Cost of Living Crisis

The UK’s poorest families will see the amount of spare cash at their disposal drop by a fifth this year with £850 less to spend on non-essentials as shop prices hit a decade high. That is roughly two months’ net income for a young couple – they simply do not have that flex in their budget and we will see increasingly start choices being made about the most basic of living requirements.

We know that we will see increasing stress entering the homes of local children – they will be faced with hunger, their parents will be suffering from mental health issues and they will suffer as a result.

From April 2022 there has been a huge increase in the cost of living and this will only become worse in September when energy prices will surge again just in time for the colder weather.

We need your help to support local families with their household budgets, to ensure that children are fed, warm and safe.

Please give what you can to help us support them.

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Donating during a pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has put an immense strain on charities across the country. It’s been an almost perfect storm – the need for charitable work has been at its peak whilst donations have been significantly down this has been further compounded by lockdowns and social distancing measures meaning that fundraising events have been cancelled two years running.

At Community Awareness the Trustees decided to go digital and carried out a virtual cycle and walk down the Cotswold Way – walking and cycling close to our homes and covering the 102 miles between us. It was a quick and easy way to rate much-needed funds.

Our regular donors were equally generous and in some cases even when events weren’t being held we received donations (albeit much reduced) to help tide us over.

But there is no getting away from it – the pandemic has meant a major reduction in events income for us.

Now more than ever we need your help – need is increasing every day and changes to furlough arrangements will mean that this trend continues.

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The value of monthly giving

Charities like ours rely on regular donations to ensure we have the available funds to help people in need throughout the year.

When funds are low it can be a struggle to provide the critical items needed by people who reach out for support. Having a regular schedule of donations helps us manage our finances so we can confidently support vulnerable families knowing our funds will be topped up later in the month.

To make this easier for doners, we have implemented a recurring donation option when making a payment via PayPal, so it is now easy for anyone to donate on a monthly basis.

We know that making a monthly financial commitment is not possible for everyone, however, if you feel this is something you can support us with, we would be truly grateful.

It’s quick and easy to make your recurring donation – simply tick ‘Make this a monthly donation’ when prompted as you make your PayPal transaction.

If you are a UK taxpayer, please also consider completing a Gift Aid form, as this increases our income by at least 20%.

As ever, we very much appreciate your support.

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Make us your chosen charity

We’re very aware that after the strange times that the pandemic has delivered to us, charity events and fundraising might not be top of everyone’s to-do list.

However, getting out and about with a purpose will be the change that some people have been looking for. Over the years we have been very privileged to be the chosen charity of many people undertaking personal and work-based fundraising events, be that sky diving (our Chair of Trustees did that once and once only!), sponsored walks and cycle rides (the Trustees covered the length of the Cotswold Way during the pandemic – when this was permitted), bake sales, village fetes and school fairs.

Please consider supporting us when you think about getting out there and making a difference. Talk to your colleagues at work, your friends and family and please think about some kind of sponsored or fundraising activity. All money raised by you and donated to us will go directly to local families who desperately need your help.

Our minimal running costs (typically less than 5% of income) is met through grant aid, so everything that you raise makes a difference.

And best of all, from our experience, you will have a lot of fun doing it!

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Food parcels and furlough

Food parcels were something that we only used to provide at Christmas, however, when the effects of Covid kicked in, many previously working parents were furloughed and monies rapidly dried up.

We found several ways of making sure that local children did not go hungry, working in partnership with local retailers and farmers to bring nutritious food to those who needed it most.

Our charity partner, the Midcounties Co-operative, provided food vouchers that can be used in their local stores for those able to shop for themselves. Paddock Farm Butchery put together an incredible programme whereby every fortnight eligible local families received a delivery of fresh meat, bread, eggs, vegetables and milk. We also put in place arrangements with several village shops to allow families with limited transport or who were sheltering to either buy food or have it collected by neighbours to see them through the toughest of times.

What was incredibly moving was that not only were families being fed but that the community was coming together to find ways of providing food and getting it to those who needed it most.

Local solutions for local issues – sustainability at its best.

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