Cost of Living Emergency Appeal launched to support a Warm and Well Stockport

An emergency charity appeal has launched as more Stockport residents are negatively impacted by rising food and energy prices this winter.

The fundraiser, organised by Stockport’s charity infrastructure support organisation, Sector3. The money raised will be available to Stockport’s voluntary, community groups and charities to fund activity and services that support vulnerable people through the Cost of Living crisis.   

There were 15,665 households in Stockport in fuel poverty in 2021, before the energy price rises, and the number is set to rise with darker evenings and colder weather this winter. Working people are resorting to increasingly difficult lengths to curb their bills, including using candles for light and skipping meals and showers, according to a recent report from Citizens Advice Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale and Trafford (SORT). 

Hayley Wright from Citizens Advice SORT explained:

“The most common debt issue we’re helping people with in Stockport now is energy debt, when it used to be Council Tax debt.

“We recently supported someone with serious health issues, whose income reduced dramatically when their benefits were stopped. They were struggling to make ends meet, and had built up multiple debts, including an energy debt of £640. They were especially worried about this debt, and feared being put on a prepayment meter.“

Individuals, businesses and organisation across the borough are being invited to donate what they can to support neighbours and colleagues who may be struggling this winter. The Sector3 fundraiser will help support emergency food provision and more via a grants programme to local charities and community groups, such as The Cherry Tree Project.

Rachel Bresnahan, founder of community organisation The Cherry Tree Project says:

“In the school holidays one of my volunteers came to me really upset, a young person had asked for seconds so as she filled his plate commented that he must be enjoying it and he told her that he’d not eaten since the previous morning. This child was 13 years old and is already experiencing sacrifice, he knew that there wasn’t enough food to go around so he gave up his meals so his younger brothers could eat. After my volunteer shared her concerns we were able help the family with cooked meals for the children and food parcels to take home and I’m so grateful that we are in a position where we can help but it’s not sustainable. More and more families contact me every day and there isn’t enough food on the shelves for everyone and it isn’t just food, my older group attendees are sharing tips of how to delay putting the heating on, wearing dressing gowns in the house or carrying hot water bottles. The increased cost of living is bringing food insecurity and financial worry into the lives of people who have never seen poverty before and in those families who were already struggling, it’s getting worse and worse. These are real people and we need your help to help them have warmth, food and dignity. Thank you Sector 3 for arranging this fundraiser! 

“Last week we provided 16 roast dinners, 20 hot lunches for elderly people and food bank users, 50 meals for young people, 40 food parcels, 40 hot chocolates with cream and marshmallows and about 100 tea’s and coffee’s! We were open for 10 hours for young people, 2 hours for elderly people, 4 hours as a food provision and 5 hours as a warm space and demand is increasing. To fund this we received £50 from the council and £50 from the local church, everything else is covered by donations. We desperately need access to funding to help everyone who needs it.“

The community organisation launched The Stockport Saving Summer project earlier in the year with BBC Morning Live and helped Stockport residents save £5,524 on their energy bills through advice and mediation services. 

Funded activities and services could include emergency food parcels, support with heating community venues and offering advice on bills to vulnerable people. For example: 

• £5 could pay for a food parcel for a family struggling with food insecurity 
• £15 could fund an Energy Bills Advice session for vulnerable people to get support in speaking to Energy companies to lower their bills 
• £25 could go towards funding a warm space and a hot meal for those who are having to choose between heating and eating 
• £50 could fund the cost of a Warm Pack for older people 
• £150 (the cost of your Council Tax Rebate or part of your Energy Rebate) could go to a warm space to help them keep the heating on and continue to be a place of sanctuary for their communities 

Jo McGrath, Chief Executive of Sector3 says:

“We’re hearing more and more distressing feedback from groups and organisations on how their communities are suffering.  

“We know the third sector have the skills and experience to deliver targeted frontline support – these are organisations who reach into the heart of our communities and see first-hand the struggles people are going through. 

“As requested by community organisations, funding will be available on a rolling basis so that support can be delivered as soon as possible, to meet demand. 

“We’re so grateful for the kindness of businesses and individuals in Stockport who are supporting their communities in anyway they can. If you can help the campaign – be it through a donation, sharing it or working with us to get the message out there, please get in touch.“

Individuals, businesses and organisations can donate online via the JustGiving Page. Donations can also be made by BACS – contact Sector3 for more information.