A pensioner who has gone without a warm meal in six years says a warm spaces project has changed his life.
John Foster, 76, had been living off tuna and boiled eggs, rarely turned on his heating and kept his milk on the doorstep to keep it cold before visiting the Pallion Action Group Warm Spaces hub.
Staff at the hub asked the Sunderland pensioner, who was struggling financially, to come in every day so they knew he was having at least one hot meal.
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It was then they found out he was having trouble filling in a benefit form for Attendance Allowance and offered to help.
John was awarded the money and not believing it was true, staff took him to the Post Office to draw out the cash meaning he could turn on his heating.
He said: "I still can't believe it. I had a friend come round and ask why I didn't have the heating on so they turned it on, so I went and turned it off. I'm wary of spending the money because I still don't quite believe it.
"I have always been scrimping and saving. I had been entitled to it years ago and didn't know about it.
"I found out about it by coming down here. I have a couple of friends who are struggling and are going to come down here."
Karen Noble, who is manager of the Pallion Action Group, hopes John's story will offer a glimmer of hope to other people struggling during the cost of living crisis.
She said: "We are happy the message is getting out that we are here and people are accessing the support. We want people to know Warm Spaces are here and right across the city.
"We helped 7,000 people last year and 2023 is just as busy. This cost of living crisis is going nowhere and we want to make sure we are there for the community, especially the vulnerable."
The Pallion hub is open from Monday to Saturday between 8am and 4pm, with people from all walks of life coming in.
Karen has volunteered within the community for nearly 30 years and says the cost of living crisis is the worst she has seen.
She said: "It is because it is cross section, it across the board, there is nobody not being touched by it.
"We have come out of the coronavirus pandemic and straight into an economic crisis. People who are self-employed have already spent their savings and now their is the cost of living crisis.
"People are at rock bottom and need to get back up."
The hubs are funded by Sunderland City Council who joined forces with voluntary and community partners to create a network of 55 hubs across the city.
Located in venues from libraries to community centres, youth projects and a recording studio, the spaces offer a range of services as well as helping people who are struggling to pay their energy bills and keep warm.
Details of the warm spaces can be found at: www.sunderland.gov.uk/warm-spaces
For more information on where to go for help and support with the cost of living crisis, including Household Support Fund 3, visit: www.sunderland.gov.uk/get-support
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