people unfortunately do.

• Greg Shoube, Mile Oak Road, Portslade