Volunteers have been a lifeline those who have fallen through the cracks – now the cost of living crisis is looming
Before the pandemic, Edwin, a 59-year-old retired nurse, was just about getting by. His home in Northfield, an outer suburb of Birmingham, was “in chaos”, so crowded with stuff that he could only really use one room. He’d go to the local supermarket for a sandwich, sit in the library for warmth, or the pub for social interaction. It wasn’t great, but it worked for him.
And then, in March 2020, the nation went into lockdown. Edwin’s neighbour noticed that he was struggling and alerted a local support scheme that had leafleted the area. What started with food parcel deliveries soon uncovered deeper problems: Edwin hadn’t had gas or electricity for years and his home was unmanageably cluttered. He hadn’t been coping for a long time.
Rachel Shabi is a journalist and broadcaster
