I have just watched the first episode of
Famous, Rich and Hungry for Sports Relief and my overwhelming emotion is guilt
and sadness. It is truly upsetting to know that people in England cannot afford
to feed themselves and their families. I wake up everyday knowing that I am
going to be able to eat well for that day, in fact, this doesn’t even cross my
mind, it is standard in my house, we have food in the cupboards and fridge and
the only thing stopping me eating it is the fact I can’t prepare food myself
due to the pain I am in. Most days I wake up and wonder what treats I’m going
to have. I think about all the chocolate that I could buy, can I be bothered to
go to the shop and get Giant Buttons or shall I just stick with the Cadbury’s
Pots of Joy in the fridge? The people on the programme can’t afford staple
meals, let alone treats. These people choose between feeding their kids or
themselves. They might have only one meal a day. I am so incredibly lucky to
have never had to worry about being fed.
When I got poorly back in 2011, I went from
being on a very healthy wage, to £50 a week. This jump was very noticeable. I
went from being able to afford nights out, lunches, dinners, dresses, and trips
to Canada, pretty much whatever I wanted. I then found myself living on £50 a
week and found it very difficult and ended up borrowing a lot of money from my
parents. I was still trying to live a lifestyle of lunches and dinners out,
with new dresses to wear all the time. I thought I had it hard living on that
amount per week. I had NO idea. I didn’t have it hard. I didn’t have a house to
heat, I didn’t have to pay rent or a mortgage, and I didn’t have to pay for
food shopping. One of the guys on the show spent £48 on this electricity for a
week, meaning he had £2.50 for everything else that week. He has it hard. What
would you do if you had £2.50 for the week? What food would you buy? How would
you get by?
Last week I felt unhappy so I went to
Brighton to do some shopping and I ended up buying a watch for £155. I just
wish I had seen this program before I went shopping because I could have
donated that money to Sports Relief. I have nice watches already, I didn’t need
a new one, however people do need to eat and that money could have helped feed
some people. My watch isn’t refundable, otherwise I would be in the shop right
now returning it so I could give that money to a cause that so desperately
needs donations.
I moan about my illness and the fact that I
can’t participate in things that I love to do anymore, but I must remember how
lucky I am to have a roof over my head with heating that I can put on whenever
I want, I have hot water and I have food. I am not hungry like others are.
The four families shown on the program are
not alone. This is a big problem in England. I don’t know about you, but when I
think of poverty and starvation I think of Africa, I think of third world
countries. How naïve I am. This problem is happening right here, in our
country, right in front of us. This isn’t happening thousands of miles away,
it’s happening on our doorstep.
To donate £5, with the whole £5 going to
Sports Relief, text FOOD to 70005.
A couple more websites about food banks:
On this website, if you donate £5 it will
provide 30 meals!!
Take care,
Rachel x