Food bank volunteer, 94, sits in dark home because of rising electricity bills

A 94-year-old food bank volunteer has shared how she goes home on some nights and sits in the dark because of rising electricity bills.

Pauline spends her time helping families in need at the Genesis Project in Middlesbrough, which was set up to tackle deprivation in the local area.

However, when she finishes, she returns to a home where she is afraid to turn on the lights or heating, in fear of the cost.

Pauline said: "I have a hot water bottle and a blanket. I use battery operated torches and two of them light my front room up."

The pensioner lived through the war and spent winters in bunkers, but says what is happening now is worse.

Pauline is usually all smiles when she volunteers at the Genesis Project in Middlesbrough

"That was bad enough but this is unnerving somehow," Pauline said.

"There's something wrong with the world. I honestly think that. Do other countries live like we do? I don't know."

Pauline is not the only one struggling, with demand for the food bank she volunteers at sky-rocketing.

Reverend Kath Dean, who heads the Genesis Project, said: "The need for our services has absolutely snowballed with the cost of living rise.

"When we originally started, we were having just local people coming to the door for food and that was maybe between 50 and 100 a week.

"We thought that was a lot but now we are feeding over 165 families every week."

Reverend Kath Dean heads the Genesis Project at St Oswald’s church hall

One person who has turned to the service for help is local mum, Lauren, who never expected to need support to feed her family.

"After Covid hit, it was a bit hard, but once the economy started getting worse, it's come to where we have had to come to a place like this - even though my husband is working full time.

"Nothing has been easy really, even just the smallest of things, bread, sugar, little snacks... Two years ago we would have had it."

The Genesis Project was originally set up to help people in the local area, but the charity is now seeing people travel from further afield.

It has prompted volunteers to consider restricting access to service users from nearby postcodes if demand continues to increase.

"It is down to whether we have enough money to feed the people," Rev Dean said.

A Government spokesperson said: "We recognise that people are struggling with rising prices which is why we are protecting millions of the most vulnerable families with at least £1,200 of direct payments including providing all households with £400 towards energy costs.

"As part of our £37bn support package we are also allowing people on Universal Credit to keep £1,000 more of what they earn, while vulnerable families in England are being supported by the Government's Household Support Fund - which was boosted by £500million - to help pay for essentials."

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