I'm Scott, a striking British Gas engineer. After 12 years service, I face the threat of being Fired and Rehired on a lesser, poorer terms and conditions contract. As British Gas engineers, throughout the pandemic, we have gone in to Covid confirmed properties, putting ourselves and our families at risk, to help vulnerable customers with problems with their heating, hot water and issues with their electrics. Last year when the pandemic first hit, our engineers also volunteered for the Trussel Trust delivering food parcels and helping at food banks, whilst in the background the company were planning to rip up our contracts and offer us a new poorer contract, which if we don't sign then we face being fired on the 31st March. A contract which compromises the safety of our customers, which means longer more unscalable hours, less time at home with families, all happening from a company with an operating profit of £901m. 

Fire and Rehire is immoral and needs to be made illegal and has no place in modern employment. Today it's us but tomorrow it could be you.

So, as engineers we voted to go on strike and as we can't currently help our customers, we are helping our communities.

This week, my Colleagues and I have been volunteering with The Active Wellbeing Society and the #BrumTogether initiative.  

#BrumTogether is a network of more than 80 partner organisations working together to provide those most in need with essential support and services. Since March, they have been co-ordinating deliveries of food parcels, hot meals, hygiene products, baby supplies and children's activity packs to families. Other initiatives of the wider #BrumTogether campaign include: a friendly phone chat service, virtual wellbeing activities and sharing positive stories of people coming together to support each other.

I have meet some amazing people there, giving up their time to help those in desperate need. No one should have to go without food anywhere, let alone the UK. #BrumTogether are seeing a 15% increase every week for food requests. I hadn't, until today actually witnessed how many people rely on the great work of places such as this.

So please, if you can help, please donate a little today. You'd be surprised how far a little donation goes.

Thank you and stay safe.