In the paper this week, we feature an in-depth interview (page 14) with Shores CEO Jayne Nendick on the increasing cost-of-living crisis, after last week’s front-page story told how more and more people were needing the services of the Withernsea community centre and food bank.
Jayne is right at the coal face, and she says she is seeing more “working poor” coming in. I found her comments both heartbreaking and illuminating.
I think most people are, at the very least, concerned, if not downright petrified, about the steep rise in energy bills that is forecast in the autumn, followed by a further increase in January. I know I am. I am keeping a watch on my online energy account every week.
It’s time for those at the top to stop playing politics and do something. Surely it has to be as drastic, immediate and wide-reaching as the furlough scheme – as a £400 discount isn’t going to touch the sides for many people, and this has the potential to be as devastating as the pandemic was for households and businesses.
For the latter, there is no cap whatsoever on energy bills, and it’s likely that some independent hospitality outlets and other small fi rms just won’t be able to survive.
And I’ll just reiterate what’s in our interview piece with Jayne: if you would like to donate food bank items, we’ll happily take them here at the Gazette and hand them over to Shores.
