FEATURE
Little Chefs Big Chefs managing director Joanne Iceton ( right ) with volunteer Joan Hall .
£ 60k community effort to ease the pain of poverty
An appeal to ease the devastating effects of poverty in County Durham has raised more than £ 60,000 thanks to local businesses and supporters .
Little Chefs Big Chefs run a community pantry in St Helen Auckland
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The first Poverty Hurts Appeal was launched by County Durham Community Foundation in autumn 2021 to ease suffering for local families and the elderly living in poverty .
Since then , the appeal has helped several local grassroots projects , including Little Chefs Big Chefs , Cornerstone Supported Housing and Counselling , Wheatley Hill Community Association and Feeding Families .
And the foundation ’ s chief executive , Michelle Cooper , says it all helps to ensure that people affected by poverty get the support they need and deserve .
She says : “ So many individuals and businesses have come forward to help in all kinds of ways , and we are really grateful for the response . It ’ s allowed us to support projects that offer a helping hand without taking away people ’ s pride .
“ Poverty is a growing issue – a massive issue – and it ’ s a disgrace . We want to do everything in our power to make sure people affected get the help they need so that their children don ’ t grow up thinking it ’ s normal to be hungry , normal to be cold , normal to do without , when their peers in other parts of the country are thriving . Poverty shouldn ’ t be a postcode lottery but in the North-East it is , and that is just plain wrong .”
Michelle says that when the foundation raises funds and unlocks match funding from generous donors , it allows them to “ give these groups a good chunky grant so they can get on with what they do best ”. She added : “ The North-East is on the up in many ways , which is wonderful , but we can ’ t afford to lose our conscience and neglect those who have been left behind , as it weakens all of us .
“ Our greatest aim is to help people understand poverty in a deeper way . If you don ’ t know much about it , you might think families are just spending their money on drink and cigarettes , when it ’ s actually going on ridiculous energy bills , or someone in the family is disabled which often incurs lots of hidden costs and can reduce the household ’ s earning power .”
Joanne Iceton , founder of Little Chefs Big Chefs , says a £ 1,000 award from the Poverty Hurts Appeal will help keep the project ’ s community pantry and winter coat service up and running .
The charity originally launched to help families discover the joys of healthy eating and cooking but started a community pantry just before the pandemic to make good food affordable , reduce food waste and so help the environment .
Joanne explains : “ A lot of families are working , and still can ’ t make ends meet . This is the hidden poverty that exists as they ’ re not eligible for food banks or they ’ re proud .
“ We see first-hand the impact of the universal credit lift , job losses , reduction in hours and the higher cost of living . We listen as our beneficiaries tell us stories of switching to packed lunches for their