The Independent and Evening Standard have today launched their joint Christmas appeal, designed to provide urgent support to those worst affected by the cost-of- living crisis, and working with Comic Relief to fund community projects across the country. The ‘On the Breadline’ appeal is being supported by a number of leading public figures, including celebrities and politicians, and will run for 5 weeks with a fundraising target of £1m.
The campaign comes as inflation hits a 40yr high, with an estimated 4.3 million children living in poverty and an increasing number of people forced to choose between heating and eating. The campaign will get tangible relief to those who need it as quickly as possible:
🍽️ £10 could help feed a family of three for a week
🧤 £20 could help buy a winter kit containing a blanket, hat, scarf and gloves
📚 £75 could help provide a slow cooker, recipes and cooking sessions for a family
✉️ £100 could help provide an emergency shopping voucher for a family struggling with cost of living
As part of the programme, a number of high-profile backers will visit the community projects working hard to support people through the cost-of-living crisis, helping to raise awareness of the desperate situation millions will face this winter and the initiatives that can help.
Sir Lenny Henry, Comic Relief co-Founder said: “I’m incredibly proud that since Comic Relief began it has been there to support people when they need it most, and I’m equally proud of how people join together to make that support possible. The cost of living crisis is a time when some of the most vulnerable communities will be hit hardest. No one should be scared of what this winter might bring for them and their families. But together we can change this, together we can make a difference.”
David Cohen, Campaigns Editor for The Independent and Evening Standard, highlights just how alarming the situation in the UK has become:
“Over the past couple of months, our team of writers has been interviewing people around the country struggling with the cost of living crisis. We thought we knew how rising prices were impacting people, but what we have come across is deeply harrowing. They include cases of:
- Families sitting in the dark and cold at night, swathed in coats and blankets and too afraid to turn on the lights or heating for fear of unaffordable bills;
- A mother putting her baby to sleep in an open drawer because she cannot afford a cot;
- Toddlers wearing soiled nappies all day because their parents ration them;
- Mothers with no recourse to public funds feeding children on £10 a day and running out of food;
- People with dental problems unable to get NHS treatment and living with toothache.
For families on the breadline, this is a terrifying moment. That is why we are launching On the Breadline to support and ease the pressure on our fellow citizens most affected by the cost of living crisis.”
People can donate to On The Breadline by visiting the Comic Relief campaign page, and show their support by tweeting the hashtag #onthebreadline.