Donation Provides Beer For Homeless

Striking back at the Scrooges who close liquor outlets for the holiday, an English charity dumped a truckload of canned brew in front of Parliament to give London a beery Christmas.

“Santa Claus has come early,” marveled Angelo Romano, 65, of New York, one of many passers-by scurrying to pick up some of the 6,237 cans Monday.

The donor, the English-eccentric K Foundation, wanted to distribute free beer to the city’s homeless, since most of London’s sales outlets close for Christmas Day.

But the charity found that a favorite haunt near Waterloo Station, on the Thames’ south bank, was empty of homeless. Efforts to get them into shelters for Christmas have been particularly successful this year.

That was a pity, said K Foundation creator Jimmy Cauty.

“If you are down-and-out, would you rather have a bowl of soup or a can of Tennent’s?” he asked.

The truck moved on to Westminster, home to Parliament and another area favored by the homeless.

When the driver removed the straps keeping the cans in place, the cans tumbled to the street, then into the purses and pockets of the waiting.