If you are in dire financial trouble this Christmas, don't suffer in silence, ask for help.
A friend has just blurted out online that she is facing eviction over Christmas. She and her daughter are disabled, her husband is on a zero hour contract and is only getting 15 hours a week work at the moment. Benefits lag so far behind changes in circumstances that they have to make new claims every few weeks because their circumstances change so quickly and they are only getting top ups of a few pounds. Which instantly go on transport costs to get hubby to work.
This week they finally broke down and admitted that they have fallen behind with rent, electric and gas. They urgently need to get heating in the house or face having their daughter in hospital as well. They have been referred to a foodbank for this week, so have the bare essentials food wise but will need reassessing again next week.
A mutual friend has quickly arranged a whip around through Facebook and raised £200.00 in one day. It only needed a couple of pounds from each person, less than the cost of a High Street coffee, or what you would absentmindedly put in a collection tin, to really help someone we all know. But it has got them out of a sticky patch for now. The future doesn't look too good, but we have helped to keep the wolf from the door for a short while longer.
So please, if you are having problems, speak about it. Don't let false pride get in the way of accepting help.
If on the other hand you know someone who needs the help can you organise something for them? Maybe spread the word through social media and accept paypal payments on their behalf? In the dire times we are in, charity can be a life or death situation for people much closer than third world countries. It could be a friend, a neighbor or someone on your Facebook friends list.
A friend has just blurted out online that she is facing eviction over Christmas. She and her daughter are disabled, her husband is on a zero hour contract and is only getting 15 hours a week work at the moment. Benefits lag so far behind changes in circumstances that they have to make new claims every few weeks because their circumstances change so quickly and they are only getting top ups of a few pounds. Which instantly go on transport costs to get hubby to work.
This week they finally broke down and admitted that they have fallen behind with rent, electric and gas. They urgently need to get heating in the house or face having their daughter in hospital as well. They have been referred to a foodbank for this week, so have the bare essentials food wise but will need reassessing again next week.
A mutual friend has quickly arranged a whip around through Facebook and raised £200.00 in one day. It only needed a couple of pounds from each person, less than the cost of a High Street coffee, or what you would absentmindedly put in a collection tin, to really help someone we all know. But it has got them out of a sticky patch for now. The future doesn't look too good, but we have helped to keep the wolf from the door for a short while longer.
So please, if you are having problems, speak about it. Don't let false pride get in the way of accepting help.
If on the other hand you know someone who needs the help can you organise something for them? Maybe spread the word through social media and accept paypal payments on their behalf? In the dire times we are in, charity can be a life or death situation for people much closer than third world countries. It could be a friend, a neighbor or someone on your Facebook friends list.
