Half of foodbank families at risk of going cold this Christmas
Britain’s biggest foodbank operator is already braced for its busiest ever festive season and expects to hand out more than 1.2 million meals during December.
Half of hungry families relying on foodbanks this Christmas are at risk of going cold, a charity warns today.
Britain’s biggest foodbank operator is already braced for its busiest ever festive season and expects to hand out more than 1.2 million meals during December.
The annual “heat or eat” plight sees poverty-stricken parents and their kids either go hungry or shiver.
That piles pressure on foodbanks, with the highest number of referrals in the two weeks just before Christmas, according to the University of Hull researchers who studied five years of Trussell Trust data.
The charity’s “Fuel Bank” scheme sees foodbank users who are also prepayment energy customers given vouchers to keep the heating and lights on for around two weeks.
Run by the Trust, npower, National Energy Action and Durham Christian Partnership, the scheme will be rolled out to another 18 foodbanks.
It has already helped more than 38,000 people, including 15,000 children.
Durham Christian Partnership Chief Executive Peter MacLellan said: “For those just about managing, delays or interruptions to their income brings on a food crisis very quickly.
“The loss of electricity and gas in winter due to their inability to prepay makes the crisis much worse.
“Cold housing, cold water and cold food call for more than cold comfort from government and energy companies.
“The Fuel Bank provides real and rapid relief and demonstrates what is possible with a change in approach.”
Christians Against Poverty boss Matt Barlow said: “We know so many families who at crisis point have done without food and heating so we warmly welcome the roll-out of the Fuel Bank scheme.
“This will give people essential breathing space to find long-term help for the problems they face.”
沒有留言