Cost of living: Crisis to create ‘daunting’ demand for Sheffield charities
Rising food prices and energy costs have pushed more people into poverty, placing ‘daunting’ pressure on two Sheffield charities and the 250 people they support weekly.
Daryl Bishop, CEO of Ben’s Centre, a charity day centre which helps those struggling with addiction and homelessness, said: “There's a new layer of poverty emerging.
“People who haven't necessarily got drug and alcohol problems need help, but don't want to ask for it. It’s not something they are used to.”
Steve Clark, who manages the Sunday Centre, a charity which provides meals for the needy on Sundays, agrees. He said: “People are saying that they've not been in the circumstances before.
“They’re stretching themselves as much as they can.”
On top of this increased demand, the charities are facing pressure from increasing food and energy prices.
Daryl said: “Places like us are going to find this hard. I’m nervous for the future.
“We are working hard to make sure we can pay the bills but everything is getting more expensive. It’s daunting.”
But it’s not just energy bills rising. Steve said: “The worry for us is that our main cost is food. And that's getting noticeably more expensive every week.
“At the same time, we're chasing donations in an economy that's getting more and more challenging.”