Cathy Come Home (Open forum)

Sandford's 'Cathy Come Home' details the issue of homelessness and the life of a young woman in 1960s London as she moves from her own home, to council accomodation, and finally emergency accomodation for the homeless before being evicted and her children taken into care. It is a harrowing and emotive screenplay of the '60s television docu-drama which caused social upheaval upon its transmission and caused the homeless charity 'Shelter' to be formed. Although often distressing to read, I cannot recommend this book highly enough as it truly will change the way you look at the issue. Perhaps the most tragic thing of all is the preface to the re-printed edition which discusses how the issue of homelessness is now worse today than it was when Sandford decided to document it with this amazing play.