ISLANDERS who have reached a ‘crisis point’ – some of whom have gone days without eating – have been seeking help in growing numbers, according to the Salvation Army.
The organisation has called for the government to engage more with charities in the light of the ‘spiralling’ cost of living, as Islanders who cannot afford food are going without.
Salvation Army officer Richard Nunn said the branch had recorded 70 more interactions so far this year – which include any kind of practical support such as an electrical voucher or a food parcel – compared to the same period in 2021.
Carl Walker, chair of the Consumer Council, recently said they would be asking supermarkets to create larger donation bins for food-bank items, and to avoid increasing prices on the council’s list of 14 essential items, including bread, milk and eggs.
Mr Nunn said: ‘It’s not my place to say what the government should do, but for me I see us running out of tools and I see us running out of options for helping people.
‘When budgeting doesn’t really make a difference, when you haven’t got enough income and when you see the cost of living going up so quickly – it is impossible for wages to keep up with that. We are seeing so much need, food poverty, fuel poverty – and housing is so expensive as well.’
The latest House Price Index revealed that the average cost of a home rose from £580,000 in 2020 to £673,000 last year – a jump of around £1,788 a week – while average weekly earnings for full-time employees in June stood at £820 per week, a slight rise on the £780 in 2020 as wages have remained stagnant for several years despite the spiralling costs for housing and rents.
Mr Nunn added: ‘I think what would be good is more government engagement with charities and to engage with the average Islander, to understand what it is like to try and spread your money across a month and still be struggling.’
Community centre manager Emily Smith said: ‘We are seeing people at crisis point – people are coming in saying they don’t know what to do anymore, that they haven’t got any food in the cupboard, that they haven’t eaten for a day, that they haven’t eaten for two days.’
She added that the organisation was ‘easily’ giving out around ten food bags per day.
‘I think housing costs and the price of electricity are why people are struggling,’ she said.
Mr Nunn added: ‘We also recognise what the government did throughout the pandemic – they really did try to meet needs and to resolve some of the challenges for individuals and households and they have taken a massive hit as well.
‘So to be fair to them it is not an easy time to be a politician and it is not an easy time financially for governments to offer support – but I can’t see what other options there are because the cost of living is spiralling up and there doesn’t seem to be an end at the minute.’
Islanders can call the Salvation Army, which is located in Minden Street, on 01534 735472 or email richard.nunn@salvationarmy.org.uk.
