Too many British families are hungry!

I hope that's a rhetorical question.

Primrose53

growstuff you can usually recognise “poor” people by their clothes and footwear. Believe me, they do eat at fast food outlets.

What an appallingly judgemental post.

I actually was going to say that the after school club cost £4.50 per child around 6 or 7 years ago, and more if they had a snack, which was fruit and a drink of water.
No mini buses here, taking people shopping, although the volunteer scheme is good.
It is £20 for a hospital appointment, there and back.

Whether we are discussing food, housing, access to public services should we not ask ourselves why we tolerate the inequality that we seem unable or unwilling to address.
It makes me cross when I hear comments like "oh well, the poor have always been with us". There is a fair amount of "I'm alright Jack" embedded in our culture.

MissAdventure

I hope that's a rhetorical question.

😁🤗

HousePlantQueen

What an appallingly judgemental post

Seems to be how they roll..... 🙄

When I was a child mothers stayed at home. They had hours in which to prepare a nutritious meal which, in our case, was on the table at 6pm when Dad got home. These days, with 2 parents having to work, who has the energy or inclination to start a meal from scratch? This surely must be part of the problem and why some turn to takeaways. Also, rents are far too high often meaning that one person's wages go on that which must be disheartening. I am friendly with a young couple, both working hard in reasonable jobs, who cannot save a deposit for a house because of the rent they are paying. That is not to say there are no lazy, feckless parents who don't even try because there are. I know some.

We are a society, not separate groups of "others", be they rich or poor, struggling with mental health issues, doing well for themselves, or making a bad job of life, for whatever reason.
A society works by a cohesive set of commonly held values, and respect and understanding (even for people we don't understand!)
How can anyone expect that things will improve when there is such division amongst people.

Who has the energy or inclination to start a meal from scratch [when they get home from work]

Well I did and I’m sure lots of others do. A bit of forward planning prepping veg etc the previous evening or first thing in the morning and much use of the slow cooker.

Primrose53

growstuff you can usually recognise “poor” people by their clothes and footwear. Believe me, they do eat at fast food outlets.

<Splutter splutter splutter!>

By any measurement, I'm fairly poor (actually, very poor) and I don't believe you that poor people regularly eat at fast food outlets. Every Friday, I trot off with my shopping bag to my town's food giveaway, where food destined for landfill is available. I never know what I'm going to come home with, so I spend Friday afternoon "processing" my goods. Sometimes I make soup, sometimes curry, sometimes I chop it and freeze it, ready to put in a casserole or something. Before I met my current partner, I can honestly say I hadn't had a take-away and hardly ever been a cafe for over 20 years. I couldn't afford it.

While I'm at the food place, I usually have a cup of coffee (free) and a chat to the other people there. Most of them talk about struggling with the cost of living and we compare what we've chosen to take away and share recipes. There's an amazing Hindu lady (veggie) who's given us all some amazing curry recipes. No take-aways for us!

As for their clothes and footwear ... I'd probably surprise you. I don't wander round in rags. I scour eBay and charity shops for clothes and most of them have some kind of "label". I only buy clothes which are made from good fabrics and have a good cut ... and will probably last me for years. If I get fed up with them, I sell them back on eBay and buy something new (second hand). I have a wardrobe full of shoes and boots ... most bought in sales and I look after them.

I agree with SeaWoozle. Has somebody put the wrong instructions into the AI app?

MissAdventure

We are a society, not separate groups of "others", be they rich or poor, struggling with mental health issues, doing well for themselves, or making a bad job of life, for whatever reason.
A society works by a cohesive set of commonly held values, and respect and understanding (even for people we don't understand!)
How can anyone expect that things will improve when there is such division amongst people.

I guess some people don't care about others' lives' improving, if they're OK, Jack.

MissAdventure

I actually was going to say that the after school club cost £4.50 per child around 6 or 7 years ago, and more if they had a snack, which was fruit and a drink of water.
No mini buses here, taking people shopping, although the volunteer scheme is good.
It is £20 for a hospital appointment, there and back.

I hope people realise that if they're on a really low income, they can get an HC2 certificate, which means they're eligible for free transport to NHS appointments.

Skydancer

When I was a child mothers stayed at home. They had hours in which to prepare a nutritious meal which, in our case, was on the table at 6pm when Dad got home. These days, with 2 parents having to work, who has the energy or inclination to start a meal from scratch? This surely must be part of the problem and why some turn to takeaways. Also, rents are far too high often meaning that one person's wages go on that which must be disheartening. I am friendly with a young couple, both working hard in reasonable jobs, who cannot save a deposit for a house because of the rent they are paying. That is not to say there are no lazy, feckless parents who don't even try because there are. I know some.

