Which is about desperate poverty in the 6th largest economy in the world.
I think it is wonderful that we have food banks for people in need, hungry families with little income.
I was from one of those families. I started life in a slum dwelling and we often ate bread and dripping because there was nothing else in the house. Mum used vegetable peelings to make soup.
No, not Dickensian but life for the poor in late 1950s/1960s post war Britain.
Abject poverty is not a new thing. It's always existed, but back then you went hungry and made do. We had to wait until Dad's pay-day to buy food and Mum managed as best she could on a miniscule budget. We were the generation that hid behind the sofa when the rent man called....like most of our neighbours. Families were very proud. I cannot remember anyone being on benefits. Fathers walked miles to find work and would do anything to bring money in.
That was only 50 years ago and I thank goodness that poor families get more help today.
Food banks are great things, stocked by donations and run by volunteers. I am so glad we are more enlightened and help is available for those needing food, for whatever reason.
What does annoy me is that people here are engaging in government-bashing as though recent governments (Labour and Conservative) are solely to blame for poverty. People live in poverty for many and various reasons.
We have a benefits system which works for most. No one is left destitute unless benefits are slow coming in or they don't qualify and most people eligible for food bank assistance have either defaulted in signing on or have had a recent monetary crisis, like a big bill, or gambling or drinking problems which mean no food is available for children. Low paid workers and those on flexible contracts probably struggle the most but they are eleigible for benefits and top ups/credits.
I doubt very much that working professionals like nurses and police officers are eligible for food bank help, (given they have to be referred for a voucher) unless they have for some reason not budgeted for living costs. Like anyone they may have had a crisis in their lives but on a day to day basis such workers are unlikely to qualify. They earn a darn sight more than most manual hourly paid workers.
I am glad that today we help poorer members of our society. It's right and proper that we do and the food bank is in fact a compassionate bit of progress, given not so long ago many many children did indeed go to bed hungry and in a dark house because there was no electricity. I was one of them.
A sense of proportion is needed. Food banks have become political currency...but poverty has always existed (it always will, even in the UK) and no government yet has eradicated it.
