Fred Dinenage begs in Winchester

Fred Dinenage Blogs

I’ve recently had an experience which, if not exactly life-changing, was certainly thought-provoking – and rather scary. I’ve spent several hours on the streets of Winchester dressed as a beggar.

It was all the idea of ITV Meridian’s FOCUS producer Steve McDonnell who wanted to gauge how people are now reacting to beggars. Meridian’s makeup artist Jackie Block did a fantastic job with a wig, a beard and some skilful makeup – plus some extremely old and scruffy clothes.

Another of our producers Jon Marland let me borrow his rather old and scruffy (but extremely affectionate) dog, Spam……..and I was ready to beg, my every move being recorded by four cameras.

It was not a happy experience. I was no longer ‘that nice man from the telly’………I was a complete unknown, alone on a city’s streets. And it was quite intimidating. The reaction I got was mixed. I got roundly abused by a couple of passers-by…….several kind souls gave me money (which, of course, we gave to charity)…..and a couple of real-life beggars gave me some helpful advice.

One asked me how much I’d made. When I told him only £4.95 in a couple of hours, he told me I was doing it all wrong. He said I should try ‘spot-begging’. Going straight up to people, ‘eye-balling’ them, telling them I was skint – and more or less demanding cash. I asked him if it worked. ‘Well’, he said, ‘you risk getting the odd thumping, but I can make up to a hundred and twenty quid a day.’ Needless to say, I didn’t try it. Frankly, I found just sitting on the pavement was threatening enough.

And it made me realise how fine is the dividing line between the comfortable lives most of us lead – and life on the streets. It was not an experience I would wish to re-live. And I hope I never have to. When it was all over the FOCUS presenter, my colleague Debbie Thrower, interviewed me. She said when she first saw me sat in the street it gave her a “chilling feeling.” At first she didn’t recognise me. Neither did anyone else.

It was a day I won’t forget. A day which gave me a rare insight into a cold and lonely world.

You can watch Focus: In from the Cold on ITV Local

Snow!

My usual Sunday morning lie-in was a non-starter last weekend - rudely awakened by both husband and son at 7am, equally excited that our street was under a thick blanket of snow, which was still falling in abundance, despite the local shops selling easter eggs off at half-price and big ads everywhere for barbecues and swimsuits.

There was nothing for it - we bundled up in our warmest gear (where DID I put my left leather glove?) and took a walk down to Winchester Cathedral. (Son travelled in style in his wagon as usual). After the usual snowball fun, we posted some footage from a mobile phone here but to be honest it doesn't really do the scene justice.

Anyway, there are lots more snow clips on Your News at the moment though, and some of the ones from further east and inland show much more snow than we had. We're not going to forget April 2008's snow for a long time I suppose, unless this becomes the new norm. I guess climate change is more than just global warming then, eh kids?

You never know - just after we took that footage, a man of the cloth wandered past (we were in the cathedral grounds) and commented that it was like Christmas. Well actually, I don't remember a white Christmas for many years, maybe the church should consider moving it back a few months to take advantage of spring snow. Swap Christmas and Easter perhaps? Or Christmas card manufacturers might consider depicting scenes of carollers wearing cap sleeves and shorts?