URGENT APPEAL BY KINGSTON MARKET FIRE VICTIM
Kingston Market’s famous stall holder Tim The Fish makes an urgent appeal today for council help today after the fire wrecked his business and now he finds himself homeless.
The gofundme page 62 year old Tim set up after the fire has already raised over £12000 but the fire and his complicated personal circumstances have also left him without a home.
Tim The Fish – real name Timothy Meads is making a heartbreaking plea for help with this public appeal to the local housing officer.
He writes: “Dear Housing Officer,
“I am writing to you in a state of desperation to ask for urgent help and assistance with my housing situation.
“I am 62 years old, homeless, without an income, and facing serious health difficulties. I have lived in Kingston for 17 years, and I am now in a position where I desperately need the council’s support and compassion.
“I have worked as a market trader at Kingston Apple Market, earning my living through hard work and providing for myself.
“Unfortunately, my market stall was burnt down, leaving me unable to trade and with no means of earning an income. In one devastating incident, I lost my ability to earn a living and was left facing an uncertain future.
“As if losing my livelihood were not enough, I now have nowhere to live. I am facing the frightening reality of being homeless at the age of 62, with no regular income and a serious medical issue to deal with.
“I need a shoulder replacement operation, which makes my circumstances even more difficult. I am extremely concerned about how I can manage my health, find somewhere safe to live, and meet my basic daily needs in my current situation.
“For 17 years, Kingston has been my home. I have spent a significant part of my life here, built my livelihood here, and contributed to the local community through my work at Apple Market. I never imagined that I would find myself in such desperate circumstances, with my business destroyed, my income gone, and no roof over my head.
“I am asking the council to please consider me as a vulnerable person in urgent need of housing assistance. I am not simply experiencing financial difficulties; I have lost my livelihood, I have no home, I am 62 years old, and I am facing major surgery. The combination of these circumstances has left me struggling to see how I can move forward without help.
“I understand that the council has many people seeking housing, and I appreciate the pressure on its services.
“However, I sincerely ask that my individual circumstances be considered carefully and urgently.
“I am worried about my health, my safety, and my future. I need somewhere secure to live so that I can begin to put my life back together and deal with my medical needs with some dignity.
“I would therefore be grateful if the council could:
“Urgently assess my homelessness situation and what immediate assistance is available.
“Consider me for emergency or temporary accommodation, given my age, medical needs, and lack of income.
”Take into account my need for a shoulder replacement operation when assessing my housing needs and vulnerability.
“Advise me about any additional financial, welfare, or practical support that may be available following the destruction of my market stall.
“I am reaching out to you because I genuinely need help. I have worked hard throughout my life to earn my living, and I am not someone who would make this appeal lightly.
“The fire that destroyed my stall has changed my circumstances completely, and the loss of my home has left me in an extremely vulnerable position.
“Please do not let me face this situation alone. I am asking for the opportunity to have a safe place to live and some stability at a time when I have lost so much.
“I hope that, after 17 years of calling Kingston my home, the council will give my situation the urgent and compassionate consideration it deserves.
“I would be extremely grateful if a housing officer could contact me as soon as possible to discuss my circumstances and the steps that can be taken to help me. I am willing to provide any supporting documents or further information required.
“Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I sincerely hope you will understand the seriousness of my situation and help me find a way forward during this incredibly difficult period of my life.
I look forward to your urgent response.
Yours faithfully,
Timothy Meads
Teddington Town has tried to link up Tim with relevant Housing services at Kingston Council.