FROME Town Council has increased funding for Fair Frome by £3,000, following a passionate plea from a councillor who shared her experience of poverty in the town.
The local charity that runs the food bank and furniture bank for the area will receive £18,000 for the next financial year to help continue to support those living in poverty in Frome.
The news has been welcomed by the chair of trustees for Fair Frome, Bob Ashford, as figures reveal that 28% of people in the Keyford ward and 27% of people in the Market ward are living in poverty.
The proposal to increase the funding was made by cllr Heather Wride, who represents the Keyford ward, who revealed the struggle of families living in the area, including her own family.
Cllr Wride explained that she has been supporting local women unable to buy sanitary products; helping families to do their laundry; has made packed lunches for children not eligible for free school dinners and has been collecting leftovers from a local pub on a Sunday to feed people who may not have eaten for days.
“I know what being in poverty feels like, because I live in poverty every single day,” said cllr Wride. “I am very fortunate for my dad, who is able to take me shopping occasionally. Without that support I would be another statistic at the foodbank.
“Despite this, if someone knocks on my door and asks for my help, I will do everything that I can to help them, even if all I can offer is a shoulder to cry on.
“Poverty affects more than just your ability to buy food, to keep warm or keep clean, it affects your ability to participate. It makes you sick, physically and mentally, it affects your ability to interact with family and friends, it alienates you and that just doesn’t have an impact on adults in poverty, but also children. 28% of children in the ward I represent live in poverty, including my own child.
“Most of the people I support are working; low wages and zero hours contracts have all pushed families into positions that have a detrimental effect on their lives, combined with the introduction of Universal Credit, a benefit that has a six-week processing time, so people are really struggling.
“Fair Frome do an amazing job supporting the people who access their services. I know that Bob is going to look at more ways in which more people can get the support that they need, and right now that support has never been more needed.
“In 2015 the majority voted to reduce Fair Frome’s funding and I don’t think at that point that anyone could have forseen what would be happening now, but right now people are hungry, women are unable to carry on with their lives as they don’t have sanitary products, children are unable to just be kids because they live in poverty.
“Fair Frome needs money, they need money to fight for the people who need help, and today I will be proposing that we increase their funding to the previous amount by £3,000, as Frome needs this more than ever.”
Following the vote that saw the town council agree to increase Fair Frome’sfunding, chair of trustees, Bob Ashford said, “This increase is really welcome, especially on a day when figures have revealed that two wards in Frome have a high number of people living in poverty.
“It’s really good that the town council is supporting us. It means that the food bank and the furniture bank can continue and we can reach out to more people in the community.
“Heather’s story is one that we hear on a daily basis at the food bank. We see people from all walks of life and social backgrounds, and they all have one thing in common; that they are in acute need. There are no other services available that offer practical support, this really is the last chance saloon.”
For more information about Fair Frome and the support that they offer visit: www.fairfrome.org
