NBC NEWS Reports on UK Cost of Living Crisis with feature on Morecambe
The US News Agency NBC reported in December 2022 on the UK cost of living crisis with a headline which read “Spiralling costs and crumbling public services leave millions in Britain struggling to live“.
NBC News reporters spoke to Morecambe residents in an article which looked at the spiralling cost of living and how its effects are playing out…
“More than 200 miles north of London, in seaside Morecambe” they wrote, “Dusty Thomas says he spends many of his days quietly starving. He is 60, a veteran of the 1982 Falklands war and the sectarian “Troubles” in Northern Ireland.”
“Sometimes I’ve gone two or three days without food,” he said, huddled under a cartoon-themed blanket in his chilly first floor home just outside of town, where the heat hasn’t been switched on in three years.”
Take a look at the new WEM plan to see how we are working to tackle these issues, because the challenges in our community that first attracted Big Local funding are becoming more profound and urgent. On top of the
health and social impact of COVID-19, many families are now facing increasing financial hardship with ever rising energy and food costs. That’s why our objective over the next three years is to implement lasting and sustainable change and this is only possible when we clearly identify the needs and allocate funds strategically. For example,
- When Covid struck WEM immediately stepped in with £10,000 worth of support for the local emergency fund. This went towards supporting access to Morecambe Bay Food Club, free meals at West End Impact and more.
- Linking with the local food poverty alliance WEM developed a project involving Eggcup and Stanleys Community Centre and provided £32,000 to help establish a new community food outlet in the West End. The project helped draw down another £25,000 from other sources and the shop has proved a great success. We have budgeted a further £18000 in our plan to further extend the food poverty project.
- Working with Green Rose we are supporting West End residents to combat rising energy costs, including funding a West End Energy Advisor.
