Community foundation launches winter appeal as 38,000 people face fuel poverty
£10 could buy a hot meal and a warm drink for a pensioner living alone
People in Northamptonshire are being urged to consider helping those in need this winter.
According to the Department for Energy, around 38,000 people in the county will struggle to heat their homes this winter.
The Northamptonshire Community Foundation has launched its annual Surviving Winter Appeal, with all donations going to local charities who help those in need.
Tony Gibbs, CEO of local charity SERVE, said: "Only a couple of weeks ago, a lady said that she hadn't been able to afford to feed herself one of the days in the week prior.
"And when when you've got somebody sitting next to you who simply can't afford to buy enough food for the week, that's really, really moving and it brings home to the fact that, actually, people are struggling.
"I know that's only one example but what we're about is trying to meet those needs and try and make a difference.
"So, together with support from the Community Foundation, it is about us working together to be able to put in place the processes and the staff and then support the volunteers that enable us to do that work."
This winter marks 15 years since the Northamptonshire Community Foundation's first Surviving Winter Appeal.
During this time, the foundation has raised more than £275,000.
But while the volunteers have been working relentlessly to support as many vulnerable people as possible, Mr Gibbs said, the world has changed.
"It's got harder for individuals as a result of increased cost of living, especially increased utility bills and I think it also highlights the need for organisations like ours to to fill that gap", he explained.
"I think there is increased demand for basics in terms of just something to eat. The fact that people can't always afford to have the heating on and get that weekly shopping - that's changed and it's changed quite dramatically.
"And one of one of the things that keeps me awake at night is that knowing how it's changed in the past 10 or 15 years, I do worry about what sort of environment, what sort of community we're looking at in another five or ten years' time because one thing is for sure - it's highly unlikely that the cost of living pressures will lighten or lessen significantly, if at all."
Any donations made to the Northamptonshire Community Foundation will go to charities that provide one of the following services:
- Help older residents and those on low incomes to heat their homes
- Provide warm clothing, blankets, and bedding
- Prepare and deliver nutritious hot meals
- Offer advice and emergency support for those in crisis
- Host warm and safe community spaces
Tony added: "I coined a phrase a while ago and that is 'It's not about what your community can do for you. It's about what you can do for your community'.
"And I would just say, to anyone, if you can just make a small difference, a random act of kindness goes a long, long way in today's world.
"If you're in a lucky position where you don't have to worry about the cost of doing a supermarket shop and if you're in the lucky position and don't have to worry about putting the heating on and so on, then there's somebody who's a lot worse off.
"Try and do what you can to help them. It doesn't have to be a lot, but it can make a huge, huge difference."
Donations can be made on their Justgiving page or by speaking to Donor Relationships Officer, Katie Vickers. Katie can be contacted by email, [email protected], or phone, 07483428131.