FROM THE EDITOR: Why we must pull together as a city to protect our most vulnerable

It sounds like an appeal to save lives in another country a long way from here.

But, tragically, I’m talking about Sheffield in the 21st century.

In the last five years the city has seen more than 500 cases of people falling seriously ill through not eating enough.

Now there are many reasons why that could happen.

But none of them should exist in this time and place where there is more than enough – if only it was more fairly distributed.

Every Sheffielder should have enough food for their children, but we know they don’t.

Parents should never have to skip meals because doing without food is the only way for their little ones to eat properly.

That awful situation must leave parents feeling utterly helpless.

Which begs the question, what else is missed out if the very thing that gives us life can’t be afforded?

We often hear about children who rely completely on the food they get at school.

That was the whole purpose of Marcus Rashford’s recent campaign to keep food vouchers going through the holidays. It is vitally needed and far from a luxury.

That is clear to see and our politicians could solve this if they really wanted to and worked together.

Some of the people hidden behind today’s numbers will be there through deliberate neglect and perhaps other issues not connected to poverty.

But nonetheless, the figures are still far too high.

There are lots of great charities working hard to solve this problem but clearly they need more help.

Humans are complex but nutrition and lack of it are not.

What worries me most is that as we come out of lock down and into a recession, this looks likely to get worse.

Once again it is those at the bottom of the pile who suffer the most.

We must pull together as a city to protect our most vulnerable.

Making sure everyone has food is the least we can do.