Despite careful budgeting, many families are finding it difficult to meet the everyday costs of raising a family.
According to a report by The Trussell Trust in May 2021, there was a 49% increase in the number of children supported by food banks between March 2018–19 and March 2019–20. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already critical situation for many families, as reported by The Children’s Society.
Government support can include free school meals, school uniform and financial assistance, but many parents are not aware that they may be eligible or how to access it. With significant variations in the system both across local authority areas of England and across Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, parents also face a postcode lottery.
But help is available, and Perennial is here to help people working in arboriculture and horticulture to access the support they are entitled to. The professional and friendly team at Perennial can help families access government support and financial assistance, where at least one parent or carer works in horticulture or arboriculture. Parents are encouraged to act now to ensure that they don’t miss out by calling the Perennial helpline on 0800 093 8543 or visiting the charity’s website to find out more about how they can meet the costs of a child’s schooling and plan ahead for the future.
Last year Colin, an award-winning fuchsia nurseryman from Wales, received support for his family from Perennial after the coronavirus devastated his livelihood. He said, ‘Overnight our family business for over 40 years was decimated. I had spent a lot of money growing the plants over the winter and with all the major flower shows such as Chelsea abandoned, we were left with no regular income and bills to pay. I didn’t know how I was going to get out of it and with a young family to support I knew I needed help.
‘Getting help from the professionals at Perennial was an absolute godsend. They got to know my situation and gave me advice on how to improve things for me and my family. The Back to School support we received was a huge help – having not been at school for six months, the children had outgrown everything.
‘The support from Perennial during the coronavirus pandemic has been invaluable. It really helps just knowing that there is always someone at the end of the phone to talk things over.’
For more information, visit www.perennial.org.uk, email info@perennial.org.uk or call 0800 093 8543.
This article was taken from Issue 194 Autumn 2021 of the ARB Magazine, which is available to view free to members by simply logging in to the website and viewing your profile area.