St John's February Bulletin

With the cost-of-living crisis continuing to take its toll, many people and families across our community are feeling the effects of industry wide inflation. Here at St John’s, we’re working hard to provide support to individuals and families who are struggling with rising costs.?

To support families, we have initiated a scheme that provides free hot meals for over?700 children from seven local primary schools.?The scheme - which will run until Summer 2024 - aims to help families who fall outside the free school meal eligibility criteria though may still need support.

A headteacher from one of the schools involved in the scheme shared: “Some of our parents were not sure if it was real and sent their children in with packed lunches just in case. There were some?very?happy children today and lots of the kids had seconds! I sat and ate with them as usual, but there was just so much joy and lots of full stomachs”.

Our?Crisis Programme?also continues to provide a lifeline for those in need. January saw the busiest month we’ve had since the start of the pandemic, with over 40 people accessing support. The programme covers the cost of essential needs such as furniture, debt support, utility bills, and more. If you know of anyone who could benefit from support from our crisis programme,?please direct them to us.

Don't call me disadvantaged - removing labels

?In the past, we have used the word 'disadvantaged' to refer to those who have experienced unequal opportunity due to a prejudiced system.

Following the example of?Olivia Taylor?- who speaks candidly about the harmful effects of labelling - we have recently made the decision to revise our terminology and move to using the term ‘underserved’ to describe those who rely on?our charity?to give them a helping hand.

?We want to start a conversation about those who are underserved and put the emphasis on society, rather than individuals. Read our blog.

St John’s funds school meals for pupils across seven local primary schools

?St John’s is currently working with?seven primary schools across BaNES, to provide support in ensuring?that over 700 children will have the opportunity to access the same free meals as their peers until July 2024. Read our blog.

Link found between child poverty and adult mental health and wellness issues

?As many as?1 in 3 children?could be living in poverty in the UK, including 6,000 in Bath and North East Somerset alone.

?St John’s is working with local stakeholders to eradicate child poverty to ensure a better, brighter future for the next generation. Read our blog.

Furniture Poverty: the cost to our community

Furniture poverty is on the rise and with the cost of living reaching an all-time high, many in our community are experiencing the effects first-hand.

St John's has partnered with?Curo?to launch a new?Furnished Tenancy Scheme?that will give those moving into social housing more than just walls and a roof, but instead a real ‘home’. Read our blog.

How does an 850-year-old charity stay relevant?

?For eight and a half centuries, we have been supporting Bath and the surrounding area. Now in 2023, St John’s continues to offer accommodation and support to the community.

?So, with hundreds of years of experience, what lessons have we learned in staying relevant? Read our blog.