'Overwhelmed' parents turn to St Laurence's church for food and energy
The church, in Chorley, is raising vital funds to provide emergency aid, such as energy top-ups to those in crisis this winter.
St Laurence's is working with UK debt and budgeting help charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP) to help people in poverty this winter by offering free debt advice, free money coaching, a free life skills group and holistic support in Chorley.
CAP’s latest YouGov polling is revealing:
- Over half (54%) of parents with children in the household limited their electricity or gas use in the house at least once a month
- A quarter (25%) of parents with children living at home have skipped meals
- Almost 1 in 5 (19%) households with children sometimes or often couldn’t pay all their bills and living costs without borrowing money
- 28% of UK adults with children have a deficit budget which is when a person’s income doesn’t cover the cost of the core essentials they need to live on, that compares to 19% without children
Rachel, CAP Debt Centre Manager in Chorley, says: “We’re seeing desperate parents and other people turning to us for help. The main support we offer in partnership with CAP is free face to face debt advice, money coaching sessions, life skills sessions, but many of the families who come to us are in crisis and also need emergency aid, such as food or energy top ups. That’s why we’re launching this urgent fundraiser and asking for the kind people of Chorley to support CAP and help people in poverty through this winter. Families on low incomes are facing a bleak Christmas, being unable to afford the basics, let alone afford even the simplest of Christmas presents.
“We provide Christmas food to our families, creating hampers and boxes, which include toiletries and seasonal treats where we can. Any donations for these are gratefully received at St Laurence's Church Tuesday-Friday, 11am-1.30pm”
“At St Laurence's Church and CAP, we want people living in poverty to know someone cares about them. It’s such a privilege to be there for someone when they’re at their absolute lowest and offer them help to get back on their feet and it’s such a blessing to see them go debt free and be on the road to recovery.
“By donating to CAP’s winter appeal this Christmas you can provide light and hope to someone in the darkest moment of their lives.”
Visit capuk.org/help to find out more about the free help CAP offers and capuk.org/winter to donate and help provide an emergency energy top up or food shop and free debt advice to a family living in poverty this Christmas.