Struggling mum offers help with the cost of living
A SELFLESS mum is continuing to help others with the cost of living crisis - despite struggling to keep her business running.
Clare Lund, who lives in Felling, runs a soul coaching and energy healing business called Nayalla.
The 42-year-old, who is mum to 11-year-old Mia, said she offers a variety of coaching services as well as mental health support.
Clare, who is living with her mum, said the pandemic and the cost of living crisis have hit her business hard and people are no longer able to afford her services.
However, she has continued to support people for free as much as she can.
The single mum, who has been running her online business for around four years, has put her advice into an Ebook called ‘How to deal with a forced cost of living crisis’.
She has asked people to purchase it, if possible, but will also offer it for free to those who cannot afford to pay the £7.19 fee.
Clare, who has started claiming universal credit to top up her income, said: “I want to help. I thought I would put everything together in one place.
“I don’t want money to be a barrier for people who need help the most. I understand the people who need the most don’t have the money.
“I think it’s disgusting really people have been left in a situation where they might freeze to death in their own homes.
“People can’t afford to exist right now and people are made to feel like their life isn’t important.”
Clare said the cost of living has caused a “huge mental health crisis” and people are really scared about the future.
She added: “As far as mental health is concerned, it’s very easy to think we have been backed into a corner and we have no choice or options.
“Unfortunately some people are in that low where the only way out is suicide. I want people to realise that’s not the only way out of this.
“There are charities, organisations and people who want to help them out of their situation.”
Clare said she wants to help as she has previously been through hardship herself.
She and her daughter are currently living with her mother after falling behind on their rent and being evicted from a private rented property at the end of 2018. They are on a waiting list for a council property.
Clare said: “I have international clients, my main money comes in from America.
“I have had a client from Sweden and other places around the world. I get very little money coming in from this country.
“Ideally I want my own place but I’m miles down on the waiting list.
“I don’t want to be living with my mum at my age and I don’t want my daughter living like this either.
“Mia is very aware of what is going on and she doesn’t think it’s fair.
“She’s one of the lucky ones, she’s very fortunate with the situation we are in right now.
“I have tips from my training of how to help throughout this crisis and we are doing alright.
“We had our difficult time before everyone else.”
Clare has been attending cost of living crisis events to gain information and help others struggling.
She is also backing the Enough if Enough campaign, which calls for fairer pay, a cut to energy bills and an end to food poverty and shoddy housing.