A father who recently lost his job has spoken about the time he cried after having to use a food bank for the first time and eating one meal a day as he feels he “does not deserve” to eat as much, amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
The PA news agency has been contacting those hit hardest by the cost-of-living crisis, including Wayne Baker, 38, who lives in Thurrock, Essex with his partner Zoe, 32, who works part-time in childcare and his 12-year-old son Cody, and who lost his job in construction as a hod carrier (someone who carries construction materials on site) in November 2022.
– What impact did losing your job have on you?
“I went in to work one day on a Wednesday and around half the team lost their jobs – we went from a team of 48 to a team of 22,” he said.
“I worked there for eight/nine years, so it was a bit of a shock to the system.
“As I lost my job in the first week of November and my (12-year-old) son’s birthday was at the end of November and Christmas was coming up, it was a hard time to lose a job.
“Christmas was really bad to be honest because we could not give our son all the presents he wanted, but he was quite understanding.”
Mr Baker added that when he had “nothing left”, he was advised to use a food bank.
– How did you feel about using a food bank?
“My partner was quite hesitant because we were not putting stuff in, we were taking from it,” he said.
“When I went, it was hard to swallow.
“I think I cried the first time I went, I felt quite embarrassed as I thought: ‘Really, I’ve got to this stage?'”
He has since been to food banks twice.
– What has been the hardest for you to deal with amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis?
“It’s just the simple things really, like worrying about where the next meal was coming from because the food banks are handy, but they don’t supply an actual meal – it helps with the meals, but just still constantly worry about when and where the next lot of food is coming from,” he said.
“I regularly have only one meal a day – one week, I had toast for a week straight, for dinner.
“I would make sure my son ate three meals a day and my partner because I’m not working, so I think I don’t deserve to eat as much as the others as he is going to school and my partner is going to work so they need the energy, and I have lost three stone in the past two months.
“We also had no heating for three weeks because we could not afford it.”
Mr Baker also spoke about accumulating over £2,000 worth of debt.
“The council have been quite understanding as I am without a job, but it is a debt that I will have to pay back. It is still hanging over my head.
He has also had to sell a computer, TV and “jewellery that has been handed down to me just to get a bit of money” and was given an eviction notice in the second week of November, which led to further stress for the family.
– What has it been like accessing help?
“It’s been really hard. I have been helped by a woman called Heidi at Thurrock Council. She put me through to (crowdfunding platform) Beam and has helped me throughout the whole process,” he said.
“She put me through to the food bank and she bought me a Christmas hamper so I could eat on Christmas Day, but the last two months have definitely been a struggle.”
Beam create an individual fundraising profile – which is also known as a campaign – to help people struggling with social issues including homelessness and migration, with members of the public donating to support them with their goals.
Mr Baker hoped to raise a little under £600 and in the space of eight days, the target was reached.
The funds are to be used to pay for items including his Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card, a laptop to complete his training and apply for jobs and safety boots.
“I didn’t expect the money to be raised so quickly by roughly 30 people,” he added.
“It just shows that even though there is a crisis going on, people are still willing to help. It’s a nice feeling and hopefully when I am back on my feet I can do the same for someone else.
“I could not really ask for help or money from friends or family as everyone is struggling with the cost of living right now.”
More information about Mr Baker’s fundraiser can be found here: https://beam.org/campaigns/wayne-construction-worker-training
