ON Glasgow’s streets there is a revolving door of rough sleepers.

For every one helped into accommodation another take their place.

It is Thursday night in Glasgow city centre and the Simon Community Freephone is being well used.

Jim Thomson has the phone while out checking the streets for people in need of help.

Jim and fellow support worker, Ryan Walker, leave the hub heading across the city centre to deliver three sleeping bags to homeless men they met earlier that day.

The evening is a mix of meeting up with people on the street and advising people, while on the move, who have called for help.

On the streets with Jim and Ryan they know most of the rough sleepers and beggars but occasionally we come across someone they haven’t met or just recently spotted.

We are on our way to speak to a man Jim wants to try and help.

Davie (not his real name) is sleeping rough just outside the city centre.

He has a serious alcohol problem that makes him mostly incoherent when Jim and Ryan speak to him. Davie, in his late 40s, has been on the streets for nearly 20 years and has slowly deteriorated to the point he doesn’t see the point of seeking help.

They persevere and get him talking. Once on the subject of football Davie is bright and recalls matches and players from years ago and also is well up on the current Old Firm events.

His knowledge and level of detail on matches from decades ago is astounding given minutes earlier he was struggling to make sense.

Davie is gently encouraged by Jim and Ryan to let them take him to seek help with accommodation and health issues in the morning.

He agrees but both workers are uncertain he will actually be there or even remember the appointment.

While Davie has been living this life for years, broken and resigned, others have yet to be worn down by life on the streets.

We also meet with two young men in their early 20s, who are sleeping rough in the west end.

They are new to the scene and at first glance look like any other two pals out in the west end.

Jim worries the younger people may not fully understand the long term implications of sleeping rough.

He encourages anyone who can to seek help and get accommodation early and get support for the underlying cause.

Jim said some of them think ‘this is OK, it’s only temporary’ that they can handle it and they are getting enough money for whatever they are addicted to.

However, he said as their situation worsens so will their expectations and soon they will be in a situation they can’t control and find it hard to get out of.

On the walk back the city centre streets are quiet.

We meet two more men who are in temporary accommodation in the south of the city but have been in the city begging that day.

Another man, in his 50s with the look of a veteran of the streets asks for help. He is urged to go to the Hamish Allan Centre, but he dismisses the thought.

He just wants a sleeping bag so they take him back to the Hub to pick one up.

For some the only help to give is just like the life they are living. It is all about the here and now.