My Story

On December 14th I'll be 'Sleeping Out For Suffolk' with my dearest chum, author, journalist and former tv presenter Christine Webber and I'd love your support us to spread the word please and possibly to make a donation if you would like to?

A special moment.....

My time as part of the fabulous team at Suffolk Community Foundation is coming to an end in December this year. Time for pastures new. BUT before I go I wanted to take a personal stand in support of something I really believe in and an appeal that I know 100% makes a vital contribution to the quality of local lives. It would not be an exaggeration to say it actually saves lives.

This is the situation..... 

The latest national government stats indicate that there has been a sharp rise in the number of people living in fuel poverty - now 14.4% of the UK population.

Overlay these figures into Suffolk and this means an estimated 100,000 people in our county can now not afford to heat their homes. That's 1 in 7 of our local population. 

Picture a near capacity crowd at Portman Road and then multiply that by 4......that's how many people are living in fuel poverty in Suffolk in 2023!

As part of the team at Suffolk Community Foundation for the past 9 years, I have been heavily involved in lifting the lid on this issue and promoting a really simple local solution called The Surviving Winter Appeal. This appeal was set up for Suffolk by Suffolk to re-distribute non-means tested Winter Fuel Payments if they are not needed and pass them on to somebody else in Suffolk who is struggling to heat their home. Simple!  If you don't need it, donate it!

We've just launched the 2023/24 Appeal and this year individuals and businesses are also fundraising for us. 

This is how the Surviving Winter Appeal works!

In the most basic terms, Suffolk Community Foundation raises the money from anyone willing to give in Suffolk - this includes the general public, business, public sector and other trusts and foundations. We then work with the amazing team at Citizens Advice branches across Suffolk and other local charities and community groups to bring the people who need it most towards the help and provide them with a vital financial boost to stay warm. 

Over the past 13 years, this local initiative has supported tens of thousands of people. I've met many of them, heard about their heartbreaking experiences and seen the difference that help from The Surviving Winter Appeal makes to them.

Over the past year, the numbers have risen by 25,000 and we are told by Citizens Advice that much of this rise is coming from low income working households. In reality, in addition to many of the older people we support on low fixed incomes, there is now a whole different section of society that needs our help.

There will be people you know who need support - family, friends, work colleagues - so please do something to help.

Imagine trying to do a decent days work when you have spent the night cold. Imagine going to school and trying to learn when you've been shivering all night. Imagine what it's like to be a parent trying to balance the household budget when it simply can't be done. Imagine having to decide between feeding your family and keeping them warm. It's an impossible choice to make and it is deeply damaging to family life, phyical and mental wellbeing....the list goes on.

So what am I going to do?

If you remember, I mentioned the figures of 1 in 7 people living in Suffolk who need support. In my mind this means that there are another 6 who are able to help in some way. 

I'm really fortunate to be one of those 6 and you may well be too? 

It's not much of a sacrifice, but I've decided that, in order to raise awareness and, I hope, raise as much money as possible for this year's appeal, I'm going to sleep out in Suffolk on December 14th! 

Please support me by giving what you can afford, a few Winter Fuel Payments that arn't needed would be amazing, but so would any kind of donation. It will all make a difference.

You might even decided that you'd like to join me. Just ask and I'll tell you more about it! Please don't let me sleep alone and help me spread the word. 

Thank you so much! 

.....there will be updates! Brace yourself!!

Tim x