Dorchester Poverty Action (DPA) has just launched its annual winter campaign. Over this last financial year the charity has seen a 28% increase in the number of grants distributed and a 66% increase over the last five years. As costs for food, fuel, heating and water rise, DPA are ready for a busy winter.
This year’s winter campaign, to raise awareness of the charity and to raise money, is focusing on fuel poverty again – “This winter both young and old will feel the cold”. If you are living from hand to mouth with no money to fall back on, it can be really difficult to afford to fill your oil tank, if that is the only form of heating available to you, which is often the case in the villages. The minimum cost to deliver oil can be up to £700, which is a huge amount to find when you have no savings. This and many other requests come from Citizens Advice, health visitors, school welfare officers, tenancy officers etc. In the last 6 months nearly £37,800 has been distributed to people in DT1 and DT2 struggling with their finances.
Besides distributing grants, DPA also tries to inform people of local issues and services. Its recent annual open meeting focused on how to “Access wellbeing”. To a full room, Nancy West, a social prescriber explained how this service, working out of GP surgeries, can help with a range of issues to support local people whether from benefits help or loneliness, from debt to connecting to local services. Social prescribers have time to talk within a busy GP surgery. Katie Turner from the Lantern Trust then described a new service provided on High East St that helps with concerns around housing, health and drug related issues. More information can be found on the DPA website.
Donations can be given online at www.dorchesterpovertyaction.org.uk or sent to Dorchester Poverty Action c/o United Church Dorchester, 49-51 Charles St, Dorchester DT1 1EE.
