Single mum living off children's leftovers can't afford Christmas

  • Watch Victoria Davies' report


A mother-of-four from Bath says she is having to live off her children's leftovers because she no longer has enough money to pay for her own meals.

Victoria Walker will not be able to afford Christmas for her family as food prices continue to rise.

She rarely turns the heating on and tries not to eat so that her children can have food.

"Unless I really have to, I won't eat," she said. "I fill myself up with tea and coffee. I like the children to eat so I tend to have the leftovers."

Recently her 11-year-old daughter even started offering her pocket money to help buy food essentials like bread and milk.

She added: "It just makes me sad. It breaks my heart. Christmas is looking sad for me. I can't afford Christmas."

Victoria is receiving help from Action for Children, a charity created to help vulnerable children, young people and their families in the UK.

The charity is supported by Lydia Bright who is a former TV personality from ITV's The Only Way is Essex.

She says more needs to be done to help struggling families and that it's "important for us to open our eyes to the problems that are happening on our doorstep.

"Sometimes when we think of poverty we don't always think it's happening in the UK but child poverty is so prominent now more than ever and it's heartbreaking that it's happening in a country like ours."

A recent study by the charity also found that 98% of parents that were surveyed were worried about money whilst 22% of working parents are worrying they won't be able to afford any Christmas presents.

It's meant that community centres in the South West have been inundated with demand from families who are in need of help in the run-up to Christmas.

Helen Stockwell from Action For Children says she's never seen anything like it.

She said: "I have families who can't get coats for the children and can't afford to keep their children warm.

"People are genuinely worried really worried about what's coming."