Give help
Give a Warmer Winter appeal
We'd love to invite you to donate towards emergency fuel vouchers, so that people and families referred to Wandsworth Foodbank can top up their meter and have a warmer winter.
When people are referred to us for emergency food and support, many also can’t afford to top up the credit on their gas or electricity prepayment meter – leaving them at risk of being cut off.
For instance they might be waiting five weeks for their first payment of Universal Credit, having become too sick to work, or having fled domestic abuse. Or their health or family circumstances might mean they’re trying to get by on a social security payment that doesn’t cover the cost of essentials, like food and fuel.
Gifts to our Give a Warmer Winter appeal will enable people referred to our food bank to receive a £49 emergency fuel voucher, alongside emergency food and advice. You’ll be helping people to top up their prepayment meter and therefore have enough gas or electricity to have hot water, cook hot food, and put the heating on a little when it’s cold.
Your generosity will make a real difference to local people in hardship, like this mother who was referred to Wandsworth Foodbank last winter and received a fuel voucher:
I want to say a huge thank you to everybody who’s donated. It’s made a massive difference to our family with the electricity and the heating. Because I’m a carer for my child and I’m not able to go and work a proper full-time job, we’ve been struggling to make ends meet. Just knowing that help with food and fuel vouchers is there takes a different level of stress off my shoulders. Before I’d be like, okay, we’ve got no electricity, what do we do? Where can we cut back on things even more? Can I go without a meal this evening? It really makes a difference. Thank you.
Nearly one-third of people referred to Wandsworth Foodbank are unpaid carers, like this mother, and two-thirds of people referred have a long-term health condition or disability. Most aren’t able to take on paid work to increase their very low incomes at the point we meet them, but it’s especially important that they’re able to keep warm.
These emergency fuel vouchers are issued directly to people referred to our food bank who have little or no credit on their prepayment meters. The vouchers can only be used for gas and electricity, and it’s a rapid and effective way to help people at a very difficult time.
We are incredibly grateful to each person who is able to give today to help local people and familes in hardship have a warmer winter.