Cambridge was named the most unequal city in the UK in 2018 by the Centre for Cities Think Tank. The difference in life expectancy between Cambridge's richest and poorest areas is estimated to be a staggering ten years. The cost-of-living crisis means the most vulnerable and deprived struggle to meet the cost of basic essentials.

I am a trustee of a local charity called Cambridge Aid. We help local people in crisis by giving them a one-off grant of up to £200 to get the essentials they need the most. We issue grants, usually within three days of receiving an application, through a network of over 40 charitable organisations and local council teams who act as sponsors, including:

• Cambridge & District Citizens Advice
• Cambridge Social Services
• Jimmy’s Cambridge
• Women’s Resources Centre
• Mental Health Foundation Trusts
• The Red Hen Project.

Our rapid practical grants form part of the support provided by our partner organisations in helping the most vulnerable reduce the hardship they face.

We are a small charity with a group of unpaid trustees and volunteers who believe strongly in compassion, acting in a non-judgemental way and providing rapid support to those in need. Our trustees carefully scrutinise every request sent to Cambridge Aid. Most requests receive positive responses, and we also make many suggestions for additional sources of help.

In 2021, we gave 979 grants, totalling £141,000, and our overheads were under 1% of grants. As of October 2022, we are giving grants at a rate 16% higher than in 2021. As the UK is now projected to enter recession from the fourth quarter of 2022 by the Bank of England, we need to actively raise funds to continue to support the growing demand from the people in crisis in Cambridge and the surrounding areas.

Our aid is about empowering individuals. It’s about helping them to retain their dignity. It’s about reminding them that their community cares about them. Around half of our aid benefits children, and many recipients are single parents. Over 50% of grants are to individuals or families affected by mental health issues, and 25% by domestic violence.

We fund the purchase of cookers, freezers and washing machines – the most commonly requested items. The next biggest items are food, everyday household essentials, and clothing for children and adults. We give plenty of help to people moving home - for example, the street homeless moving into pods or other unfurnished flats, women fleeing domestic abuse, and young adults who may not have anyone else to turn to.

We anticipate receiving more requests for help from those deep in debt and more support with gas and electricity bills, food costs and rising inflation. Many of the people we support are facing some hard choices between heating, eating or buying clothes for their children this winter. Together, we offer hope and dignity to the people in our community.

I will be fasting for 48 hours from 8pm 31 October to 8pm 2 November (Date change due to attending a funeral on 3 Nov). Please donate to my fundraising generously to support Cambridge Aid!