Karima Brooke
Last week, my washing machine partly flooded the kitchen. You can see where I’ve tried, unsuccessfully, to paint over the rusty bits.
I’ve had it repaired a couple of times before, but I think this time, it’s reached the end of its life, which is annoying.
In the past 3 months, Oxford Friends Action on Poverty (OxFAP) has made 4 grants for washing machines, which typically cost between £250-£300. These have been to the clients of the Citizens Advice Bureau, Probation, and two neighbourhood family centres. To the people who’ve needed our help, the need to replace their washing machine is not merely ‘annoying’ as it was to me, but a disaster, one more worry to keep people awake at night. They have no savings they could use, and no prospect of help from family members who are probably living in similar circumstances themselves. The alternative would often mean getting deeper into debt.
The Budget on 23 March did nothing to help the poorer members of our community. Inflation is now running at 7% and likely to be 8.7% by October (The Guardian, 24.03.2022) but benefits are set to rise by only 3.1% (Church Action on Poverty March newsletter). Of the 31 million people in work – and most benefit claimants of working age are in work – 27 million will pay more tax and National Insurance in 2024-25.
As we all know, the domestic fuel to heat and power our homes is increasing by at least 50%, with another massive rise predicted for October, and food and fuel for cars are going up. These are all increases which hit the poor hardest.
What can you do?
* Have a look at the Life on the Breadline Lent Study Course, an ecumenical course focussing on poverty and inequality in the UK: https://breadlineresearch.coventry.ac.uk/churches/lent-course/
* Sign one of the petitions such as Energy for All or Fuel Poverty Action
If you have any questions about OxFAP, or suggestions about local organisations that we could reach potential recipients of grants through, please do contact me at karimabrooke.oxfap@hotmail.com.
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Forty-Three Newsletter • Number 516 • April 2022
Oxford Friends Meeting
43 St Giles, Oxford OX1 3LW
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