PEOPLE and community groups in Crediton gathered during Challenge Poverty Week England and Wales (October 17–23) to speak out against systems that cause poverty in the region, and to set out potential solutions.

Crediton Foodbank, Crediton Congregational Church, Crediton Methodist Church, and Holy Cross Church, Crediton, and Crediton Town Council took part in Challenge Poverty Week, which was an opportunity for voices that are often ignored to be heard loud and clear.

It was a chance to focus attention on the need to tackle poverty, and to show the immense difference we could make to our society if we do.

The churches discussed their own work and the main causes of poverty in their communities – with a particular focus on the growing cost of living crisis, what they’re doing to address it – and what action is needed from Government.

The Foodbank did this by yarn bombing various places around town with the consent of the Town Council, and the churches that look onto the main thoroughfare through the town.

Rev Lewis Eden, trustee of the Foodbank and Curate at Holy Cross said: “The reason we wanted to get involved was to highlight the plight of many of our clients and the increased demand that we have seen at the foodbank, especially because of the increased cost of living that we are facing as a nation.

“As such we decided to invite the church community who look onto the main street through Crediton to partner with us as we seek the share what the need within the Crediton Community is and how people could get involved.

“Moreover, we used the week to showcase the Initiative that we have started: ‘The Springboard Initiative’.

“This initiative once we get the right funds together will see us employ a member of staff to work with our clients to see if we can help them to help themselves, so that they are not reliant on us, and we can offer our help to more people.”

Lee Bridger, Treasurer of the Foodbank has this to say on why the Springboard Initiative is being launched: “Families often struggle to put food on the table because for people on low incomes, a crisis such as redundancy, income delay or even an unexpected bill can mean going hungry. Every day, parents are skipping meals to feed their children.

“Just to put the scale of the issue into context, up to 20 per cent of parents from poorer households say they are ‘very likely’ to skip meals and one in 10 say they are ‘very unlikely’ to be able to cook food because they can’t afford to use the oven.

“In our first year as a foodbank we handed out more than 100 parcels, yet by last year this had increased to over 1,400.

“We fed nearly 3,800 people, 45 per cent of which were children, from over 160 households.

“We handed out enough breakfast cereal to fill 17,000 breakfast bowls, enough tea and coffee to make 100,000 cups and if we stacked all the tins we gave out on top of each other the stack would be taller than 725 double-decker buses.

“With the average food parcel costing around £40, we hand out over £50,000 worth of food each year, all of which comes in from donations, either in food or cash!

“The foodbank itself is an independent, entirely self-funded charity which has been operating for over 10 years.

“Run by a paid, part-time co-ordinator and many volunteers, we not only give out food parcels, but we also offer the most vulnerable people in our community with invaluable, and sometimes life-saving support.

“Being able to provide immediate help in the form of food starts a relationship that is an excellent base for continuing support as many people who visit foodbanks have underlying issues that are stopping them from moving on to a place of independence.

“Much of what we do is far from rocket science, most of it focuses around Breaking the Cycle of debt through a combination of signposting, hand-holding and advocacy but it does make a significant difference.

“Many of the issues faced by people in our community are far from insurmountable, but having someone who knows where to go and is prepared to walk the journey with you is often the difference between solving an issue and moving on with your life, or the situation spiralling out of control.

“Due to the huge increase in demand for the foodbank – in these last few weeks we’re seeing more people requiring food parcels and help with debt, we are planning a new initiative to provide a full-time, dedicated Community Support Worker.

“We’re calling this new initiative the Springboard Project, as this new role will support households in our community move out of poverty, prevent homelessness and unmanageable debt, improve health and wellbeing, and enable people to rebuild their lives and move on to a new beginning.

“We are approaching regional government bodies, other charities, and funding bodies for financial contributions, but we are also asking the local community to consider how they could contribute to help make a real difference to some of the most vulnerable living amongst us.

“To that end we are looking for businesses, organisations, and individuals to sponsor this project and become a Springboard Project Partner.

“If you are in the fortunate situation of not needing the government support to Energy Bills whether it be the Energy Bill Support Scheme (£400 winter payment) or the Winter Fuel allowance, then please do consider donating it towards Springboard.

“If you know a business, organisation, or if you yourself, would be interested in supporting this initiative, or would like more information, please contact us at: [email protected] .

“I think it’s important that people realise that, despite the horrors and apparently hopeless situations we see in the news, local communities such as ours can and do make a huge difference to our most vulnerable. Because of you, hundreds of men, women, and children are in a better place! Thank you.

“Once again, thank you so very much for your generosity and giving me the opportunity to speak about the work we do at the Foodbank.”

The Foodbank was present at the Farmers’ Market to highlight these issues, to raise awareness that the cost of a starting food parcel has increased in value from £40 to £60, and that is simply because the cost of the everyday products has gone up substantially.

Additionally, the Foodbank was highlighting the cost of the different ways of cooking based at the current electricity price cap, with Slow Cookers being the cheapest form of cooking with it costing less than 50p to run a slow cooker for eight hours, whereas to use an electric oven for a single hour was over £2.

Gavin Aitchison, from the national Challenge Poverty Week coordinating team, said: “All of us want to live with dignity – to be treated as fully human, to have choices and be able to participate in our community. But this winter, the soaring cost of living will deny that dignity to millions of people.

“People will be forced to choose between heating or eating... to skip meals so their children can eat... to go cold and hungry in one of the world’s richest countries.”