When Richard shows me the tattoo on his knuckles, he starts to get emotional. The tattoo reads “Hold Fast” and is a tribute to his best friend Dave “Whiskey” Walker who was killed by a grenade that also wounded Richard. Like many veterans, Richard suffers from PTSD.
Seven months ago, Richard had a massive nervous breakdown that within six weeks his whole life spiraled out of control. Richard is now sleeping rough in Central London begging for change to survive.
Richard says he feels invisible. If people don’t look at him, then homelessness in their mind doesn’t exist. Richard says poverty is growing in the United Kingdom and the public is numb to it. People don’t feel any empathy towards rough sleepers.
