Do I buy food for children or electric? Leeds charity Zarach steps in as families fear financial fall-out from coronavirus

A Leeds charity which hands out beds and pyjamas to children that don't have their own is now helping struggling families forced to choose between food and electricity.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Last week Zarach, a charity started by an assistant headteacher at an inner-city primary school, had 14 desperate phone calls from families it has worked with in the past saying they can't cope.

This week, Zarach was planning to help a further 20 families due to a growing number of referrals, which has been brought about by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Employment

Rebecca Wilson packing 'The Vantry' with essential supplies.Rebecca Wilson packing 'The Vantry' with essential supplies.
Rebecca Wilson packing 'The Vantry' with essential supplies.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Some parents have lost jobs or had hours reduced and others are struggling to find the money to feed children, who would usually be entitled to free school meals and breakfast clubs, while they are at home during the lockdown.

So while Zarach goes about its business to deliver its bed packages to children, who in previous cases have been sleeping in the bath or on flea-infested cushions, the delivery van is now being turned into a mobile pantry with a few of the more expensive essentials such as nappies and washing powder.

Read More
Children in school with bed bugs - how poverty is affecting education of youngst...

Support network

The Zarach vans will be visiting around 20 families this week.The Zarach vans will be visiting around 20 families this week.
The Zarach vans will be visiting around 20 families this week.

"There is the financial pressure but vulnerable families are going to be more vulnerable because their usual support network has been cut off. They are not going to school to interact, not seeing neighbours and family members and not seeing school staff. We want to reassure families that whatever this looks like (lockdown situation) and for however long we will get through this together.

"We know that our direct families are going through crisis, this was only week one (of lockdown) and we have seen 14 families. They have to make choices between electricity and food and they don't know where the next tenner is coming from."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The extras on the van are available to current families on the Zarach database and new referrals, which, Mrs Wilson says, were already on the increase prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus, but will now be even more so.

She added she doesn't know how much money her charity will need to make sure vulnerable people get the items they need but hopes supporters of Zarach who have donated generously in the past will continue to help. Leeds City Council has aldo joined forces with Voluntary Action Leeds and a network of local charities to deliver care to anyone in need across the city.

"The whole journey of Zarach I have never known where the next bit of money will come from but it always has, because people are kind and give generously. We are seeing more cases and our referrals have tripled. The part-time staff are now full-time. More people are finding out about us and more people need it. The more schools we work with, the more we find out that people did not have beds.

"Every single family has been desperately in need. That need is definitely there and it is growing."

Feed A Family

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Each year the Yorkshire Evening Post runs the Feed A Family campaign to help put food on the table during the school holidays. It is estimated that at least 30,000 children are at risk of going hungry during the school breaks because they are not getting the free school meals and support they have during term-time.