Charity helping the destitute slams MPs’ budget ‘jeers’
THIS week’s budget may have received a cautiously optimistic reception in the North East, but at one community centre there is a feeling that much more could be done.
A trailblazer devolution scheme for the North East was published on Wednesday afternoon which includes the development of the Crown Works Studios in Sunderland and £58m of funding for the maintenance and renewal of the Tyne and Wear Metro over two years.
However, at the Cedarwood community centre on the Meadow Well Estate, staff are more concerned about how they will support their service users who have “fallen from poverty into destitution”. The Cedarwood Trust has dedicated itself to battling poverty on the Meadow Well Estate and across the wider North of Tyne area, offering facilities and services aiming to ease the burden of the cost of living crisis.
The charity has reported seeing more and more people every day who are in crisis and cannot afford to live.
Its staff slammed the behaviour of MPs in the House of Commons on Wednesday, with Jeremy Hunt making jokes, and MPs on both sides of the chamber seemingly jeering throughout.
Wayne Dobson, CEO of the Cedarwood Trust, described the budget as difficult to watch. “People are talking about things that are going to affect millions of people’s lives and it’s fine to laugh and joke about it, when there’s not much laughing and joking going on for those people who are affected by the issues which are so prevalent,” he said.
Nevertheless, Wayne is pleased that the Government has retained household support for the next six months. This allows children who are on free school meals to get a £15 weekly voucher for food.
He said: “That’s really crucial for our communities and it’s great to see that’s going to be here for the summer holidays. However, the fact that it’s only six months and it finishes for Christmas – is that another gimmick because the election’s here and then it’s going to be another Government’s responsibility to pick that up?
During the Budget, chancellor Jeremy Hunt emphasised the need for more productivity in the UK’s public services.
However, Louise Taylor, who works at the Trust, believes that increasing productivity is impossible without more mental health support.
She said: “There isn’t enough support for people to enable them to become productive, certainly not in terms of mental health. It’s absolutely atrocious.”
Cherri Bray, community lead, added: “It’s good hearing about special educational needs and people trying to get back into work, but the reality is poor mental health and a lack of skilled workers.
“We see people on a daily basis who are struggling and the last thing you’re going to think about is getting back into work when you can’t feed your children.”
Both Cherri and Louise echoed CEO Wayne’s discomfort with the conduct of MPs during the budget, with Cherri saying: “I feel like these people are so far removed from the real world, it’s extremely frustrating and irritating to watch it.”
The pair were also disappointed to see no mention of mental health support in the budget.
The charity’s student care co-ordinator Lindsey Newton, 42, who lives on the Meadow Well Estate, is of the same opinion.
She said: “I absolutely love my job, but every day I see more and more people in crisis. And these people have not put themselves in crisis, these are genuine people who cannot afford to live.
“And half the time, it could easily be fixed by not having as much pressure to work out where my next meal is coming from or worrying that they can’t pay rent the next month.”