My mother didn't stay at home, when I was a child. Her mother didn't stay at home either.

Germanshepherdsmum

^Who has the energy or inclination to start a meal from scratch [when they get home from work]^

Well I did and I’m sure lots of others do. A bit of forward planning prepping veg etc the previous evening or first thing in the morning and much use of the slow cooker.

Whilst making breakfast and readying for the day. Easy peasy.

I didn't know about the HC2 certificate.
I think that there is an element of my benefits (gasp!!) that is for mobility, so I'm happy to pay my £20.

I will pass that info on though, as I do meet some people who are really struggling with getting to appointments.

Thank you.

SeaWoozle

MissAdventure

I suppose in the same way you can usually recognise well off people, by looking to see if they fit every cliche that's ever been trotted out about them, regardless of if it's true.

Absolutely! Regardless of my financial status, if anyone should see me right this minute they'd think I'd been sleeping in a hedge for a week! 🤣🤣

Have you ever read such nonsense?!

Same! And some of most wealthy people I've known dressed in clothes which had definitely seen better days. Talk about making snap judgements!

But but but ... apparently, 15 minute cities are part of some control freakery and conspiracy theory. This is precisely why it shouldn't take anybody in a built-up area more than 15 minutes to access basic amenities, such as a supermarket.
I can’t see the day when there will be supermarkets built so close together that that is possible - it just wouldn’t be commercially viable. Retail outlets are closing rather than expanding in numbers. Better, cheaper (ie subsidised) public transport, and fewer out of town shopping ‘villages’ would help though.

Also, the discussion about 15minute cities was based on the premise that there would be penalties for travelling outside of your zone. That was what people objected to, if you remember.

I've filled my bingo card more than once in the last couple of days.

I'm almost amused by the Lady Bountifuls offering advice to 'the poor', those sad objects of patronage who are always with us...

Of course, any suggestion that the nation's wealth should be rather more evenly distributed is anathema to them...heaven forbid that the entire citizenry should be able to feed, clothe and heat themselves and their children.. deserving or undeserving...

HousePlantQueen

Primrose53
growstuff you can usually recognise “poor” people by their clothes and footwear. Believe me, they do eat at fast food outlets.
What an appallingly judgemental post.

And actually quite ridiculous and ignorant too! I’m a complete scruffy mess sometimes and sometimes eat in fast food outlets!

Skydancer When I was a child mothers stayed at home. They had hours in which to prepare a nutritious meal which, in our case, was on the table at 6pm when Dad got home. These days, with 2 parents having to work, who has the energy or inclination to start a meal from scratch?

Mum stayed home with all of us, she cooked delicious nutritious food from scratch, hob did much of the work, she wasn't tied to in all day.

I do/did the same as mum - no more than 3-5 hours in the kitchen prepping, cooking, laying tables, washing up daily. Whilst making 3 meals, I get ready for the day, walk dogs, do laundry, hoover, do the books, etc.

My time has always been used by driving because we live a long distance from anywhere (school run, shops, etc).

Also, the discussion about 15minute cities was based on the premise that there would be penalties for travelling outside of your zone. That was what people objected to, if you remember.

I thought that misconception had been put to bed...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66990302

MaizieD

I've filled my bingo card more than once in the last couple of days.

I'm almost amused by the Lady Bountifuls offering advice to 'the poor', those sad objects of patronage who are always with us...

Of course, any suggestion that the nation's wealth should be rather more evenly distributed is anathema to them...heaven forbid that the entire citizenry should be able to feed, clothe and heat themselves and their children.. deserving or undeserving...

(Not forgetting being first to church on Sunday and founders of the local branch of the Round Table.... 🙄)

I think you’re talking about people’s personal wealth when you refer to ‘the nation’s wealth’, Maizie.

MaizieD

^Also, the discussion about 15minute cities was based on the premise that there would be penalties for travelling outside of your zone. That was what people objected to, if you remember.^

I thought that misconception had been put to bed...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66990302

I've never heard of this before. Like something out of The Hunger Games!

HousePlantQueen

Primrose53
growstuff you can usually recognise “poor” people by their clothes and footwear. Believe me, they do eat at fast food outlets.
What an appallingly judgemental post.

Judgemental, ridiculous, ignorant and inaccurate! Love you see how I dress sometimes! Yesterday my husband called me the bag lady! You should see the fabulous clothes my friend buys second hand! Maybe the “poor” you’re seeing in cafes have no cooking facilities?