2020 was a year we will all remember for a very long time, a challenge, a testing time for businesses and individuals and a year that stretched the limits of our society to real capacity.

Times like these make you reflect on how very much we have and how privileged some of us are, and so as a people-first focused organisation, we wanted to do something to ‘give back’. We wanted to help those let fortunate than others. We believe in a People First approach-people will always come before profit at ProMedical. So, in late December, we donated £1000 worth of products to Brentwood Foodbank as one of our many charitable donations. We choose a foodbank because since Covid-19 poverty and hunger have unfortunately increased and it appears from the data that those worst hit are the very ones who simply can not take yet another hit, they are already on their knees.

Images of our time at Brentwood Foodbank, where we donated £1,000 worth of essentials to those in need.

 

 

 

 

The sad statistical reality 

Before COVID-19, certain groups in society were more likely to have low incomes and find themselves relying on social security to support themselves. Many of these groups have been affected the hardest by the outbreak and have lacked the resources to prevent themselves from falling into further financial difficulties. It is all our responsibility to help those less well off. We decided to not only donate to Brentwood Foodbank but also to look at how people end up at a food bank in the first place.

We looked at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) report on poverty in the UK, and below are the main findings.

Key findings

14.5 million people in the UK lived in poverty before the Pandemic, which is more than one in five people. Child poverty and in-work poverty were on the rise for many years, and some groups were disproportionately likely to be pulled into poverty. (1)

Many of the groups already struggling the most to keep their heads above water have also endured the economic hardship and health impacts of COVID-19. These include: (1)

• part-time workers, low-paid workers, and sectors with a much higher rate of in-work poverty, such as accommodation and food services
• BAME Groups- Black, Asian and minority ethnic households
• single parents – mainly women
• private renters, who have higher housing costs, and social renters, who tend to have lower incomes
• already affected poverty areas with multiple socio-economic issues

The report shows that poverty will increase if government support is removed in April 2021, as we face much higher unemployment than pre-coronavirus.

Solution-Driven

During the Pandemic, the Government has implemented some radical policies to protect people from the powerful economic storm owed to COVID.

These policy solutions would support the crisis:

1. We need as many as possible to be in good employment – well paid, robust jobs with longevity and a future in sight.
2. We need to improve earnings for low-income working families and ensure more people are in secure, good quality work. It is everybody’s business to help the poorest in society.
3. We need to strengthen the benefits system to provide an anchor that we can all depend on in tough times.
4. We need to grow the amount of low-cost housing for those families on low incomes.

 Conclusion

Pre-pandemic, millions were living insecure and low-income lives, surviving rather than excelling. They simply could not take one more hit-then COVID came and those already on their knees sunk to rock bottom. This is when our true humanity must break through-this is when we who have enough must share with those who struggle.

Giving back is something that we advocate, promote and essentially, call everyone to do. If we all give something, no matter how small it may seem when we can then we can together start to solve this crisis – every child deserves an education, every person deserves to eat, to be warm and have shelter-every child deserves a childhood- let’s not allow poverty to steal any more childhoods. Let’s raise awareness and support the wonderful charities out there.

It is heroic what charities are doing all around us every day. Brentwood Foodbank is a truly fantastic charity, providing the community with vital support, especially in these hard times where people are losing jobs, homes, and happiness. Check out this amazing charity at https://brentwood.foodbank.org.uk/

It is with all the small donations adding up that has the power to change someone’s life for the better.

 

Reference

1. UK Poverty 2020/21. https://michaelharrison.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/UK-Poverty-2020-21-Findings-Rowntree-Foundation.pdf