A 17-year-old boy living on his own in a Salford flat, a 51-year-old homeless man staying on his friend’s sofa after a four-month hospital stint, a traumatised mum-of-two fleeing domestic violence with her young children.
They all have one thing in common – they’re in dire straits, they’re hungry, and it’s taking a toll. They share their worries of losing weight fast, that their mental health has taken a nosedive, and that they’re getting dizzy, and being hit by serious infections.
It’s a sunny Friday morning. In years gone by, the food bank in which the teenage boy, man, and woman sit in waiting for help would be quiet, with people choosing instead to enjoy a rare day of fine weather.
But those times are over, as the food bank’s volunteers say summer days are just as busy as ever – and only getting busier as the cost-of-living crisis rages on.
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