Two Salford-based charities are helping to support families during the October half-term.
The Bridgewater Foundation, a charity dedicated to tackling poverty and supporting people with disabilities, has joined forces with Salford Step into Action, a community group based in Walkden.
The partnership aims to provide local families with packages containing ingredients for lunch and dinner, as well as nappies and baby products, to help families during half-term who are struggling with the cost of living.
The Bridgewater Foundation has been supporting grassroots community groups and charities for over three years – from food packs to boxing classes, Christmas presents, and sanitary packages.
Volunteer John Mastin says that the charity is committed to giving help when they can and meeting those in need where they are.
Mastin, from The Bridgewater Foundation, described the packages as essential for working-class families and praised the efforts of both his team and the community. He said:
“We have done a nappy appeal over the October half-term, supporting people across the country who need them to get nappies without a struggle.”
He explained that this campaign was on top of the food bank the organisation are running with Salford Step into Action, which helps ensure that children who ordinarily receive subsidised school meals can still have free access to food.
“If the kids don’t go to school, they don’t get any dinner tickets and sometimes that is the only meal they will have. That is why we think it is really important to give extra food during the holidays.”
These support packs will be available at both St James Church in Higher Broughton and Salford SIA Community Hub in Walkden.
Over the summer, Bridgewater and Step into Action were able to help more than 1700 families across Salford and Manchester, an increase from the previous year, helping those on the breadline stay afloat over the holidays. Mastin described how he had seen the need for the foundation’s campaigns increasing in recent years, citing the cost-of-living crisis and increasing bills as common causes for concern in local households:
“The only way some families can get around that is by using food banks or putting stuff on credit cards, and eventually it comes back and bites. And we needed to do something.
“Families are sitting in the dark to save a bit of electricity. It sounds like the dark ages, but it’s not, this is happening right now on our doorstep,” he said.
Fish, who created Salford Step into Action during the COVID pandemic, and works closely with The Bridgewater Foundation, emphasised the importance of the work done by all associated organisations, as well as the facilities available to those involved, such as a charity shop run by Salford SIA. She added:
“We’ve got the gym here, but we’ve got our community hub in Walkden as well, and within there we have play groups, mental health groups, cancer support groups, craft groups, any form of group that you can think of.”
During the times when the community seemingly needs them most, the team keeps their sights focused on growth, including their upcoming Christmas event, taking place on the 12 December.
Looking further, John Mastin said the organisation is hoping to “build a legacy,” and pass on the values of Bridgewater for all those involved in future. He said:
“That’s what we’re creating. Something to pass on. Our tagline is: ‘from our family helping yours, and that’s what we mean.”
More information about Bridgewater can be found on their website and Instagram.
To sign up for the half-term packages, you can email help@salfordsia.co.uk.
Recent Comments