Cornwall is in the top ten fuel insecure areas of England, with around 36,000 households living in fuel poverty. Feeding Britain are working in partnership with the npower Foundation – the Fuel Bank® charity – to establish a Fuel Bank® to ensure that Cornish families won’t have to choose between heating their home and feeding their family.
The issue
Behind the idyllic Cornish holiday destinations and famous restaurants is a hidden problem. Many people are struggling to get by and put food on the table. This is largely due to seasonal work, low wages and unsecured contracts. In a recent survey by Cornwall Council, 15% of residents said that finding the money to pay for utility bills was a problem.
We know that foodbank users often experience both food and fuel crisis. Many who are forced to make the decision between heating and eating choose to forgo the fuel. So they can’t cook the food that they’re given by the foodbank.
How Fuel Banks help
The Cornwall Fuel Bank will provide a crucial lifeline, offering emergency fuel to over 1000 people in need. Along with their food parcel, this provides the breathing space to get through the immediate crisis, and find the longer term help that is needed.
Putting the Fuel Bank® into independent foodbanks will give families and individuals longer term wraparound support. From community support and advice services to employment and skill development, this wraparound support goes beyond one-off emergency help: it empowers people to lift themselves out of a crisis and into long-term stability.
What you can do to help
To fund the Fuel Bank®, we’ll be launching a crowdfunder campaign throughout July to raise £30,000. To make the campaign a success we need your support.
If you are able to contribute, please consider donating early on to the crowdfunding campaign. Your donation will be made public and will encourage others to do the same.
If you think you’d like to donate, but want to get your friends, co-workers, employees, or customers involved too, consider fundraising instead. Here are just a few of the great ideas
we’ve heard about so far:
- Host a Cream Tea in the office (National cream tea day is the 29th June)
- Set up a donation polling station (How do you pronounce scone? To rhyme with cone or gone? What goes on first? The clotted cream or the jam?)
- Host a pub quiz night
- Put a menu item, product, or service on as a ‘Charity Special’ and donate a percentage of proceeds to the crowdfunder at the end of the month when the campaign ends.
We have lots of ideas and support materials to help make your fundraiser a success, so please get in touch and we can support you on your way.
If you’re not quite ready to make a financial contribution, your support to help us get the word out is just as important. A few great ideas on how you can help:
- Share on social media
- Send an email around to your friends
- Ask 5 people who you think might be able to give to the cause
If you have any questions, please contact Annie Olivier, Programme Coordinator, Feeding Britain on annie.olivier@feedingbritain.org.