A big thank you to BBC Radio Derby listeners who raised £1,000 for families associated with a Church Related Community Work project to have a fun day out.
It all started when Vicky Longbone, CRCW for Ashbourne Road Church and Mackworth United Reformed Church’s Derby Alive to Community (A2C) project, briefly appeared on BBC News 24 – with the lead of Derby Food4Thought Alliance, which supports 11 foodbanks across the city – to talk about the cost-of-living crisis and the impact on foodbanks and low-income families.
A BBC radio producer impressed with Vicky’s passion and knowledge about the issue then invited her onto BBC Radio Derby’s Sunday breakfast show to talk more about the struggles of working families, the true impact on the rise of living and how projects like Derby A2C are a necessity.
When the true amount of the energy price cap was released, Vicky was asked to be on the radio again!
“Parents that come to our CRCW project sometimes ask for a sandwich on arrival. They’ve fed the kids, but the parents go without,” Vicky said.
“We have single parents that are on long-term sick leave, on statutory sick pay with a mortgage still to pay.
Vicky also challenged the then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, or his replacement, to “come and try living in the real world” as “people will die this winter”.
Derby A2C runs a variety of groups including a school holiday food project. Initially, this project was set up for one summer to offer hot meals to families who were struggling with children at home full-time.
Four years on, the project has grown and developed. It now runs three days a week offering hot meals, breakfast parcels and a variety of activities every school holiday.
This year, the project supported 25 families, as well as providing food parcels through Derby A2C’s foodbank.
During her radio interview, Vicky explained the need for taking families out for the day and within 24 hours £1000 was raised by listeners which paid for a coach trip to Skegness beach.
In total, 32 children and 17 adults went on the trip. Everyone had a packed lunch provided and each child had £5 spending money.
“Thank you, Radio Derby listeners,” continued Vicky. “Although raising the money was fantastic, it was the opportunity to get the voice of the voiceless out there that was most important.
“Raising the profile of real situations is a passion of mine. I hear and see some horrendous situations through the foodbank and the public needed to know how bad it really is.
“I feel blessed that I was in the right place at the right time for this opportunity. I will not stop.”
BBC Radio Derby has invited Vicky back in October when the energy price cap rises from £1,971 to £2,500.